EAST COAST BAYS ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL CLUB ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING IS TO BE HELD ON FRIDAY 21st FEBRUARY 2025
IN THE CLUBROOMS AT BAY CITY PARK, 54 ANDERSONS ROAD, BROWNS BAY AT 7.00PM

1. Present
2. Apologies
3. Minutes of the Last Meeting - 16 February 2024
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 2024

It is always so difficult to summarize the past year of the club when there is so much activity and gains provided by so many people.  Starting with club operations, we had another solid year with full use of the new fields & floodlights at Bay City Park as well as the clubrooms being in great operational order, a new kitchen, and changing rooms.  Our professional staff on and off the field are of the highest quality and represent us all very well in all respects.  We are lucky to have this talented group of individuals and simply put they are great people and that is what matters at the core.

Financially, we achieved another solid result, which is impressive based on the unprecedented rising cost of doing business we have witnessed over the past two years. Our financial management has been excellent; the club finished with a small operating surplus of $2,932 and strong cash position of retained earnings which will be applied to potential future capital works. Below operating surplus there are two non-cash one-off write downs of capitalised gear and equipment.  This is due to previous accounting principles and should not occur again as we will be expensing these club purchases into the future.

Key challenges the club faces beyond the ever-present financial pressures are the availability of fields and the increasing challenges of time in modern day life, especially in getting and retaining volunteers.  Field allocation and maintenance from council continues to be challenging bordering upon impossible.  NRF are also advocating to council, but there is no visible respite from the continuing limited pitch allocations and inconsistent maintenance schedules.  The overall Auckland Council direction of spend and resource decreases in this area are impacting all clubs, I’m sorry there is not better news.

Similarly, volunteerism has also seen a drop across most clubs we speak to.  We have an amazing passionate group of volunteers that drive our teams, football activities and governance. However, that group tends to shrink every year and we are in constant search for more hands to share the load, especially when it comes to community and communication.  It is something we all face – the seemingly diminishing number of hours in a day – but we require people to step forward, volunteer their time and expertise to help this club provide to the community.  This club is a place where people from all backgrounds get a place to be themselves, gain community and belonging and participate in a healthy activity, that hopefully becomes a lifetime habit.  We need volunteers to make this vision a continuing reality for everyone.

2025 signalled a year of consolidation for our football programs.  The community & Development coaching programs have progressed into a clear and repeatable cadence.  Our community has responded well to these professional coaching opportunities, and we will continue to adjust this programming to respond to members needs

The men’s first team consolidated their position in the top echelon of NZ Football.  The second half of the season witnessed some strong results indicating that we have acclimated to the pace and intensity of top-level football.  The U23 feeder team also performed well and with an average age around 19, everything bodes well for 2025 and beyond.

The women’s team had another outstanding season, winning their league and the plate competition.  This success, alongside the creation of a joint girl’s youth talent development programme with Hibiscus Coast Football Club, are the foundations for re-establishing a thriving female football program at our club.

Highlights from the past year:

• Operating Surplus of $2932
• Stable playing numbers ~1200
• Girls youth talent development program initiated with Hibiscus Coast football club
• Increasing membership satisfaction ratings
• Women’s first team promotion

2024 was a year of consolidation for the club, seeking a sustainable model for a large progressive football community. We have co-created a wonderful multi-faceted community around the love of football and family.

Our purpose remains key to our success:

As many as possible  -  As good as possible  -  For as long as possible

FINANCE

The soft New Zealand economy was our biggest challenge in 2024 with this impacting our membership in many ways and the importance of the Wayne Edgeler Assistance Fund coming to the fore for many families.  In recognition of this we worked hard to keep costs down where we could without passing these onto members where possible.

A better-than-expected year in community grant funding provided some tail winds and good stewardship of the finances meant the club made a small operating profit of $2,932 against a break-even budget. A very similar operating result to 2023 and again in line with break-even operating budgets in both years.

The Board, acting on audit advice, made the call to fully write off all old uniforms, training kits and other gear that was on the Balance Sheet and had been for many years. This treatment brings the club into line with other sporting organisations so going forward all gear will be expensed at the time of purchase and not Capitalised. The one-off non-cash, non-operating entry in our books this year is a $78,341 write off so the club's total loss after this one-off item for 2024 is $75,409.

Operating Profit                      $2,932

One off Gear write-off            -$78,341

Loss incl. non-operating item -$75,409

Financial items to note are:

• Gains in Community Grant funding and sponsorship
• User-pays football programs performed well
• One-off write down (depreciation cost) of playing equipment that was previously capitalised
• Completion Lotto contract with $25,000 in stock to be purchased and sold to members (balance written off in Gear write off -$9,184)
• Increase in insurance and general administration running costs
• Reduction in bar revenue as members social habits evolve

We are working hard to hold our operating costs stable for 2025, while also being able to recognise the increased costs our administrators and contractors are facing. Membership fees will not increase for 2025 (except some user-pays programs like TDP).

