2015 Proposed NTS Schedule

As you all know we had a great response to the series this year and the need to build on this is necessary. There have been many suggestions from most clubs on a format for the next 12 months and we thank you all for your contributions. To deliver a quality series, with excellent medical provision, facilities and full time referees is difficult and therefore there will be a change for 2015 to introduce a 3^rd tier of competition.

Proposed structure is detailed below.

NTS 1^st tier – 16 clubs retained from the 2014 NTS series

NTS 2^nd tier – 12 clubs that progressed to the 2014 CTS Finals will qualify to participate

(NTS 1^st & 2^nd tier will be delivered at the same tournament)

CTS (3^rd tier) – Open tournament series based on pre 2014 delivery – with a view to a more structured series in future years. Up to five tournaments through the summer with a final on the Saturday of the ETA Nationals. This will allow more clubs to host tournaments, with support from ETA, and allow participation of more clubs that missed out on CTS in 2014 as well as introducing new/emerging clubs to their next stage of development. Hosting the CTS final during the Nationals will allow CTS clubs to take an active part in an inspiring tournament. Clubs will be provided with the opportunity to schedule and promote their tournaments around other events and therefore there are no fixed dates for this as yet.

Future delivery could provide Men’s and Women’s divisions (maybe on the 2^nd day of a NTS tournament).

NTS Clubs will be asked soon to bid to host a tournament in the coming weeks to be signed off at the ETA AGM (planned November). To provide an easier bidding process Clubs will be invited to bid for their Area tournament. We have worked with the High Performance guys on the ETA board on this proposal and although we believe this format and schedule is not very far away from a final plan.