All the news from ClubNet ClubNet http://www.clubnet.org.uk Tue, 20 March 2012 09:56:00 Tue, 20 March 2012 09:56:00 ClubNet http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2012/march/20/databases-move-to-new-data-center/ This Saturday, 24th March, the Full and Lite membership databases used by our clubs will be relocation to a new, state of the art data center.  There will be up to 3 hours downtime while this maintenance is performed from around 1.30pm. This relocation demonstrates our priority to ensure the best service for our clients and this move will help to ensure that the databases continue to operate from a high performing and highly available environment. http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2012/march/20/databases-move-to-new-data-center/ http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2012/march/20/databases-move-to-new-data-center/ Tue, 20 March 2012 09:56:00 ClubNet http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2012/january/03/happy-new-year-from-clubnet!-website-upgrade-completed/ We'd like to wish all our clubs and their members a very Happy New Year. The New Year has started with some great steps forward at ClubNet - our new version of the Website (v4.7.1) has now been rolled out, and all sites have been migrated to our new server. The new version offers some great new features, as well as some neat enhancements to what was there before, and some measures to enhance still further the site's performance.  Here's just a selection of the changes: Improved News / Blog functionality, now easier than ever to post your club news Total re-design of the Forum to make it more user-friendly and easier to follow conversations by subscribing to your chosen topics New " Committee Page " functionality with optional custom contact forms and biographies New " Events List " which automatically removes events once they are in the past Better integration with Facebook and Twitter Optional scrolling " Latest News " at the top of most pages - ensure that members are aware of the latest goings-on Greater flexibility for administrators with page layouts and column widths In addition to this, our Bookings clients will notice a couple of new reports : a new overnight report shows all the booking cancellations from the previous day on-screen (within Admin Functions) report which shows how long before the court time members are cancelling courts - this should be an especially useful tool for clubs who wish to prevent members booking courts protectively, cancelling them late, and therefore leaving courts empty at peak times http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2012/january/03/happy-new-year-from-clubnet!-website-upgrade-completed/ http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2012/january/03/happy-new-year-from-clubnet!-website-upgrade-completed/ Tue, 03 January 2012 13:14:00 ClubNet http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/december/09/bookings-system-upgrade/ A number of changes have recently been rolled out to the bookings system, and we wanted to let you know about them.  To check you are viewing the latest version, please check that you are viewing version 1.07.028 (or later) by clicking on the About button in the bookings interface. You will notice the following changes: NEW Facility for members to edit bookings (i.e. add / edit their opponent name) after making their booking - click on the booking to edit the details NEW Email confirmations to the opponent when specified in a booking (or removed from a booking) NEW Email reminders and cancellation notifications sent to the opponent if specified (as well as to the member who booked) NEW List of courts when booked as opponent (beneath the bookings grid) IMPROVED Headings in the Reports section (in Admin Functions) to give greater clarity IMPROVED Email delivery - now sent from a custom ClubNet email address (e.g. yourclub-bookings@clubnet.org.uk), or tell us if you'd like this changed to a club address (e.g. info@yourclub.com) We hope you like these improvements and, as always, we welcome your feedback and further suggestions so we can keep improving the system in the future. http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/december/09/bookings-system-upgrade/ http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/december/09/bookings-system-upgrade/ Fri, 09 December 2011 13:40:00 ClubNet http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/december/09/enhancements-for-the-leagues-system/ A number of further enhancements have recently been added to the leagues system, and we wanted to let you know about them. You will notice the following changes: NEW Optional score entry interface instead of the traditional grid format - the new interface includes controls to prevent invalid score entry - contact us if you're interested in switching NEW Printable pages for the Ranking Order and Leagues Stats pages NEW Filtered views on the Ranking Order and Leagues Stats pages to show "All" or only "Current" members NEW Notification emails to both players when a score is entered into the system NEW Variations of the Tennis scoring system IMPROVED Email delivery - now sent from a custom ClubNet email address (e.g. yourclub-scores@clubnet.org.uk), or tell us if you'd like this changed to a club address (e.g. info@yourclub.com) We hope you like these improvements and, as always, we welcome your feedback and further suggestions so we can keep improving the system in the future. http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/december/09/enhancements-for-the-leagues-system/ http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/december/09/enhancements-for-the-leagues-system/ Fri, 09 December 2011 13:39:00 ClubNet http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/september/22/leagues,-ladders,-tournaments-and-rankings-system-upgrade/ Following the visual improvements to the leagues system over the summer, our comprehensive overhaul of the administration functions and the member navigation is now complete. You will notice the following changes: NEW Step by step monthly process with guidance and safeguards at every stage NEW Dashboard for administrators so you can go direct to your chosen section NEW League History page which will store all future leagues and enable them to be viewed NEW Drag & Drop player re-ordering NEW Filters on League Reordering page so you can view All players, or only those who are either opted in or opted out NEW Restore Points for Leagues, so you can revert to a previous state if you need to IMPROVED Navigation for members and administrators, with simpler buttons and logical structure We hope our existing clubs will like these improvements and, as always, we welcome your feedback and further suggestions so we can keep improving the system in the future. If you're interested in a demo of the Leagues system, please contact us and we'll be happy to set one up for you. http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/september/22/leagues,-ladders,-tournaments-and-rankings-system-upgrade/ http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/september/22/leagues,-ladders,-tournaments-and-rankings-system-upgrade/ Thu, 22 September 2011 10:27:00 ClubNet http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/june/28/the-leagues-system-has-had-a-makeover!/ The design of the pages showing leagues, tournaments, ladders, ranking points etc have all been updated and given a fresh new look .  Users should still find the pages familiar but with a crisper and cleaner new design. If your leagues are already integrated into a ClubNet / SquashNet website, they'll already be styled to match your club's colours.  If not, then you may want to discuss customising your leagues to match your club's colour scheme - give us a call on 01962 862626 or click here to contact us » We hope you like the new improved pages.  Why not take a look around your new-look leagues now? We are also planning some enhancements to the administration interface to help league managers and administrators.  More news on these soon... http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/june/28/the-leagues-system-has-had-a-makeover!/ http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/june/28/the-leagues-system-has-had-a-makeover!/ Tue, 28 June 2011 10:27:00 ClubNet http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/june/20/congratulations-to-new-brighton-cbc/ Wirral Sports Forum Awards We were delighted to hear that New Brighton Cricket and Bowling Club has been selected as the Wirral Club of the Year , and has also been nominated for the Merseyside Awards later this year. Also, congratulations to Brian Gregory from the club who was selected as Wirral Volunteer of the Year .  Brian has headed up the club's efforts in getting their new ClubNet website up and running, and he feels the new website has helped the club win these awards. It's great to hear such news of success from our clubs. http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/june/20/congratulations-to-new-brighton-cbc/ http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/june/20/congratulations-to-new-brighton-cbc/ Mon, 20 June 2011 13:31:00 ClubNet http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/june/15/new-bookings-features/ Several enhancements for Administrators have been rolled out today in the ClubNet / SquashNet Bookings system (v1.07.009): The Members List now includes a Status column , showing whether members are active, expired (grey) or suspended (red) - you can sort the list of members by clicking on the column heading If you click on any booking in the Admin bookings grid (including block bookings), you can now see who made the booking and when (NB dates have been recorded for bookings made since March 2011 so may appear as "unknown" if set up before then;  also any bookings made by adminstrators before today will show as "administrator", but future bookings will specify the specific admin user for clubs with more than one administrator or reception login) Block bookings can now be made directly from the Admin bookings grid , just as easily as a member booking - press the SHIFT key when you click the court you want to book, select the coach name (if applicable) and save.  