17th CASPA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Friday 21st March, 2008 at 2 Fulton St, Armadale, Victoria

WELCOME: Glenys Lawrie opened the meeting at 2.10 p.m.

1. PRESENT:

Glenys Lawrie (WA, CASPA Coordinator) Bob Jackman (NSW)

Olga Visser (Qld) Carol Hudson (Treasurer)

Alan Mathews (Tas) Mike Clarke (Rules Coordinator)

Wayne Willis (Qld) Ellen Frajman (Mattel Liaison)

Katie Rowe (Editor ATB) Barry Harridge (RAC Convenor)

Marj Miller (Vic) Norma Fisher (Vic - Minutes)

APOLOGIES: Joyce Browett (SA); Alistair Kane (Ratings Coordinator); Edward Okulicz (retiring web coordinator); Martin Waterworth (incoming web coordinator); Richard Birch (ATB Publisher)

2. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING: Taken as read and accepted. CH/KR

3. REPORTS: (distributed by email prior to meeting)

Coordinator: Accepted, with amendment that Chris May does not solely represent CASPA on the WESPA Rules Sub-committee. Moved MM/CH

Treasurer: Read and accepted. Moved CH/OV

ATB Editor: Read and accepted. Moved AM/MM

Mattel Liaison: Read and accepted. Moved KR/CH

RAC Convenor: Read and accepted. Moved MM/EF

Rules Coordinator: Read and accepted. Moved MC/KR

Web Coordinator: Read and accepted. Moved GL/OV

MOTION: That Edward Okulicz receive a formal thankyou from CASPA.

Moved KR/MM. Passed

4. WESPA:

a) Bob Jackman advised the meeting that his rating system has been adopted by WESPA.

b) WSC: rewards for past good performances by a country; loss of places for poor team performance; and wildcards for WSC 2009 not yet determined - wildcards may go to the winner of the WYSC and the top two placegetters from the previous WSC.

c) Glenys to ask Andrew Fisher how many countries are current financial members. Meeting agreed that only financial members should vote on WESPA issues.

5. COLLINS:

a) Barry reported that Mattel (via representative Phillip Nelkon) may like WESPA to eventually have editorial control of the dictionary.

b) Katie agreed to coordinate collection of Australian words for inclusion in the next edition, possibly 5 years from now. Input from states required.

6. REPRESENTATIVE EVENTS:

a) TRANS TASMAN -- 2008 : 28^th^ -- 30^th^ November, in Sydney

Top of State representation to be dropped for 2010.

b) CAUSEWAY CHALLENGE -- 2008: 3^rd^ -- 7^th^ Dec, in Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Michael Tang has expanded this to 45 games (10 teams of 5 inc. an "international" team)

c) WYSC -- 2008: 9^th^ -- 11^th^ Dec, in Penang, Malaysia

This has been determined to be an annual event.

d) WSC -- 2009: Mattel to determine host country

Criteria for inclusion in Australia's team unchanged. How many Australian team members still to be decided.

7. MASTERS/SCT -- 2008: 13^th^ -- 14^th^ Sept in Melbourne (Jika International)

Top of State representation to remain for 2009

8. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS:

2009 - Perth - cut off for Masters to be 1250 2010 - Adelaide

2011 - ACT 2012 - Tasmania

2013 - Brisbane 2014 - Sydney

9. SCHOOLS/YOUTH: Promotion to be handled locally.

10. CONFIRMATION OF CASPA OFFICE BEARERS:

Glenys thanked the Office Bearers and Richard Birch for the past year and confirmed the following for 2008/2009:

Glenys Lawrie - National Coordinator

Carol Hudson - Treasurer

Ellen Frajman - Mattel Liaison

Katie Rowe - ATB Editor

Mike Clarke - Rules Coordinator

Alistair Kane - Ratings Coordinator

Barry Harridge - RAC Convenor

RAC committee members: Martin Waterworth; Trevor Halsall; Karen Richards

Web coordinator: (incoming) Martin Waterworth; (outgoing) Edward Okulicz

11. OTHER BUSINESS:

a) History : Gillian Kinder (Vic); John Holgate (NSW). Work in progress for CD.

b) Wilma's Study: "The Development of Expertise in Scrabble". Papers have been presented and published. Work still ongoing, as is search for funding.

c) Membership: There has been a decline in membership. Local membership drives to be undertaken.

d) Thankyou: On behalf of those present, Marj Miller thanked Glenys Lawrie for her ongoing commitment to her role as National Coordinator

NEXT MEETING: Good Friday 10^th^ April 2009, in Perth.

MEETING CLOSED at 5.10 p.m.