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"Showcasing Student Talent in Korfball" Nationals Weekend Arrival Teams are instructed to arrive between 9am and 9.15am. Whilst it is appreciated that this is a tight window, teams arriving early could disrupt court preperation and teams arriving late will miss the Opening Ceremony. Entry to the Sportspark is usually 50p, however this charge has been waivered for competitors. Upon your arrival at the venue you will be greeted and given your pass. You must keep this pass throughout the weekend as it entitles you to free entry for both days. Unforunatley, spectators will have to pay the 50p. Team Registration Upon arrival at least one member of your squad must register the team. This will take place at the registration desk on the balcony overlooking the halls. UNI/NUS cards for all players must be handed in. Referee Briefing This will take place at 9.10am in the Sportspark cafe. It is strongly advised that a captain or coach from each team attends this meeting. Whilst it is not obligatory, stipulations that will be laid out for the tournament will be aired here and not acquiring the knowledge could be a disadvantage to your team. NOC Volunteer Each team will be assigned an "NOC Volunteer". Please use your volunteer to find out results and fixture information (this will avoid cluster at the results table). Unless you are a coach or captain, you will not be permitted at the results table during the two days. Your volunteer will meet ad greet you, supply you with information about the social and do general court running tasks for your team. Tournament Schedule Click here for this year's tournament schedule. It has been based on last year's successful format so we hope it is clear who will be playing who after the group stages. Referees have already been assigned to games and each fixture has been vetted to ensure their is no conflict of interest involving the referees and the teams they are officiating. For obvious reasons, teams will only find out the referee of their respective games on the day. Tournament Rules Click here for the Tournament Rules. It is strongly advised that these are read and addressed to all players prior to the tournament. It is also recommended that each team has a copy to refer to on the weekend. The AGM The AGM will take place in a conference room at the Sportspark and will commence at 5.30pm with a provisional 7pm conclusion. Click here for the AGM agenda. This issues raised should be taken very seriously as the decisions made have a hugely significant impact on student korfball and your future players/plans. Venue Three-times champions and current holders UEA will be hosting 2008's BUSA Nationals. The event will take place on the weekend of the 1st & 2nd of March at the impressive Sportspark facility.  The tournament will be played on three identical courts in a venue that, in the Sunday Times University Guide, was ranked the top university sports facility in Britain (outscoring both Bath and Loughborough) achieving 54 out of a possible 55 stars. Free car parking is available to all, either in the Sportspark car park or the larger UEA car park. Tickets must be validated at the Sportspark reception and anyone wishing to leave a vehicle anywhere on campus overnight will need to inform the security lodge. The Sportspark has it's own cafe, serving a range of foods from snacks (cereal bars, fruit etc) to main meals. Food and drink vending machines serving crisps, chocolate bars and a range of Lucozade and Ribena products will be accessible to all. Spacious changings rooms with shower facilities and several lockers will be available throughout the weekend. A short-walk away, still on the UEA campus, is the Union Food Outlet (open Saturday 10:30-17:30, Sunday 10:30-16:00) and Paper Shop (open both days 8:00-16:00). The Union bar will be open from 11am on Saturday and noon on Sunday and serves several lunch options (sandwiches, pastries, crisps etc) as well as drinks. Cash points are available around this area too.  Fees Team entry for this year's BUSA Nationals will be ?65. Although this is a ?5 increase on last year's cost, the tournament this year will feature a number of extras and the organising committee feel confident that the slight rise will be viewed as value for money. Tournament Programme This year a programme will be published to accompany the tournament containing several features that will interest participants and spectators alike. More information, such as the likely cost of the programme, will be added to the website when we have a clearer idea. Tournament Format Teams will be pooled into four groups of four teams. The top two teams from each group will progress into the quarter-finals proper whilst the bottom two teams from each group will play in the plate. Seeded Teams: The top four teams from both the Northerns and Southerns achieved seeded status and this dictates their position in the draw. Northerns winners Sheffield Hallam are paired with 4th placed Southerns team Cambridge, Southerns winners Birmingham are grouped with Manchester, Northerns runners-up Edinburgh go into a group with Oxford whilst Southerns runners-up London are with Sheffield Uni. The final two places in each group were drawn at random at a Norwich Knights training session with both a Northern and Southern team added to each group randomly. Click here to see the draw filmed live. AGM This year's AGM will be hosted in the Sportspark in one of their seminar rooms at 5.30pm on Day One. It is anticipated to take between an hour to an hour and a half. Each team will be required to send two delegates to attend. If transport from the AGM to your accommodation is likely to be a problem, contact Steph Allen and she will endeavour to arrange a lift or car share from the Sportspark to your accommodation. |