Nussbaumer stands for GCA presidency

DAVE NUSSBAUMER is to stand for the presidency of the Guernsey Cricket Association. The current Cobo Cricket Club president confirmed yesterday that he wants to fill the position that will be vacated by Gary Tapp, who is standing down at the Association's annual meeting in January after three years in the role.

'I just want to make sure that the progress made under Gary Tapp is maintained, knowing that we are developing well in all sectors of Guernsey cricket,' said Nussbaumer.

The Cobo stalwart emphasised that, if elected, he wanted the clubs to have full involvement in decision making and the future direction the GCA is up to the membership.

'It will be a consultation process with the clubs that will establish what they are happy with, if there is anything they would like to change and where they want to go.

'All sectors will be looked at and we will be making presentations with the clubs being asked for their views and they will be listened to,' he said.

Nussbaumer added that the next GCA president will have several exciting projects to work on.

'We would certainly look at bringing in a Channel Islands league and, looking forward, the possible development of links with the ICC and the staging of international matches in Guernsey.

'The future is bright,' Nussbaumer said.

Tapp is pleased that a person of Nussbaumer's standing is willing to put himself forward for the role, but the current president also emphasised that he would not like to see him stand unopposed.

'I would very much like more candidates to come forward and David has said the same,' Tapp said.

'If only one person is prepared to stand then no one else can sit there and moan about what they do. I know from when I first stood that basically you put forward to the clubs what you would like to do and they elect you and then complain because you are not doing what they would have done.

'That is why it is better to have more than one candidate and, from my experiences, I can say that it is a very rewarding position.'

But even if no one is prepared to stand, Tapp believes Nussbaumer has the necessary qualities to succeed in the role.

'The way sport administration is going, with so much development going on, sometimes you have to have people there who will make strong decisions that might not please everybody, but who know they are doing it in the best interests of the sport.

'You have got to keep the sport moving, keep it energised and keep it upbeat.

'In that respect, David is someone who will do that and he has the right connections to take it forward,' said Tapp.

But the GCA president added that whoever his successor was, he hoped that he and his committee were helped more by the membership and gave an example of the current trouble the GCA had of getting feedback from clubs.