Ideal for booking one-off courts for coaches quickly so you can track their court usage via the Coach Usage report, but without having to set up all the details as for more complex (e.g. recurring / multi-court) block bookings There is now a restriction to prevent members or reception users from selecting an expired or suspended member as an opponent on a court booking; also reception users can no longer book courts for expired or suspended members You can check that you're using the latest version by logging in to the admin interface and clicking the About button.  If you are still on a previous version, you may need to clear your browser cache and re-load the page. http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/june/15/new-bookings-features/ http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/june/15/new-bookings-features/ Wed, 15 June 2011 13:29:00 ClubNet http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/june/08/how-is-your-website-performing/ Clubs with ClubNet or SquashNet websites can now analyse the performance of their sites to answer questions like: How do people find our site?  e.g. Search engines, referrals from other sites, direct traffic How many visitors come to our site? Which pages are visited most frequently? How long do visitors spend on the site? Which pages have a high "bounce rate"?  i.e. one-page visits Which pages do visitors most frequently exit the site from? and many more... Together, these are powerful tools - for example: If you have important information on a page which is rarely visited, you'll know to give that page greater prominence. If pages have a high bounce rate, why?  It's probably a sign that the page doesn't contain what the visitor was expecting, so is a good indicator that you could benefit by editing the page. Just think, with a few simple changes to your site's content, based on the cold hard facts of your site's current traffic (provided using Google Analytics ), you could deliver a better experience for your members , communicate your key messages more effectively, and ensure prospective members can find the info they want about your club quickly and easily .  A small additional annual fee applies, but in the context of recruiting or retaining just one more member, it's surely a false economy not to take advantage! Contact us on 01962 862626 to discuss having this implemented for your site today. http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/june/08/how-is-your-website-performing/ http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/june/08/how-is-your-website-performing/ Wed, 08 June 2011 13:27:00 ClubNet http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/may/13/website-enhancements/ A number of website enhancements and fixes have been rolled out, including to: News items Photo lightbox functionality Photo gallery functionality Navigation We're keen to keep improving and developing the website platform for our clubs, so let us know if there's something which you'd like added or changed.  We can't promise to make all changes, but we'll do what we can to make the improvements which you, our users, would value most. http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/may/13/website-enhancements/ http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/may/13/website-enhancements/ Fri, 13 May 2011 13:26:00 ClubNet http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/may/09/new-brighton-cricket-and-bowling-club-website-goes-live/ We're delighted to welcome New Brighton Cricket & Bowling Club to ClubNet.  Their new website has just gone live and they'll be adding more content to it as the cricket season unfolds and their new pavilion and function room are completed and made ready for use. To take a look at their new site, click here » http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/may/09/new-brighton-cricket-and-bowling-club-website-goes-live/ http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/may/09/new-brighton-cricket-and-bowling-club-website-goes-live/ Mon, 09 May 2011 13:23:00 ClubNet http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/april/21/clubnet-database/ A ClubNet Database offers your club a powerful membership database which is accessible via the internet by secure login with controlled access privileges for designated club officials. The database can be fully integrated with our Bookings and Leagues & Tournaments systems, so that you only have to update your membership data in one place .  This can save a great deal of time for administrators, and avoid inconsistent or out of date data. There are two database options: Full Database - for multi-sport clubs with many membership categories and more complex membership structures Database Lite - for single sport clubs or those with simple membership structures Both database options offer powerful and highly customisable reporting features - for example, you can view your members by expiry date, by membership category, or indeed any other field in the database. There are optional features available, including: Enquiry form for new members Pre-populated forms and letters (e.g. Welcome Letter, Monthly Statement covering letter, Renewal Letters etc) Gym medical questionnaire, printable for signing by the member Course bookings, so you can monitor sign-ups to coaching courses and holiday camps, track attendances