Introducing QUK Updates
We're trialling this idea to help players get a better understanding of what UK quidditch's national governing body (that's us!) do month-to-month. These are intended to be more formal than our newsletter, serving as a monthly digest of our weekly executive minutes. July has been a busy month with lots of activity across all departments as we help clubs in the run up to a new season, and prepare ourselves for our now-first fixture in September. Like this idea? Hate it? Thoroughly ambivalent? Let us know!
Presidential
We updated our COVID guidance to reflect the mid-July changes and started work on a new "running a club" guide for university club committees. We've also been liaising with the IQA about World Cup and worked with our Events and Teams Departments on their ongoing projects.
Open Roles: Vice President
Events
A survey was sent to community clubs, assessing how many teams and players might attend our September 4th fixture and asking for feedback. We're still searching for a venue for that fixture, having run into issues with higher than normal booking costs and lack of availability. Venues for later fixtures are looking more promising (TBC). We've also liaised with Quidditch Europe about dates for European Games so we can lock in the fixtures later in our season. Finally, we're recruiting for our next director - more news to follow!
Open Roles: Events Director, Tournament Volunteers Officer
Expansion
In the absence of a Director, Assistant Director Doug has done a fantastic job of rallying the department and working with established community teams to support their local university teams. A couple of new clubs have reached out including teams in East England and London; we sent volunteers to the Flying Phantom's first training to help out.
Open Roles: Expansion Director
Gameplay
Many, many new and exciting features have been added to Quidditch Scheduler, coming soon to a tournament near you! We've also begun updating QUK's referee training seminar to reflect IQA's new rulebook, reviewed USQ's new rulebook, and started refining our own amendments for the 21/22 season.
Filled Roles: Snitch Development Coordinator
Open Roles: Assistant Director
Media
There have been numerous updates for the website, including a new National Team Scouting page, and we started a collaborative article project with volunteers from Quidditch Uganda. We've also been inducting new leadership! Exciting introductions to follow soon.
Filled Roles: Media Director, Assistant Director
Open Roles: Media Coordinator, Content Creator, UKQ Moderator
Operations
Fee invoices were sent to clubs so QUK has the needed funds for the start of the season. We worked with our solicitors to get legal advice on a few of our current and future policies, and have transitioned our relationship with them to be on an "as needed" basis rather than a rolling contract.
Open Roles: Assistant Director
Teams
General check-ins with teams on how they're doing have continued and we ran a recruitment seminar on July 29th for returning university clubs. We've also been investigating use of QR codes in publicity and started the groundwork on a new coaching initiative, building off previous work with Level Up.
Volunteers
Aside from the recruitment changes mentioned elsewhere in this post, we've been working on a trans and non-binary inclusion resource for coaches and clubs and a draft guide for filing a complaint with QUK about discrimination within the community.
Open Roles: EDI Committee, Recruitment Officer
National Teams
Our national teams have started the ball rolling again, with an open session in Wales and new leadership for Scotland. The refreshed scouting system continues to be developed, with new scouts recruited and a new assessment criteria drafted for review.
Filled Roles: Scotland Manager, Scout
Open Roles: Scotland Head Coach, England Assistant Manager, Scout