OUSA Executive Committee and guests (from L to R): Kelly Blas, Alf Lazer, Michael White, Ray Preston, Eric Michalak, Don Knapp, Laurent Briel, Stefan Bergh,Tara McCall, Martin Doulton and Toni Lourens
GWANGJU – On the 16th and 17th March, and coinciding with the 12th FISU Forum, the OUSA Executive Committee took the opportunity to hold its first meeting for 2014.
The meeting was held over two days with special guests from FISU attending over both days to provide some very interesting and exciting updates to the Committee.
With five out of six members attending the meeting, the first day provided a great opportunity to hear from FISU Vice-President Stefan Bergh and FISU Director Development and NUSF relations Laurent Briel.
Stefan highlighted FISU’s development strategy moving forward as being:
• Focus on core business
• Even quality at events
• GA will become a separate event in 2015
• Review of inactive members.
Of most interest to attendees at the meeting was how OUSA can assist FISU in meeting its key outcomes. Stefan offered the following advice:
• Participate and host
• Make sure you have a representative at FISU meetings
• Encourages OUSA to plan to host a FISU event every 3-4 years
• Communicate what you are doing.
The remainder of day one was spent discussing some challenges being faced by OUSA like vastness of the region and resourcing as well as celebrating some successes including progress on the upcoming Beach Soccer tournament to be held in New Caledonia and streamlined Governance procedures.
OUSA Executive Committee and guests (from L to R): Eric Michalak, Tara McCall, Ray Preston, Leonz Eder, Don Knapp, Toni Lourens, Kelly Blas, Martin Doulton, Luciano Cabral and Michael White
Day Two of the meeting was held in the afternoon of Monday 17th March, after the Opening of the 12th FISU Forum. During this session, the Committee members were pleased to welcome Leonz Eder (Chair FISU CTI WUC) and Luciano Cabral (Vice-Chair FISU CTI WUC) to present.
Both Leonz and Luciano encouraged OUSA to host more WUCs and acknowledged the work that has already been done with bids for various WUCs in the region as well as the hosting of WUC Squash in Melbourne in 2010 and that Perth, Australia will host the WUC Match Racing in 2016.
Leonz outlined the hosting of a new sport as a World University Cup before gaining WUC status.
Attendance by Leonz and Luciano on day two of the OUSA Executive Committee meeting and Stefan and Laurent on day one proved extremely valuable and, as a result, set OUSA on a very proactive path of activity for the year ahead.
(Source: OUSA)