Last weekend the European Committee had a meeting with the EQC committee to debrief the event. While some organizational changes are under the jurisdiction of the EQC committee and therefore can be suggested, but not controlled, by the European Committee, other things do fall under our control. These are the objectives we focused on during the meeting, and the resulting action items are discussed below.

Reducing the number of teams

Both committees felt that the increased number of teams simply stretched our existing resources too thinly. Reducing the number of teams back to 32 will maintain the top tier of competition, while ensuring we have enough referees and volunteers for them to have time off and still make the event run smoothly. This reduction will also give more options for bid sites, as we will be requesting a minimum of 8 pitches for a 32 team tournament, while a 40 team tournament would require a minimum of 9-10.

Site visits

One of the biggest issues facing EQC 2016 was the discovery that three of the pitches were not safe to play on. This year the bid process is being changed so the top sites will be visited by a representative of the European Committee prior to the final decision of the location. This will ensure any site has fields that are in good condition, so the European Committee has more information to make a final decision.

Nonplaying Tournament Director

While in years past the TD position has been posted with preference given to nonplayers, this year it will be required for the TD to be a nonplayer. This will hopefully resolve some of the internal organizational issues over the weekend, and improve communication to teams, because the TD will always be accessible to players and volunteers.

However, along with this point, we need the help of the community – in the two years past, there were no applications from nonplayers for the TD position. While we can search for a nonplaying tournament director and are certain it would improve the organization of the weekend, the European Committee can only do so much as you, the community, support us in.

Referee requirements

Referee requirements were introduced this year but the implementation was not hugely successful. Referee requirements will continue for the next season. However, quotas will be announced at or before the start of the season so teams can ensure they qualify enough referees and that their referees have a chance to practice and feel comfortable with the rules prior to large national or international competitions.

Bid schedule

This was decided prior to EQC however as it is relevant to this topic, we are including it here. The bid document for EQC 2017 is being released alongside this update. Bids will be due July 31, a location will be chosen by the end of August, and staff will be hired in September or early October.

If you have questions about these steps, or would like more information on any of these topics, you can find the meeting minutes here, the bid information for EQC 2017 here, or contact us through the form on our website.