EAST COAST BAYS ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL CLUB ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING IS TO BE HELD ON FRIDAY 16th FEBRUARY 2024
IN THE CLUBROOMS AT BAY CITY PARK, 54 ANDERSONS ROAD, BROWNS BAY AT 6.30PM

1. Present
2. Apologies
3. Minutes of the Last Meeting - 10 February 2023
4. Matters Arising
5. Presentation and Adoption of Annual Reports
6. Notices of Motion
7. Election of Control Board
8. Adoption of Auditors
9. Life Members
10. General Business

PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2023

2023 was year of great success on the field and significant challenges off it.  With promotion being achieved in our men’s and women’s first teams, a “national championship” for our U17 boy’s, and many teams topping their leagues and winning cups, it has been noted as one of the most successful footballing seasons in recent memory.

Behind the scenes was also busy.  The club has rewritten its constitution and resubmitted as an Incorporated Society, renovated our facilities, negotiated disruption through the Women’s World Cup 23 and emerged stronger, more resilient and in good financial health while many other clubs have struggled.

Financially, we achieved another solid result, and while a few unforeseen expenses impacted a potentially good year, our accounts still ended in surplus.  However, with a year where operating costs increased significantly, and the FIFA WWC2023 inflicting additional costs and resulting bar revenue losses, we see this result as very successful along with a strong cash position.

Highlights from the past year:

• Surplus of $2339
• Increase of playing numbers by 26%
• Female participation increased by 17% and 72% over the past 2 years
• Signing of the Equity Charter and positive survey results from membership on our inclusion and opportunities for women and girls within our club
• Upgraded changing rooms and fields
• Increasing membership satisfaction to the highest level for five years
• Promotion for men’s and women’s first teams

2023 bookmarked an exciting period of growth for the club, culminating in hosting one of the best teams in the world and ECBAFC achieving great success on the field.  2024 will be a year of consolidation of that growth, ensuring the learnings are not lost and our systems and processes capture the best of what we can do and deliver again and again to our membership.

Our purpose remains key to our success:

As many as possible

As good as possible

For as long as possible

FINANCE
Challenges in the form of the construction of facilities and the subsequent loss of our key facilities for the middle of our season posed several challenges financially especially with the loss of bar revenue and some additional costs of running programs remotely. However, across these disruptions we had a solid year and finished with a small Operating Surplus of $2,339. The accounts show a final Surplus of $925,000, however this includes $922,661 of funding for the changing room upgrades for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. This was considered non-operating for reporting purposes. All of this money has been allocated with the majority showing as an increase to Property on the Balance Sheet.

Things to note:

• Gains in membership fees
• User-pays football programs performed well
• Funding from trusts and foundations topped $229,000 a record and unsustainable into the future

Unfortunately, we also had some head winds:

• The previously mentioned WWC23 impacted bar revenue, and additional costs of storage at Ashley and Bay City Park
• Insurance has risen significantly in response to the new facilities and cleaning costs were inflated during the season due to WWC23 requirements
• Sponsorship was again below target

2024 sees all our operating costs increase due to strong inflationary effects. The best example are insurance costs which were up nearly 70% in FY2023, compared to the prior year, and will be significantly more expensive in FY2024. Thus, our financial objectives are:

• Increase sponsorship
• Hold grant funding steady
• Consolidate paid football programs at break even
• Increase bar revenue
• Proactively identify unnecessary costs and reduce their impact.
  
  

PEOPLE
This was the second year of both our current Director of Football and Operations Manager and thus led to a successful year controlling and guiding the club through the many disruptions.  With the club membership and programs growing, we needed to add additional administrative support and appointed Gail Hanekom, as Girl’s & Women’s Operations Manager to handle the growth in these programs as well as assist in general operations during the WWC23.  The team did a great job of minimising disruptions and ensuing the club operated as best it could during the WWC23 year.

We expanded the Control Board to 13 volunteer members during 2023 and have a mix of experience, diversity and skill set.  Always seeking keen individuals who can bring appropriate skills and take on driving portfolios in Sponsorship and Communications – please reach out if interested.