 Again, our financial goals for 2025 are:

• Break-even operating result
• Increase and solidify sponsorship gains
• Hold grant funding steady through employing a fundraiser
• Consolidate paid football programs at break even
• Investigate alternative options for bar revenue and increase events
• Proactively identify unnecessary costs and reduce their impact.

 
PEOPLE

This was a year of consolidation for our current Director of Football and Operations Manager as they worked hard at cementing in the program and administrative gains from the previous few years.  We moved Gail Hanekom into a full year contracted position of Girl’s & Women’s Operations Manager which provided administrative focus on those programs as well as providing Duane Sommerville, our Operations Manager, more focus on core club business.  We will look to again utilise more of Gail’s time and expertise in the year to come as she finishes her studies and can take a higher load of the general club business.

The Control Board met every month and has done a fine job of delivering value to our members from increasing events to a vast improvement in the communication space. We are always seeking keen individuals who can bring appropriate skills and take on driving portfolios in various areas – Sponsorship, Communications, Community and Volunteers – please reach out if interested.

Departing Control Board members, Hiva Rastegar and Kelly Lear, have contributed an enormous amount of time and expertise to our community, and we thank you deeply.

Our coaching contractor team has a wealth of experience and is the envy of many elite clubs in the region.  We are continuing to provide coaching pathways for our players and parents, with significant contributions from several individuals to the success of our teams and training programs.

MEMBERSHIP

2024 ECBAFC club membership generally stayed stable at around 1200 members for the 2024 year.  Club members transition into high school and out of high school are key areas where we see disengagement with club football and this will be an area of focus for the next few 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 valuable benefit we are providing by keeping kids active, engaged and socially connected through those teenage years.

We have continued momentum and held our membership numbers to the record highs achieved last year. Significant stats 2022 to 2024:

• 24% increase in total membership

• 24% increase in Mini Bays (5-8yrs)
• 19% increase in Juniors (9-12yrs)
• 37% increase in Youth (13-17yrs)
• 20% increase in Senior (18+yrs)
• 6% decrease in Females

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 now has one of the strongest club coaching teams in New Zealand. The coach team currently includes 2 ‘A’ License coaches and 4 ‘B’ License coaches in core contracting roles. These core roles are supported by an increasing number of new ‘C’ License and Junior Level 3 coaches, with an additional 25 newly qualified Junior Level 2 coaches via internal coach education. In 2024, the coaching team was able to engage with up to 1000 player contacts per week at peak times. With so many programs built up between 2022-2024, the coaching team will shift in 2025 to a full focus on the continued development and future sustainability of programs across all areas of the club.

ECBAFC have signed a youth development partnership with Auckland FC. This partnership supports player development, coach development and collaboration between amateur and professional football in the region.

ECBAFC has also invested in girls’ development by appointing a Women’s and Girls Director of Football – Luca Vasori, who will oversee the Junior girls, senior team as well as the joint girls youth TDP program with Hibiscus Coast. Luca has been a central figure of female football across the North Shore for a number of years and we are excited to see him develop our programs and players.

On the field, 2024 saw success for our men’s and women’s first teams and many cup finalists and winners by the end of the season. Notably this was kickstarted by the venerable Foreign Legion being crowned the winner of the club’s annual senior’s Peanut Tournament.

NRF Womens Div 2 CHAMPIONS
NRF Womens Div 2 Plate WINNERS
NRF Womens Div 6 Runners Up – ECB Blue Belles
NRF Mens Div 3 Runners Up – ECB Syab
NRF Mens Div 9 CHAMPIONS – ECB Boys to Men
NRF Mens Div 10 CHAMPIONS – ECB Al Nassr Reserves

NRF Masters Div 4 CHAMPIONS – ECB FC Sociale
NRF Mens Div Federation Plate Runners Up – ECB Syab
NRF Mens Div Consolation Cup Runners Up – ECB Al Nassr Reserves

NRF U15 Aotea CHAMPIONS – ECB Blackpool
NRF U14 Manuka CHAMPIONS – ECB Great Whites

Overall, ECBAFC continues to shine on the local and national level, we have a reputation of a highly successful organisation operated with integrity and purpose, providing both fun community football alongside progressive player development programs. This is all thanks to our professional team and enthusiastic membership.  Keep up the energy and thanking you all for everything you do.

Roger Bridge

ECBAFC President, 2024