The Masters Plan
Mr Gilberto creates an immediate impression, attired in Armani suit and black open neck shirt, his short grey hair, tanned features and piercing blue eyes project an air of success and belief in his own abilities. His presence alone wins the support of the vast majority of weekend competitors, those lovely 40 + year old ladies who form the backbone of our sport. It will be easy to sell his vision to them.
He explains that he has refused the long term contract offered in the initial discussions preferring to be judged on his results. Not for him the acceptance of under performance amongst a myriad of excuses, his objective is to win medals and will choose a team capable of doing just that. He will have sole control of all aspects of the campaign for both European and World Championships and promises to produce the best prepared , most capable team this Island has ever had. . He confirms that Agility is a sport and as such those selected to represent their country should be treated as international athletes , there is no room in his plan for mediocrity nor any acceptance of less than the best for his team.
Juan Gilberto is a realist, he knows his own ability as a handler could never compare with the best today, and fully realizes that his technique of racing to block the dogs A frame leap, though revolutionary in its day, has long since been surpassed. His success has been built on finding the best practitioners in a given field, giving them the tools needed to accomplish their task and facilitating an environment in which they can perform to the best of their ability, that environment will also be an area in which any ambitious sportsman will want to belong.
His first task is to find those best suited to carry his plan forward and few would argue with his choice, as his cousin Fabio Capello pencils in Rooney, Terry and Ferdinand , so Juan jots down the names of Derrett, Dawkins and Windeatt. These people have respect within the area , unrivalled success in recent years and also the knowledge of the world game rather than merely a localized one. With continuity in mind and an eye to the future he adds a second tier to the management team and appoints a younger member to highlight the views and promote the claims of the younger up and coming stars, whilst the experience and knowledge of international competition of recent medalists currently out of the frame for various reasons in also sought. Just because one is not currently competitive should not negate the vast experience some may offer. He outlines his vision and promises to do all within his power to allow those chosen the opportunity to succeed in an environment most conducive to success.
The next task is to select the squad itself, and here we see his first example of departing from the accepted norm. Whilst the accumulation of points in specific qualifying competitions to merit an invitation to attend a selection day is vastly superior to the free for all of previous regimes, it is not seen as the most ideal by Mr. Gilberto. The most obvious flaw is that the results of the qualifiers will not be known until well into next year and if we are to be prepared to take on the best in the world then we need to commence honing the skills required now, not in 6 months time. The current proposed system also promotes the most consistent performers over a period though not necessarily those most capable of producing the winning performance at international level, and given his objective of winning medals Juan is anxious to work with the potential team members immediately. The proposed qualifying events will prove an excellent guide to a handlers performance under pressure at the highest level , but will not be deemed as the ultimate test when selection is made. The squad of some 30 people for the initial training session will be made by discussion with the management team, and personal observation of potential members at events throughout the country. It is emphasized that whilst this initial squad is deemed to be amongst the best at the moment and likely to form the basis of the team there will always be room for anyone whose form either in the prestigious events ,or elsewhere merits inclusion, no claims will be dismissed without investigation and opportunity is open for the late run of form.
No team in any sport can hope to be successful without training, and whilst all the squad members have obviously honed their skills to the highest level none would be arrogant enough to believe they could not improve. We now have the opportunity to assemble the best practitioners together in an environment where they can all contribute and share ideas , work on individual weaknesses amongst the best trainers in the country, try new techniques over a period of time and begin to develop the team spirit needed for success. The experience of the management team is vital in this area, most of the squad will never have experienced International competition , nor be aware which skills are most likely to be used on the differing courses they are likely to come across, The coaches will be tasked to test assess and improve the ability of the members. Given the variety of styles, techniques and attributes of all present can anyone doubt that the overall standard of each member would not improve.
Squad training sessions would be held monthly, probably on a regional basis , each organized and run by a senior member who is aware of the development needed. If each session is run by a different person then over a period all would gain from the combined knowledge of the best in the country, techniques that suit one person may not suit another but the opportunity to assess and try out the variety of successful methods would again improve the level of the squad. The whole group would then meet on a quarterly basis and here one could run a competition similar to the current selection process if deemed necessary, or merely extend the format practiced regionally.