and payments Data cleansing pre upload to new database and much more... To discuss your requirements, and to see if a ClubNet Database is right for your club, call us on 01962 862626 or contact us via our Contact Form . Remember: Powerful and customisable E asy to use Full or Lite options to suit your club structure We look forward to hearing from you. http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/april/21/clubnet-database/ http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/april/21/clubnet-database/ Thu, 21 April 2011 13:20:00 ClubNet http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/april/12/clubnet-leagues-and-tournaments/ ClubNet Leagues & Tournaments offers your club a powerful and flexible online system which is ideal for: Internal leagues (e.g. squash, tennis etc) Area, county or regional leagues Knockout tournaments and draws Player rankings The interface makes it easy to set up and run your leagues and tournaments - the system makes life easier for your administrators and saves them time, whilst enabling your members to view leagues and tournaments online and add their scores, plus providing updated player rankings based on results.  See here for more details. The system can be fully integrated into a ClubNet Website, or can stand alone if you prefer. To discuss your requirements, and to see if ClubNet Leagues and Tournaments is right for your club or association, call us on 01962 862626 or contact us via our Contact Form . Remember: Comprehensive online system for leagues and tournaments E asy for members and administrators From only £10 + VAT per month We look forward to hearing from you. http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/april/12/clubnet-leagues-and-tournaments/ http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/april/12/clubnet-leagues-and-tournaments/ Tue, 12 April 2011 13:18:00 ClubNet http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/april/06/clubnet-bookings/ ClubNet Bookings offers your club a comprehensive online bookings system which is ideally suited for large and small clubs with facilities which can be booked, such as: Squash or Tennis courts Football, Cricket or Hockey pitches Sports Halls or Multi-Use Games Areas Function Rooms or Meeting Rooms in your Clubhouse The intuitive bookings grid and easy interface makes booking facilities simple for your members and administrators, subject to your club's rules of course.  Most clubs who use the system report a significant increase in use of their facilities and therefore revenue.  You can track no-shows , make block bookings , and much more.  See here for full details. The Bookings system is also designed for taking one-off and repeat bookings for Fitness Classes, Coaching Courses etc. The system can be fully integrated into a ClubNet Website, or can stand alone if you prefer. To discuss your requirements, and to see if ClubNet Bookings is right for your club, call us on 01962 862626 or contact us via our Contact Form . Remember: Comprehensive online bookings for facilities, classes and courses E asy for members and administrators From only £10 + VAT per facility per month We look forward to hearing from you. http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/april/06/clubnet-bookings/ http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/april/06/clubnet-bookings/ Wed, 06 April 2011 13:15:00 ClubNet http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/march/28/clubnet-websites/ A ClubNet Website offers your club or association a powerful, professional club website which is both engaging for your members and simple for you to manage.  Our website is suitable for all sports and offers all you need for: News Photos Forums Maps Contact Forms and much, much more...  See here for full details Sites are available from just £99 + VAT per year, and are free from those annoying adverts you get on some other sites.  But if you have your own sponsors, you can easily give them coverage on your site as you wish. We setup your site, colour schemes and logos etc for you for a one-off setup fee, and then the site is yours to manage.  You can add pages, edit content, delete pages, move content around.  It's all straightforward and documented in our comprehensive website manual. To discuss your requirements, and to see if a ClubNet Website is right for your club or association, call us on 01962 862626 or contact us via our Contact Form . Remember: Powerful and professional Fully documented and easy to use No adverts (unless you want to put them there!) From only £99 + VAT per year We look forward to hearing from you. http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/march/28/clubnet-websites/ http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2011/march/28/clubnet-websites/ Mon, 28 March 2011 13:13:00 ClubNet http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2010/july/17/hydration-masterclass/ Hydration masterclass Whether you're out running or cycling on a hot summer's day in the UK (if you're lucky) or holidaying in sunnier climes, getting your hydration right can vastly improve your performance and your general wellbeing too. Understanding what and how much you should drink under different