Demographics

[greywolf]

There may be specific (metereological?) explanations for the Dalegarth results but I think there's been a long term trend of improvement in performance - not only getting faster at the front but much more competitive too

When the 1976 WOC relay was held at Culbin the men's race was 4 * 10.8km on a predominantly white map. The Swedes were runaway winners in 4 hrs 10, the Norwegians got silver in 4 hrs 19 (i.e just on 6 mins/km). The "breakthrough" Brits in 6th were a further 23 minutes back (i.e. they averaged over 70 mins each), and the Australians in 9th took an astonishing 5 hrs 39 (i.e just under 8 mins / km)

Re-run it today and I'd expect the winners to be anything up to 30 s/km quicker - the 9th place team would be 2 mins/km quicker

[graeme]

But of the top 100 UK marathon times, only two were run in the last 10 years, those in 2004 and 2005. Maybe miles are getting longer, and gravity stronger?

[Roger]

Maybe miles are getting longer, and gravity stronger?

...and straw-clutching more prevalent.

[14stoneflyer]

A lot of interesting discussion and a few good ideas on how to go forward.

I think aiming off has had the best idea. University is the likely most fertile ground for picking up new orienteers (who I see as essentially runners who like the great outdoors and have to keep their minds busy whilst they exercise). Getting more students involved is also probably the surest way of livening up the social scene too.

A recruitment drive with some form of recognised BUCS competition using events that are already being organised by clubs (heavily discounted or even free for Student attendees) sounds like a good way to go. Perhaps a combination of forest and urban to provide variety? Could BOF sponsor and promote such a thing?

[Sunlit Forres]

University is the likely most fertile ground for picking up new orienteers (who I see as essentially runners who like the great outdoors and have to keep their minds busy whilst they exercise). Getting more students involved is also probably the surest way of livening up the social scene too.

Hard to argue with that. Anyone who was at EUOC's Big Weekend can hardly fail to admit that they got it seriously right.

But I think we should just be careful not to over-intellectualise orienteering or make it seem to be the domain of only the cleverest people in society. That can be quite an off-putter for 'ordinary' folk. Like it or not, some 'staff' at events I've been at give out the vibe, probably quite unintentionally, that if you're not "one of us" you don't really fit. I never went to uni and maybe that's why I'm more sensitive to it. I imagine Mrs H will understand.

BTW, that doesn't mean I think we have to "dumb down" orienteering.

[SteveE]

.......Orienteering - turn up, run, don't talk to anyone, go home - why would I go back?

Not at LEI events. All our summer league events always have a social venue afterwards as too do most other events, even if it is not our event and we are out of area.

At some social venues afterwards we have had 20+ attend including many families.

[SeanC]

Not the whole answer (I agree with Sunlit lorres) but some more inter-university competition (at existing O events) might help uni clubs. If there's 500 over 50's there it perhaps doesn't matter if there are 50 students who can all go to the pub together afterwards (and the rest of us can go home to the gardening ). Probably best if students "own" any competition though as they are the ones who understand what's needed for today's students and once a competition becomes an official BOF competition the rules don't seem to change with the times/demographics particularly easily.

However BOF have got money for promoting student orienteering, I know Ed Nicholas has been helping various university clubs, so there may be money and practical support available for any initiative.

[Paul Frost]

I've long held the belief that the best way to get new people in is to introduce them personally. If you were talking to a friend and told them what you did at the weekend and were enthusiastic about the experience, don't you think it would be small step to suggest they come along next weekend?

Ideally you pick them up ant take them to an event and guide them through the process and even go out with them as a sort of "comfort blanket". You can also help them choose what to wear, as you will know the conditions. That way they are shielded from the weird and strange people that talk in a different language that can inhabit the car park and registration tent.

It doesn't matter how good and friendly a welcome person the club provides (if they do at all), they are still a stranger, and you don't know if you can trust what they tell you, whereas you will trust your friend.
You also have the ability to individually de-brief them and find out what they liked and didn't like and reasons why they want to come again or not. This information will be useful in future attempts by you (and your club) to lure some new victims into the orienteering world.