We now approach the events with confidence, the regular training sessions must have improved the techniques of the individuals, timings on set exercises over the period prove this and all are confident that they have improved as handlers, there is a superb team spirit developing, even the oddballs and every team has them have been accomodated as only continual mixing and understanding of their requirements can do. More importantly the whole group have responded to Mr. Gilbertos management, they fully understand what he requires of them, they believe in his methods and have no doubt he has provided the basis for success, he does however have one final hurdle to overcome and this may be his hardest yet.
It should be relatively easy to reach the stage we are at, most top performers are the same, they thrive on competition, enjoy bettering themselves in training, and if this is organized for them they will undoubtedly work to improve. All this hard work and preparation however could be negated if the actual logistics of hotel and travel are not up to standard. I will come to finance later and am aware that there is a budget but if we are to be serious contenders these athletes, the best in the country, both human and canine, must be treated as such and here are my must haves.
They must fly, who but the Brighouse and Rastrick knitting society and their spouses take coach journeys to Europe these days, and the hotel must be close to the competition , arduous overland treks, ferry delays early practice and late night competition followed by a 90 minute journey to a welcoming bed is not conducive to world class performance. They must also be relaxed and feel that they are valued, each individuals needs will be slightly different and should be accommodated where possible, personal requirements no matter how trivial should be catered for and in this aspect the role of the groom is vital so I find it unacceptable that these components in the success of the venture have to pay for themselves, and also that the cost of a 3 day trip ,in a large group exceeds that of a decent break in one of Europes capitals.
Finally then to the finance aspect and this article is not for the scrutiny of aspiring accountants . I would be fully prepared to expand on my thoughts at a later date but for now merely outline improvements to the current system. Obviously the Kennel Club contribute a considerable amount, but why should we base our budget and expectation around this very welcome contribution. We are sending our best to compete on the International stage, their endorsement of a product would guarantee increased sales to the weekend aspirants, how much have we received from sponsorship ?. Have we sought out the dog food manufacturers ? The World Champion dogs eat ???? Would revenue from this not pay for a few airline tickets. How about each individual member holding a training day, the proceeds of which would be added to the pot, 16 trainees in two sessions at £ 25 x 20 team members, that £ 8k is the equivalent to the amount charged this years grooms. Clubs holding shows could donate a pound from receipts of every entry to a Championship class, given the ever increasing size of these that contribution would not be inconsiderable. The list is endless all it needs is a little imagination . When UKA raise in excess of £ 10k to fund their recent venture it is not beyond the realms of possibility to envisage a budget more than double that of the EO 2008 being made available. All this requires is a little imagination and a few committed individuals, there was a suggestion that a fund raising team was in action but I assume by the lack of results this never got off the ground. Perhaps with a little direction this could be re established ,this time with greater success.
So in an ideal world , which with a little forward planning need not be far away, we have fund raising activities in operation to compliment the donation from the Kennel Club,( it is not inconceivable that these activities generate enough income to fund an assault on both European and World fronts, and forever banish the ridiculous system of a pay to play World Championship which would see someone like Toni Dawkins paying to groom in Europe and then paying to compete in the World Championship.) We have a system that identifies the talent available in the country and develop that talent, and we have a system that treats its overseas ambassadors in a manner that allows them every opportunity to succeed when it really matters. All it would take to kick start this progress would be someone like Juan, with presence, ideas, a passion for the sport, a vision of the attainable and the ability to sell that vision to the participants.
As Juan Gilberto scans the sun lit stadium he reflects on a job well done, he cannot guarantee the result, there are no guarantees in sport but he is confident that he has prepared the team to win and that is all he can do. Each individual is a better performer than a year ago, they are relaxed and fresh as they walk the 200 metres from hotel to stadium with their dogs and they have complete belief in each other. The jury await the outcome but somehow I think we will have a result to be proud of.
