So here it is, and in some ways this follows on from the coaching topic by CharlieB.
For quite some time now there has been the odd mention of a bocking association here in the uk. Several months ago a guy registered claiming to be a person in a good position to do this and at the time we pretty much told him where to go. He wasn't a bocker, and as far as we could tell, was only in it for his own benefit.
Since then however myself and many others have talked about the idea privately and I've decided the sport in this country has grown so fast that we are going to need something like this in place. Without it, the sport will not develop past the stage it is at now - regional groups meeting up. My goal, and hopefully shared by a lot of you is to take this sport and do as much as we can with it. Ultimately I would like to see a Powerbocking Park of some form, or at least proper clubs established all over the coutry with coaches with a safe and sensible environment where bockers of all abilities can progress in the best possible fashion.
Having researched this as best as I can, and had several meetings with sports development managers and talking to various organisations I feel we are the best people to do this. "We" being bockers (or genuinely interested parties) who would like to see this happen and be involved with it. As such, I have taken the first step and laid down the foundations in a new site called
UK Powerbocking (
www.ukpowerbocking.co.uk). The site is very much in its infancy but will grow into something that does the job required 100% and be something we can be proud of. I hope within a year or so this new national association can be granted the status of being the Governing Body for powerbocking and from there the sports limits are endless. If you've read this paragraph and dont have a clue what I am talking about, then please visit the site, as its a little more self-explanitory.
Basically without an association we wont ever have any qualified bocking coaches. We wont ever be formally recognised by any of the sports councils or sports organisations. We wont ever be able to apply for funding to develop into a network of proper clubs.
Think of a sport...any sport at all....football, tennis, karate, chess(!), kayaking, climbing, hockey...any sport you can think of. They all have national associations. Whether you agree with the principle or not, bocking will never be an official sport (at present it is no more than a physical activity!)without this and I feel we are in the best position to properly direct it.
Even freestyle urban sports such as skating and even parkour have national associations. It's not about rules and regulations, it's about a proper direction for our
sport - physical activity my arse!
The association will be non-commercial and be run as a not-for-profit organisation. I expect we'll even apply to become a uk charity, but that's just an idea for the moment that we can all look at a little further down the road.
So if you would like to know more or even get involved yourself then please have a look at the website and if you would like to particiapte in anyway then please join the mailing list.
I want to point out that this is not something I am developing or in charge of. I've recognised the need for it and have put these first steps into place. From here on, it will be a collective input just like in any other association.