Perhaps there should be a competition (with prizes/rewards) to see who can get the most people to sign up and join a club. These are more valuable members than those given a free membership at random. EckO is a prime example of how one family came back to the sport and then gradually introduced more and more friends/families into the sport. There must be at least 25 long term active members that came from that one spark.

Does advertising work?

Something I always think about when it comes to advertising is would I read or see this if it wasn't my sport?
When I read the local paper I don't even scan articles or adverts about football, hockey, basketball etc. because I'm not interested in them, so why do we think people would see the word orienteering and be drawn to read it?

It's the concept that needs to get into peoples heads. Having it featured in TV programmes like Landward or the Adventure Show means that people without any interest or knowledge in orienteering are "forced" to watch it (though the fast forward button is always available) and may be sucked in. You need time to convey what orienteering is to stand any chance of stirring any interest, and static mediums like posters and newspaper adverts don't provide that.

[andypat]

I think one of the key tasks for the SOA and BOF must still be the raising of awareness of the nature of the sport of orienteering. Thats not advertising per se, more so communicating, and it s a longer term project than simply advertising an event.

I'm hopeful the regional development officers in Scotland will be able to show that they have had an impact in this regard.

[Sunlit Forres]

Perhaps there should be a competition (with prizes/rewards) to see who can get the most people to sign up and join a club

There once was (run by SOA). I won it. Pressure's on now to keep it up

would I read or see this if it wasn't my sport?

I haven't the slightest interest in squash but always read the local squash report in the paper because it's well-written and amusing. I love football but hardly ever read the reports as they lack imagination. Don't jump to conclusions Paul. Pictures are hard to ignore.

[Paul Frost]

I haven't the slightest interest in squash but always read the local squash report in the paper because it's well-written and amusing. I love football but hardly ever read the reports as they lack imagination. Don't jump to conclusions Paul. Pictures are hard to ignore.

But why did you read the first squash report, you didn't know it was well written and amusing then?

Perhaps I am unique in not reading every story in the paper (but I don't think so), but I agree about pictures, but they have to be good quality and ideally dramatic. A small picture of someone holding a cup wouldn't attract me, unless it was large so it caught my eye, and someone I recognised.

[SeanC]

The "recruit a friend" approach is a winner I'm sure.

But we are talking about demographics in this thread. Friends tend to be people like us, so wont this mean more orienteers just like us?

I'm not saying this is a good or bad thing, but if we want to break into new markets/demographics, advertising and marketing has its place (alongside changes to the "product" ).

[Sunlit Forres]

But why did you read the first squash report

Sean C's "Recruit a friend" approach is to blame. Someone told me about it, but also they had a decent photo to go with it. Sadly the standard seems to have dropped lately.

[Paul Frost]

I suspect that we all have friends that are not orienteers or particularly outdoorsy, or work with people that are not out of our "mould". But it's likely to be an easier sell if they are a bit outdoorsy, fit and/or competitive.

We are not going to get overweight couch potatoes to try out orienteering, even if we spent a fortune on advertising or dumbed down the sport to such an extent that it looked appealing to them.

The thread seemed to have moved into why don't certain age groups orienteer, and I was suggesting a way to introduce new people that could come from a wide range of ages. Just because I'm 55 it doesn't mean that I don't know younger people. I've taken up triathlon and my local club has a wide age range of reasonably fit, competitive people who might be tempted to add orienteering to their activity list.

[Glucosamine]

To pull in a perhaps over-used comparison yet again, advertising and communication don't seem to be a necessary part of the Parkrun model - word of mouth and introduce-a-friend still seems to working to grow the experience of 5k at 9am on a Saturday morning even after the event total has passed 100. Is it the coffee and cake after, the league points or making it a habit? Blending the range between a competitive sharp end and a much larger happy to participate (but still looking for a PB) tail seems to be part of it. e.g. http://www.parkrun.org.uk/wimpoleestate/results/latestresults/
Could we offer more comparisons in O results? Might also help with the grumbles about colour code only events ...