February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Eamonn Kelly
Philadelphia, the city that hosted the first North American County Board convention 40 years ago, will again be the site for this year’s annual event.
Delegates representing approximately 80 clubs from 10 divisions across the country are expected to attend the meetings, scheduled at the Philadelphia Marriot West in West Conshokocken, Pa., over the Nov. 7 weekend. In addition to the election of officers for the 1999 season, 32 motions are on the agenda for this year’s convention.
As at previous conventions, the major topic on the agenda will be a review of the board’s national playoff structure A record 45 games were played during this year’s playoffs in Washington, D.C. Thanks to the availability of three playing fields and hard work by the Washington, D.C., Gaels junior football club, the tournament was a tremendous success. Even though Chicago’s Gaelic Park, the site of next year’s playoffs, is equipped to handle the 1999 playoffs with little difficulty, there is concern around the league that the huge schedule may not be completed within the time frames of a three-day weekend. In fact, a motion from a Northwest divisional club suggests that the board should investigate the feasibility of holding a Regional junior football playoff prior to the regular playoffs.
Most of the motions submitted to convention request a change to the number of summer visitor players allowed to play on the field at one time. Several football clubs are requesting that the rule restricting three summer visitors to be on the field at any one time to be changed to five players allowed on the field at the same time.
Other motions request that the registration of players date be changed from April 15 to April 30 and that Rule R6 be changed to allow 15 player teams rather than the current 13 player rosters. Following are the officer nominations submitted to this year’s convention:
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Chairperson: Paddy Rooney (Philadelphia), Joe Lydon (Boston).
Vice Chairperson: Chris Knightly (San Francisco), Michael Flanagan (Chicago), Brendan Lotty (Philadelphia), Connie Kelly (Boston), Daniel O’Donnell (Chicago), Andrew Healy (Washington DC), Thomas Dolan (Chicago).
Secretary: John Keane (Seattle), Celia Lynn (Chicago), Michael Moriarity (San Francisco).
Treasurer: Michael O’Connor (Boston), Michael Flanagan (Chicago), Tom Purvis (Philadelphia), Matt Tomasicchio (Philadelphia).
Registrar: Sean Gannon (Cleveland), John Morley (Chicago), Bertie Penny (San Francisco), Tom Regan (Philadelphia).
Public Relations: Eamonn Kelly (Chicago)
Youth Officer: John O’Flynn (San Francisco), Joseph Begley (Chicago).
Honorary President: Geoff Butler (Chicago).