training conditions is the first step to improving your performance and recovery from training. Here, Lynn Clay explains what your bodies extra needs are in the heat and reveals some useful methods that will allow you to tailor your hydration. Get your daily quota First of all, in order to maintain a good hydration status it is important to think about what you drink when you are going about your daily life as well as when you're training. Scientific data indicates that most of us start exercise already dehydrated so this is the first element to address to knock our hydration schedules into shape. Drinking two to three litres of fluid per day is a good general recommendation, sipping this across the day, but don't just take it for granted that you will achieve this. Have a strategy. Although water is best for daytime drinking, it doesn't have to make up your entire fluid intake. Caffeinated drinks such as coffee or tea can count towards your fluid intake, but only to a certain point. 3 cups is a good cut off point, as large amounts of caffeine can have a diuretic effect. If you really want to have a hot drink, which is often a barrier to meeting your water intake healthily, opt for green, peppermint or fruit tea instead. Top Tip: It's often easier to fill and refill a litre water bottle to ensure you meet your intake rather than relying on refilling smaller glasses of water. If you're in the middle of something, you are less likely to keep getting up to refill a small glass, than to simply sip from a bottle. Fluid on the go Once you've got your 'daily' fluid right, the next area to address is fluid for your training. When you're out in the hot weather the bodies need for fluid increases so make sure you accommodate this extra requirement. The hot environment challenges the body which has to work harder to maintain a steady core temperature. In order to do this the heat is shuttled to the skin, increasing your sweat rate. This is our body's main method of cooling. Although sweating is a vital mechanism for losing heat, it comes at a price. De-hydration! An increased sweat rate leads to loss of not only water but also important minerals including sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium. And get this.....as your body becomes more used to the heat, your cooling mechanisms improve, your sweat rate is further increased and you need to drink more to offset this. With fluid losses equal to just 2% of body weight being shown to have a detrimental effect on performance, so just how much should you drink to avoid dehydration? Tailoring your intake One can rely on general recommendations for fluid replacement, but this will never provide a tailored hydration strategy and will not distinguish light from heavy sweaters who will have different replacement needs. A good strategy for assessing your need is to rely on a standardised recommendation for hydration on a training run, but to weigh yourself pre and post workout to assess whether you are meeting your precise needs. As fluid needs will differ in different conditions, when these change it is important to reassess your needs. Suggested strategy Pre training: Record your weight Training: cycle, run or swim for 1 hour hydrating on 500ml fluid Post training: Record your weight For each kilogram of weight lost at least 1 litre of fluid should added to your hydration protocol. In cold conditions this will suffice, but when the weather is warm this should be increase d to 1.2 litres per kilogram and in the extreme heat (80 degrees plus) 1.5 litres per kilogram. Cold conditions - 1L fluid Warm conditions - 1.2L fluid Hot conditions - 1.5L fluid For example: a 70kg individual running for 1 hour at 80 degrees plus and consuming a 500ml sports drink during the run may lose 0.5kg of weight. The recommendation for fluid intake is 750ml of fluid for recovery (1.5L x 0.5). On a subsequent run this individual could negate the effects of dehydration on the run performance by increasing fluid intake on the run to 1000ml (aiming for 250ml per 15 minutes). This would leave a requirement of only 250ml in the recovery period and would be a more effective strategy for performance. If you train across sports you are likely to find that one sport dehydrates you at a different rate from another so complete the protocol for each type of training your take part in. Once you have a good idea of your sweat rate you will not need to weigh yourself on every training session but you may need to recheck your fluid loss on a monthly basis to counter for changes in fitness. It seems prominent researchers within the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences at Loughborough University agree that with most failing to drink enough to match sweat losses during exercise, pre and post training weighing is a good strategy to encourage the correct fluid replacement. Also recommended is the simple technique of using urine test strips, which can provide a more practical tool for some to avoid beginning training or events in a dehydrated state. Using Urine Test strips Pee into a container and using a Urine test strip (e.g. Bayer Multistix) simply dip into the pee. The strip will change colour and should then be