Committee Update – June 2015

Committee Update – June 2015
As mentioned in the Spring President’s Message, work on our committee structure is in
full swing. So far, the composition of each committee has been approved by the Board.
Again, our goal was to get the right people, in the right seats while keeping our
committees at a manageable size. Laurence and I have met with committee chairs to
discuss process, roles and expectations. Draft ToR have been presented to the committees for
discussion and modification. Their recommendations have been submitted and approved by the board
at the May 31st meeting. Final documents and committee contact information will be added to the
website over the next few weeks. Now the real work starts! I am so impressed with everyone’s
participation so far: thank you everyone for your engagement!
All of these committees are Standing Committees of the Board. Here is the composition of each:
Coaching/Tech: Allan Fein (Chair), Hugh Munby, Marc-André LeBlanc, Lynn Xu, Tim Stang
Competitions: John Makela (Chair), Mark Jeffrey, William Kinney, Tim Stang, Paul ApSimon
Complaints/Disciplinary: Christopher Kalantzis (Chair), John Wright, Vivian Poon
Finance: Lucie Hamelin (Chair), Marilyn Jeffrey, Jessica Zhang, Mike McDonnell
HP/Quest: Paul ApSimon (Chair), David Howes, Alexis Rudkovska, Elaine Ni
Officials: Thomas Nguyen (Chair), Dima Belashov, Mike Ivankovic, John Makela, Jon Holtz, Kristina Han
Youth Dev: Kristine Richardson (Chair), Katya Belkina, Igor Tikhomirov, Sahil Bablani, Alex Miklos
Veterans: Robert McLean (Chair), Lucie Hamelin, Elsabe Falkson, Kyle Foster, Gaby Weisz
What is the role of a committee chair? Generally speaking, the chairs will be responsible for setting
the agenda, for making sure that the group meets regularly, that minutes are taken and submitted to the
board. They will make sure action items are executed, that the committee works efficiently and reaches
its goals. They will also be reporting to the Board on a regular basis and to the members at the AGM.
What are our deliverables: Committees will be responsible for setting their goals, however; the
following provides an overview of responsibilities. Please note: these are overviews only. Full, final
versions will be posted on the OFA website shortly:
Coaching/Tech: To identify, train, certify and evaluate coaches in Ontario; encourage and support
NCCP certification, the Fencing Canada Coach Development Model and Fencing Canada Guidelines;
provide direction and guidance to coaches with information on coaching standards, CFF rules and
regulations, program standards, appropriate behaviour and conduct, and Club/Coach relationships;
establish additional professional development opportunities for coaches aligned with CFF standards.
Competitions: Create a competitions circuit in Ontario; recommend bid procedures, timelines and site
selection criteria for hosting OFA events; vet Ontario hosts for any CFF National or International
competitions; develop an event hosting package including policies, rules and guidelines pertaining to the
delivery of all OFA competitions; update sanctioning policy.
*Committee has yet to meet, due to time constraints.
Complaints/Disciplinary: Review and develop a general OFA Code of Conduct; develop an OFA
Dispute Resolution Policy and Procedures; review and make recommendations for potential amendments
to the OFA Harassment Policy; review all submitted complaints and determine resulting discipline; review
all OFA policies impacted by the Ontario Human Rights Code
Finance*: Oversee financial and control systems; review budget; review and recommend to the board
approval of the annual financial statements; help ensure the annual audit is conducted in an efficient,
cost-effective and objective manner; recommend the appointment of the external auditor, and the
appropriate fee.
HP/Quest: Oversee all aspects of the OFA’s High Performance programs; establish criteria in
determining Quest for Gold athletes in association with Ministry guidelines; review Quest athlete
training plans and ensure that athletes follow the plan (accountability); run regular camps/training events
for Quest athletes to promote their development; liaise with other program committees on matters
pertaining to High Performance; recommend criteria for OFA support towards Ontario athletes/coaches
representing Canada in International and major games qualification and competitions.
Officials: Develop, recruit, train, and certify officials in Ontario; establish a process to evaluate and retrain
existing officials according determined standards; review official’s pay scale; develop an official’s code of
conduct and process to apply; deliver the Officials Development Plan within all regions of Ontario.
Veterans: Promote the development of Veterans’ fencing in Ontario; disseminate information on
Veteran fencing activities at the provincial, national, North American and International levels; act as a
resource for fencers, clubs and tournament organizers requiring information on veteran fencing; foster
national and international relationships with other Veterans fencing organizations; identify and
promote specific events and training opportunities for veteran fencers
Youth Dev: Define and establish provincial programs for the development of fencing in Ontario; develop
outreach programs for fencing introduction and engage more youth; recommend philosophies, policies,
programs and guidelines to support the successful adoptions and implementation of the LTAD model in
fencing.
AGM – Mark Your Calendars
OFA Annual General Meeting will be held on the weekend of Sept. 12-13. More information,
including location, time, agenda, will be posted as soon as they are available.
*Committee has yet to meet, due to time constraints.