Our coaching contractor team went through major evolution in 2023 and thus while starting again with a new set of people is always a challenge for them and the program, they added fresh energy into our program and performed exceedingly well. We have retained the core of that team and added back Milan Elie, who had been with us previously and brings a wealth of experience and expertise back into the program.

MEMBERSHIP
2023 ECBAFC club membership was a healthy 1,200 which was 26% increase from the previous year. Growth in a number of keys areas was apparent, however, we continue to witness a drop off in participation as kids grow into their teenage years. While this is not singularly a ECBAFC issue, we need to grow participation and retention as we grow programs, remembering that our community players are every bit as important as our first-team players and the benefit we are providing by keeping kids active, engaged and socially connected through those teenage years.

Significant stats 2022 to 2023:

• 26% increase in total membership

• 26% increase in Mini Bays (5-8yrs)
• 36% increase in Juniors (9-12yrs)
• 25% increase in Youth (13-17yrs)
• 12% increase in Senior (18+yrs)

• 15% increase in Females (72% over the past 2 years)

FOOTBALL PROGRAMS
An organised and professional approach has resulted in another excellent year for the football development programs.  ECBAFC remains one of select number of clubs with an NZF accredited Talent Development and Skill Centre programme, providing a pathway and access to qualified coaching for ages 9-17.

ECBAFC has also invested in girls’ development by appointing a Women & Girls Development Officer – Grace O’Donoghue, who has assisted ECBAFC in establishing junior and youth girls’ programs such as NZF Fantails and the foundation for a Girls Talent Development Programme, which we are currently developing in coordination with Hibiscus Coast AFC.

Delivering NZF coaching qualifications to club members has allowed us to educate talented players as coaches who can work in junior programmes such as Mini Bays, and through ongoing work and refinement, ECBAFC is developing a trusted reputation for the development of coaches, programs, and players.

Our 2024 goal is delivering a full suite of development programmes led by qualified and professional coaches for boys and girls aged 5-17, building upon the membership increase seen during 2023.

Finally, 2023 saw a year of success with results on the field. Both men’s and women’s first teams team achieved divisional promotion and our U17 boys team won the Western Springs National U17’s Tournament for the first time. Overall, 9 teams across our senior ranks either won, came second in their league, or won cup competitions.

EQUITY CHARTER
Working together with NRF and AKTIV our equity survey has shown positive results, indicating that our club is moving in the right direction. Our community has acknowledged and felt the effects of our efforts to be inclusive, we are committed to continuing our journey of prioritizing women's and girls involvement in both competitive and community football.

Key Observations:

• Parents of players showed especially strong engagement and positive responses in the direction of the club.
• Two-thirds of the participants perceive equal opportunities for women and girls as players, coaches and leadership roles and
• Strong feeling there is widespread support for gender equity within the club indicating a positive trend towards inclusivity and fairness in its operations.
• Majority of respondents expressed that efforts are being made to include women and girls in all aspects of the club's activities, including communication and socials.
• The data suggests a positive sense of belonging among female members

The Board has formed an Gender Equity Committee to review all aspects of equitable opportunities and participation in the club and to follow up on the findings of the Equity Charter Survey and all aspects of gender equity across the club.

WOMEN’S WORLD CUP 2023 LEGACY
East Coast Bays AFC was selected by the USA Women’s National Team as a training venue of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, held June through August.  Major renovations have been made to the changing facilities, field lighting and the lower fields, 2 & 3.  Over a million dollars was invested and we now have the outstanding facility on the North Shore and one of the best in Auckland.

Significant upgrades are:

• Changing rooms have been renovated to current standards, are gender neutral and are fed by new utilities.
• While we lost some changing rooms, we now have both large and small rooms, which are more fit for purpose.
• New flood lighting for Field 2 with spill over to Field 3 and the training pitch will once again allow evening training for ECB teams at Bay City Park
• Fields have been resown and managed to FIFA level. While the maintenance of this standard is near impossible, the council has committed to a program of work that will maintain this near the established standard.

Overall, ECBAFC have grown resilience throughout a challenging year and we are confident as we embark on a year of consolidation both on and off the pitch.

Roger Bridge
ECBAFC President, 2023