compared to a colour chart to predict your hydration status. Ideally this should be done first thing in the morning and then pre-event / training. Modifying your morning drinking strategy in relation to the results obtained will allow you to develop a truly individual hydration strategy to ensure you arrive on the start line fully hydrated. You may also wish to use the Bayer Multistix test post training if you are not using weighing as a method, measuring after the recovery period, to ensure you have replaced enough fluid. What to drink? All this talk about how much to drink may have left you wondering what the perfect hydration drink contains. Certainly research indicates that it is not only important when and how much athletes drink but what, with studies showing clear performance advantages when consuming a carbohydrate-electrolyte drink compared to water. But the jargon around these drinks and competing marketing messages can make it confusing to understand exactly what you should be drinking before, during and after exercise. Let's clear up the confusion. Hypotonic drinks A carbohydrate formula of around 2 - 5% is ideal for prior to your training to ensure you begin exercise in a hydrated state, also increasing carbohydrate availability for fuel. If we hydrate on a higher carbohydrate formula close to exercise, this results in a blood sugar elevation which encourages the body to take up a higher percentage of carbohydrate as fuel during the early stages of exercise than it would otherwise. For this reason a slightly weaker solution is preferable, ideally sipping on 500ml from 1 hour prior to your exercise and stopping sipping 20 minutes prior to allow blood sugar levels to reduce again. Mixing Viper Active to a weak solution will meet your needs. Isotonic drinks During exercise a 6 - 8% solution is required as this is in balance with the body's fluids and therefore transports well during exercise. Most pre-bottled drinks are isotonic. Increasing your serving size of Viper Active will allow you to meet your needs without purchasing a separate product. Hypertonic drinks After exercise a higher concentration of carbohydrates is required to aid transportation of carbohydrate to the muscles for storage and recovery. These drinks are termed Hypertonic and are generally mixed at a concentration of between 12 and 15%. Viper Active can be used in a higher concentration here but ideally you would opt for a specific recovery formula such as Recovermax to accelerate muscle and immune recovery too. A common misconception is that an isotonic drink always contains electrolytes. Although many do, that is not always the case, so check your formula if you're not sure. Electrolyte drinks are not essential for short moderate paced training sessions in temperate conditions but longer sessions in hotter conditions increase our need to replace these important salts. What are electrolytes? Electrolytes refer to the minerals we lose when we sweat. When fluid loss is significant, as occurs when the weather is hot, hydration can be impaired if these are not replaced. Research by Brouns found that adding electrolytes to a weak carbohydrate solution resulted in more fluid intake and better re-hydration levels over water of nearly 25%. The most significant mineral concerned is sodium as losses can lead to headache, confusion, nausea and cramping. Indeed in the 1996 New Zealand Ironman Triathlon, 9% of those who suffered medical complaints during the race and had to drop out were suffering from low sodium concentrations in the body. One individual had consumed 16 litres of water during the course but as a result of low sodium concentrations had had suffered from cramping, nausea and confusion. The water on its own actually diluted sodium content in the body exacerbating the condition. For some your exercise will not be this extreme but when looking to replace fluid to offset dehydration you may want to consider that unless your sports drink contains sufficiently high sodium content, excess fluid intake will merely increase urine output with less benefit to re-hydration. Once urine output increases our reliance on thirst as a signal to drink is insufficient as the stimulation of our thirst mechanism is blunted. The inclusion of sodium in your hydration drink as found in Viper Active will sustain thirst drive and promote reduced urine output. Another important mineral, potassium, also aids hydration in the heat. Potassium replacement in competitive runners' has been shown to lead to retention of fluid in the intracellular space, aiding hydration and also reducing urine output. Potassium can be obtained from potassium rich foods in the diet such as bananas, potatoes and citrus fruits as well as in Viper Active . Magnesium and calcium are also lost in sweat, with most of this being replaced in the daily diet but for runners with reasonably high mileage's a small amount needs to be replaced relative to exercise load. Again, the most convenient way to do this is with Viper Active , as the amount you consume is related to your exertion, although it can be found in cereals, fruit, vegetables and milk. Magnesium is needed for nerve function, and a common sign of deficiency is