Todd seeks presidency of iconic cricket club

WEDNESDAY, MAY 9: Richard Todd announced today he is seeking to become president of one of Bermuda’s most iconic cricket clubs.

Todd’s motto in his bid for the St George’s Cricket Club presidency is “A New Direction - One Community, One Club”.

He said “poor management” was to blame for the state the club is in and said he has the backing of Clay Smith and Dean Minors.

Todd said: “Unfortunately, St George’s Cricket Club at this current moment is in an extreme state of bother. Not only has the club become laden with mounting debt, but we are lacking the community spirit that we have been known for.

“Our sports programmes are struggling to achieve and maintain levels of professionalism due to a failure to market teams and secure sponsorship and create a strong community support.

“Facilities are in deterioration with minimal resources to generate the best performances and create memorable match day experiences for the player and spectator alike.

“An absence of appreciation for the athletes, their hard work and commitment in representing the club creates low levels of moral amongst them.

Homegrown players and fans have left the club and now travel to other clubs to socialize and participate in sporting activities.

“As a result revenue is reduced and the quality of the teams diminished. We can blame it on the recession and the desire to be a part of a winning team, but the reality is poor management and a lack of vision that has seen St. George’s plummet to this low point.”

Todd added: “My perception of a leader is someone with vision, who is able and willing to guide and motivate those around him. That is what I intend to do. To lead is to serve. I realize that it takes a team of hard working members to turn this around as will not be able to do this alone.

“I have received the support and encouragement of many past and present members who are eager to see change. Two influential people who are also committed to this cause are Wendell Smith and Dean Minors. Both Wendell and Dean are well respected in our community and are willing to serve to form a very strong executive committee with the knowledge and experience to move the club forward.  

“If given the opportunity to be President of St. George’s Cricket Club I will encourage my committee to open doors and close deals. We will aim to rebuild the clubs reputation with vendors and strengthen our business ties. At the end of the day I am reaching out to the members of the St. George’s community who want change, who want improvement, and insists on getting their club back to the pride of St. George’s with respectability and integrity.

“We want to encourage all members, both past and present, to pay their dues and come and vote at the AGM on Monday May 14 at 7 pm. The AGM will be held in the upstairs auditorium.

“You must be a financial member in order to participate in the AGM. Dues are $80 for new members and renewal after December, and are payable at the club bar in advance of the AGM.”

Todd’s platform

How do we fix the current state of St. George’s Cricket Club?

·       First and foremost, we must reach out to the community and foster ties with organizations, schools, former members and past players, bringing everyone together. By reuniting the people we can begin to restore the club and community pride. The club must be for the greater members and community and not the few and privileged.

·       Have secure financial management of the club by forming a qualified financial team, which in the end this team will work diligently with the auditors to produce an audit report to give the club members a true reflection of the club’s financial position. It is important to know exactly where we are so we can develop a plan to address and eliminate debt.  

·       Create more revenue streams and stop relying on bar sales alone as the main source of funding.  e.g. Friday night barbecues, movie nights for children, bingo, live bands and concerts, laser tag, a club store for selling club merchandise, fitness and wellness training for the general community  - things that will also bring families back to the club.

·       Formulate a plan on how to improve our building and grounds. Instead of waiting for Cup Match to be upon us before we attend to our building and grounds, we need to maintain our buildings and grounds year round. We need to have a vision and develop a master plan for the development of our grounds, thus making St. George’s the premier sporting / activity venue in Bermuda. This should include proper lighting to host night time games, facilities dedicated to youth development and education, enhancing the facility to include netball, futsal, and basketball courts, a play / picnic area for area youth and families to enjoy, a skate park, proper stands and seating and viewing boxes. We have the physical plant to develop unlike many other clubs.

·       Build partnerships with schools, particularly; St. George’s Preparatory, East End and Clearwater where many of our young people attend. Collaborate with community organizations such as The Family Centre and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bermuda to help form after school mentoring programs at our club and the schools for children.  This will aid their academic growth and promote positive life skills, and encourage healthy relationships with adults and their peers, and endorse sports development. We must strive to develop the whole child and support the growth of family and community values.

·       Aim to increase our membership while also identifying members with specific skill sets. Encouraging members to be more active and have the opportunity to utilize their skills in the club and its programs. Creating and engaging a volunteer base is important for clubs to aid in their programs and operations. Empower members to feel a sense of ownership and that their input is welcomed and valued.

·       Diversify by introducing more activities and event’s for women and young girls so they may become more involved become with the club. E.g., football and netball teams into their respective leagues.

·       Seek sponsorship for our sporting programs, such as cricket and football, so that they can be self-sufficient and non-dependent on bar sales. Establish budget models that can determine exact costing for our programs and aid with sponsorship targets and fund raising goals.

·       Establish not for profit or charity status for the club and/or its youth programs to enable us to attract corporate donors, increase fundraising and be able to apply for government / private grants and aid.

·       Put various committees and sub-committees together and get monthly reports from them, e.g. grounds and building, finance, fund raising, sports, education, entertainment, community  and program development, media and communications.

·      Utilize the expertise of past players and administrators such as; Wendell Smith, Allen Douglas, Charlie Marshall, Cleve Wade, Dennis Spencer, Gregory Smith, C.L. Smith, Thomas Paynter;  on boards and advisory committees to tap into their vast amount of knowledge and experience. Become more inclusive, not exclusive.

·       Ensure club participants feel appreciation for their time and efforts in representing the club by always ensuring that they are recognized with a prize giving. Identify our former members, cricketers and footballers who have made significant contributions to the club and establish a St. George’s C.C. Hall of Fame whose inductees will receive a pass which gets them in at all events free of charge at St. George’s Cricket Club.

·       Develop an annual publication, and document the history of the club so that future generations will be able to learn how the club developed and build pride and an appreciation for the efforts of those who preceded them and their contributions to the club and community.