Newcastle Kiteboarding Club

I had an interesting question at the University today;

"Is there a Kiteboarding Club in Newcastle?"

I couldn't honestly answer and from further research it seems that there isn't one (unless somebody else can correct me on this).

I think this is a travesty and should be rectified asap.

I have a few initial thoughts on why a club would be an excellent idea for Newcastle Kiteboarders:

1) A club in Newcastle would give Kiteboarders in Newcastle a collective voice, especially with organisations like the Newcastle city council. (Divided we beg, United we bargain!)
2) This would give a starting point for newbies to find out information regarding the sport (not all newbies know about seabreeze)
3) It would be an easy and centralised way to organise hook ups and other activities (such as downwinders)
4) With enough members we may be able to organise member incentives such as discounts for equipment
5) A Club would give the Kiteboarding community in Newcastle a basis to organise and host events in the future. ( I picture surfest for kiteboarders i.e Kitefest?? )

I'm happy to put in some leg work to try and get this started but this would be all dependent on peoples interest.
Feedback is encouraged

I think it would be a great idea!

I haven't even arrived yet but I can see how this would benefit the kiteboarding community. I think it needs to be established as the local chapter of the NSWKA. I agree on the importance of a united front on issues affecting our sport at a local level.
Count me in... and happy to help!

And here we are - have you seen this thread below: "Getting in the way at Nobby's".
This make setting a club an urgent matter...

Well, I'm a bit less enthusiastic after finding this document at the UoN website...


********************************
Starting a NUsport Club

Any student or staff member within the university is free to get together with other students and staff for the purpose of setting up a club or common interest group. You do not need to become affiliated to NUsport to do this nor is it the first step even if your interest group decides that it would like to become an affiliated club.

1 The first step to forming a club is to find out whether other students share your interest. That is up to
you to advertise and find out what the interest is out there.
2 Check the existing clubs and other structures to see if your sport falls under the ambit of an existing club or structured activity. For example, the Mountaineering Club undertakes various mountain related activities for its members including eg cross country snow skiing, and it may be the best way to assist you with your sport without the need to go any further. Note that new clubs must be significantly different from any existing club.
3 If no existing club or other structure exists to promote the sport / activity in which you are interested, you may wish to pursue forming a new club. However, to become affiliated with NUSport you will need to have at least 30 very interested students who are prepared to commit. Please note that:
i) While one of NUsport's roles is to promote sport and physical recreation for its members, that does not
mean that NUsport is required to support or promote every possible sport. NUsport currently supports
22 clubs yet there are many sports and activities for which we do not have clubs and where the creation
of a club may not be desirable. There are many reasons for this including cost, risk, public perception
and acceptability of the activity, the effectiveness of club structure for service delivery, etc etc.
ii) NUsport has to be convinced that a sport or activity is likely to be viable in the long term before it
decides to provide support for a new club as it is time consuming both for NUsport staff as well as for
student club members to form and run clubs and the time investment needs to be worth while.
NUsport does not help to start clubs to "aid their growth" or to "bring more exposure to the sport".
These are NOT NUsport goals. NUsport is often asked to help start up / promote a sport which some
individuals are interested in. NUsport does not do this. NUsport helps develop structures to provide
services for activities that MANY members want and are willing to support on an on-ongoing basis. No
organisation can do everything for everyone.
iii) You have to demonstrate a need for a club and that it will work.
4 Once you have found at least 30 other enrolled Newcastle Uni students interested in this sport, call a
general meeting if you want to form a club. You will need:
a) An agenda:
 Reason for calling the meeting - why you all want to form a club and what you all plan to do.
 Motion to form a club called "(name of Club)"
 Motion to adopt a constitution [acceptable to NUsport if affiliation is sought] - This is a set of
rules which specify:
*objects - this sets out the purpose of the club;
*membership criteria - who can become members; membership fees; etc
*structure - composition and powers of the committee and how it is elected;
*rules and procedures for calling and holding meetings; quorums etc etc
*financial rules - who can sign cheques, control accounts etc etc
(NUsport has a standard club constitution which clubs wishing to affiliate must accept and must abide by to
retain NUsport affiliation.)
- Elect a committee to run the club (President, Secretary, Treasurer and Equipment Officer or
other relevant position)
- Set a club membership fee (At least $5.00 to affiliate with NUsport)
- Budget - Inform meeting of the costs of the sport, ideas for fundraising, an outline of a
simple budget of proposed income and expenditure.
- Motion to affiliate with NUsport. (NUsport must be informed if this is to occur and a NUsport
staff member must be in attendance)
- Other business - Discuss any other relevant matter
b) Attendance Register - An attendance sheet for the meeting must be signed by every person present.
The sheet must include the date of the meeting and the legible name, signature and student number (or uni
staff number) of every one present. Note that persons who are not NUsport members do not count and will
not be permitted to participate with the club if it affiliates with NUsport.
Note that if a club is accepted for affiliation, it is granted Probationary status and has to complete a 12+
months period where it can demonstrate its viability before it receives the level of support that fully affiliated
clubs receive. Clubs receive very modest financial support on first affiliation as NUsport will not fund clubs
on the basis of promises but on the basis of a proven track record of performance.
An outline of what is required follows:
Applications for affiliation
NUsport needs to:
 obtain appropriate information from groups of members seeking to form clubs including:
 What the sport / recreation activity is and information about the activity;
 What support the group is seeking from NUsport at the time of affiliation;
 What the resource demands will be placed on NUsport for equipment, facilities and other requirements
on an on-going basis;
 What the group plans to provide from its own resources and how it plans to raise those funds;
 ensure that the group is made fully aware of the obligations it will be required to accept to become
affiliated;
 ensure that the group is aware of the kinds of benefits that are available and the limits on those benefits
including a 12 + month probationary period.
Groups need to complete a number of matters prior to consideration for affiliation. The group must call a
special meeting of interested NUSport members to form a club if a club structure does not already exist and
at that meeting, the members present must, by ¾ majority:
1. Approve a suitable name for the club.
2. Approve a suitable set of Objects consistent with those of NUsport.
3. Adopt the NUsport Standard Club constitution
4. Elect a committee if one does not already exist.
5. Set a club membership fee not less than $5.00
6. Pass a motion seeking affiliation with NUsport.
The Club must then submit to NUsport
1. A Business Plan outlining:
a) Detailed information about the sport / recreation activity.
b) Information about the key persons driving the sport including their status within the university, their
experience in the sport, organisational experience, etc
c) How many students are in the club, growth trends, level of activity, etc
d) Why the club wishes to affiliate with NUsport.
e) What support it requires to operate during its probationary period.
f) What its needs will be (equipment, facilities, funding, other) to operate on an on-going basis.
g) What it plans to provide the membership from its own resources,
h) How it plans to raise funds.
2. A budget
3. A copy of the minutes of the general meeting at which the club approved seeking affiliation with NUsport.
4. A copy of the adopted club constitution
5. A copy of the attendance list present at the general meeting with at least 20 members present.
6. A full list of club members which must have at least 30 NUsport members.
The above is a quite detailed outline of what is involved and I hope this helps you to work out what you
want to do.

I am new to Newcastle and fairly new to kitesurfing. I think a club would be an excellent idea! I can help out too.