muscular ticks (e.g. facial muscles twitching involuntarily). Calcium is another mineral that is depleted during exercise, but in small amounts. It is needed for bones and teeth, blood clotting and nerve and muscle function. This can be obtained from milk and dairy products, dark leafy greens, fish such as sardines, pulses, nuts and seeds but again should be found in small amounts in a good sports drink such as Viper Active . Just train So, it seems that both how much and what we choose to drink can have an impact on performance and hydration status for health. Once you have organised your fluid for your daily needs and placed Viper Active into your training schedule to support your health and performance, the next step is to put into practice weighing and urine colour strip testing to truly individualise your hydration strategy. With all this sorted, you can get outside in the sunshine and enjoy your training in the full knowledge that you are unlikely to fatigue from dehydration. http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2010/july/17/hydration-masterclass/ http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2010/july/17/hydration-masterclass/ Sat, 17 July 2010 12:58:00 SquashNet http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2010/june/02/squashnet-june-special-offer-6-months-free-bookings!/ As the summer is the time when many clubs prepare for the new season, we want to help.  So we're delighted to offer 18 months for the price of 12 on your Court Bookings module when your Club purchases a SquashNet website. This offer is available to the first three clubs in each region who express interest in SquashNet (without any commitment) by 18 June quoting "JuneBook18" and who confirm their order by 18 July .  Clubs must be affiliated to England Squash & Racketball and must be new SquashNet clients to qualify for this offer.  Standard setup fees apply. To register your interest in 18 months for the price of 12 on your Court Bookings module, please email us at info@squashnet.co.uk stating your club's name, location and contact details and quoting "JuneBook18" , or call us on 01962 862626. http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2010/june/02/squashnet-june-special-offer-6-months-free-bookings!/ http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2010/june/02/squashnet-june-special-offer-6-months-free-bookings!/ Wed, 02 June 2010 12:59:00 SquashNet http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2010/april/14/spring-special-offer-from-squashnet/ To celebrate our launch with England Squash & Racketball, we're delighted to offer HALF PRICE website set up to the first three clubs in each region who express interest in SquashNet (without any commitment) by 21 April quoting "Spring50" and who confirm their order by 14 May. Clubs must be affiliated to England Squash & Racketball to qualify for this offer. To register your interest in SAVING 50% on your website setup, please email us at info@squashnet.co.uk stating your club's name, location and contact details and quoting "Spring50" , or call us on 01962 862626. Find out more about SquashNet - click here » SquashNet Website with Online Bookings and Leagues for Squash Clubs and Associations http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2010/april/14/spring-special-offer-from-squashnet/ http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2010/april/14/spring-special-offer-from-squashnet/ Wed, 14 April 2010 13:01:00 SquashNet http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2010/march/22/england-squash-racketball-supports-the-new-squashnet-online-platform-for-clubs-and-members/ ClubNet is delighted to work in partnership with England Squash & Racketball to announce the Official launch of the first fully-integrated online platform for Squash and Racketball Clubs and their members - SquashNet . It has never been simpler for a Squash & Racketball Club to have a high quality, fully-functional website for their Club and Members - all from just £99 a year . Select from specific Squash related components for your Club The main website utilises easy-to-use drag and drop elements, including news and photos; blogs and forums; email newsletters and much, much more. However, what really sets SquashNet apart from other websites is the selection of Squash specific components that makes the site really work for Clubs and their Members. These include: Online court booking League and tournament management Membership database What Clubs think about SquashNet SquashNet is already being used by a number of Squash Clubs around the UK, including Winchester, Hunts County and Moreton Hall, and has been well-received by them. Here's what the manager at Winchester had to say: "Since changing our website, we have found it so much easier to update news and information. What used to be a laborious chore is now a quick and effective process that keeps our membership up to date with the latest news at the club. The combined use of newsletters and messages has definitely improved member communication and the ease of use means that we now have a website that is interesting and relevant with all the latest news and pictures readily accessible for our members" Certainly England Squash & Racketball see the benefits for Clubs and Members of SquashNet . England Squash & Racketball Operations Director Jim Lord said: " SquashNet provides the perfect one-stop shop for Clubs to better serve their members and help develop squash in their communities. It certainly ties in well with England Squash & Racketball's aim to help our affiliated clubs by making available the tools they need to be successful" Have a FREE Trial You can find out more about how SquashNet   can benefit your Club and your Members by visiting www.squashnet.co.uk . Plus you can arrange your FREE trial today http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2010/march/22/england-squash-racketball-supports-the-new-squashnet-online-platform-for-clubs-and-members/ http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2010/march/22/england-squash-racketball-supports-the-new-squashnet-online-platform-for-clubs-and-members/ Mon, 22 March 2010 13:04:00 ClubNet http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2009/march/26/what-insurance-does-my-sports-club-need/ There are probably in excess of 600,000 sports clubs in the UK today. These can range from sports such as Football and Cricket to Clay Target Shooting and Indoor Carpet Bowls. Each club will likely require a different amount of Insurance protection. There are three main types of Insurance Protection, Property, Liability & Accident. It is important to understand the core difference:- Public Liability It is the requirement of all clubs to assert a duty of care for the safety & wellbeing of all involved in the club. A Public Liability policy provides protection for the club if it breaks this duty of care & is deemed negligent of injury to somebody or damage to something. Out of all the covers your club may require Public Liability would be top of the list. Property Sports and social clubs who own their own facilities can also obtain buildings and contents insurance which covers the cost of replacing the structure of the property. The buildings policy will likely offer cover for the buildings contents, this would extend to sporting equipment. Playing/Accident Or, to give it its proper name Personal Accident Insurance. This is a type of cover that will allow for a club to protect itself in light of serious injury from or in connection with the sport. A typical policy could give a monetary sum for a broken bone or a more serious permanent disablement. Temporary or weekly benefits are also common to help with the costs of being unable to work because of the injury. The key difference to Public Liability is that there needs to be no proven negligence as the cause of injury in order for a payment to be made. UK clubs benefit from one of the greatest support networks in Europe, whether it be a government agency such as the Central Council of Physical Recreation or Sport England. The most supportive of all groups to your individual sport or club is likely to be your National Governing Body or Regional / County Association. This should be your first port of call in understanding the Insurance requirements for your sport. Your Sports Association is likely to represent high numbers of clubs in a similar position to yourself. Quite often the Regional or national association will already have assessed the insurance requirements for your sport and have a recognised scheme for you to join. If this is not the case, here is some additional information to bear in mind. What's the Benefit of Sports Insurance? The main benefit is allowing for peace of mind in respect of a negligent act brought against your club. More often than not an action will be brought against the club as it is the club that is required to uphold a duty of care to its members. Insuring the club allows for its officers to get on with running the club and delivering a safe and comfortable environment to partake in club activities. My Club doesn't participate in a Dangerous Sport - How would it benefit us? Sports insurance doesn't just benefit clubs who take part in dangerous or extreme sports. Insurance for normal sporting activities like football, cricket, rugby, badminton, tennis and a host of others can be equally likely to cause injury. Quite often the more hazardous sports have the greater risk prevention measures. Next Steps Check with your National or Regional Sports Association for any Insurance your membership with them may give or allow you access to. Ascertain what risks you feel your club has. Whether it be material damage for equipment & buildings or its members safety & welfare. Can you control these risks your self? If not you should turn to Insurance for protection. There are many Sports Insurance providers, each preferring to insure different sports or types of Insurance. In choosing the right Insurance Broker you should look for endorsement from your sport, a similar club or look for a company with a long & proven track record. Author: Paul Nicholson (Towergate tlc) http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2009/march/26/what-insurance-does-my-sports-club-need/ http://www.clubnet.org.uk/news/clubnet-news/posts/2009/march/26/what-insurance-does-my-sports-club-need/ Thu, 26 March 2009 12:33:00