orienteering in 20's and 30's
Moderators: [nope] cartel, team nopesport
My stats aren't too sophisticated. I have just totalled the numbers aged between 20-40 and compared the change between 97 and 04. All 5 clubs had about the same number of 20-40's but you probably have more 30 somethings now compared with 97. I haven't got the original stats to hand, but from what I remember AIRE had a pretty even age distribution throughout the 20-40 age group. All the other clubs are much smaller so it's a bit difficult to see the age distribution within the 20-40 age group.
- SeanC
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I already replied with my own thoughts to Sean re FVO (will chase up an 'official' response).
What I said was that I thought the reason numbers have stayed stable for us in the 20-40 band over that time is that we have kept many of the same members, and most are still (just!) in that age band. The average age of the people in the 20-40
band will have increased significantly.
I would guess this may be similar for Interlopers.
It does make me think however that our retention of club members may be better than the average. Maybe this is because of the relative closeness of Stirling/Glasgow/Edinburgh and so it is easier to stay in the same club even if changing job - perhaps other clubs in England find that they experience more people moving away from the area for work, and many of those drift away from the sport rather than joining a new club elsewhere?
What I said was that I thought the reason numbers have stayed stable for us in the 20-40 band over that time is that we have kept many of the same members, and most are still (just!) in that age band. The average age of the people in the 20-40
band will have increased significantly.
I would guess this may be similar for Interlopers.
It does make me think however that our retention of club members may be better than the average. Maybe this is because of the relative closeness of Stirling/Glasgow/Edinburgh and so it is easier to stay in the same club even if changing job - perhaps other clubs in England find that they experience more people moving away from the area for work, and many of those drift away from the sport rather than joining a new club elsewhere?
Why did I do that...
- Jon X
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moravians numbers of 20-40 year olds are most likely a result of closeness of the club with the guys at the raf bases up there, leading to quite a healthy number in that age bracket.
“Success is 99% failure� -- Soichiro Honda
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brooner - [nope] cartel
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I should have said that the AIRE chair passed on my question to the AIRE forum, and that Jon responded from FVO.
I guess a summary of peoples' views would be just as good as an "official" response?
BTW, AIRE's publicity seems pretty good. My sister, a lapsed orienteer now living in NW Leeds, says orienteering is in her local paper more than any other sport. She is planning to bring her kids along to next year's JK.
I guess a summary of peoples' views would be just as good as an "official" response?
BTW, AIRE's publicity seems pretty good. My sister, a lapsed orienteer now living in NW Leeds, says orienteering is in her local paper more than any other sport. She is planning to bring her kids along to next year's JK.
- SeanC
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I have asked AIRE members (via our very active email forum) why they thought we had been successful in maintaining numbers in the 20-40 age group in recent years.
We didn't some up with a straight answer (we are orineteers ). The success is a result of the whole package - but here are the main points members came up with:
1) Tuesday night running (with a different location every week) this has been going now for over 20 years,the original 20-30's are now 40-50's who have children and this has resulted in a very successful junior(and fogie) section.
2) Publicity (our Publicity Officer, Frank Kew, has done a fantastic job at getting local press coverage - as noted in a previous posting).
Heather (2 legs of the AIRE Chair)
We didn't some up with a straight answer (we are orineteers ). The success is a result of the whole package - but here are the main points members came up with:
1) Tuesday night running (with a different location every week) this has been going now for over 20 years,the original 20-30's are now 40-50's who have children and this has resulted in a very successful junior(and fogie) section.
2) Publicity (our Publicity Officer, Frank Kew, has done a fantastic job at getting local press coverage - as noted in a previous posting).
Heather (2 legs of the AIRE Chair)
- AIRE Chair
On a personal note - I moved from Norwich, EAOA in 1997 and have moved through several Club catchment areas since then.
However, I remained a first claim member of NOR (and still maintain local membership because Norfolk is such a great Club) until January 2004 because AIRE were the first Club that made me feel welcome enough to change!!
Something to ponder on.....how much effort do you make for already active orienteers feel welcome in your club ????
Heather (still standing on 2 legs)
However, I remained a first claim member of NOR (and still maintain local membership because Norfolk is such a great Club) until January 2004 because AIRE were the first Club that made me feel welcome enough to change!!
Something to ponder on.....how much effort do you make for already active orienteers feel welcome in your club ????
Heather (still standing on 2 legs)
- Aire Chair
"Publicity (our Publicity Officer, Frank Kew, has done a fantastic job at getting local press coverage - as noted in a previous posting). "
I had a go at getting press coverage for a local event I organised a few months back. My efforts were pretty ropey - I just sent the local rag an email saying "we're doing an orienteering event, would you put something in your paper?". They didn't reply.
Would Frank be willing to give some advice for getting press coverage so I may do a better job next time?
I had a go at getting press coverage for a local event I organised a few months back. My efforts were pretty ropey - I just sent the local rag an email saying "we're doing an orienteering event, would you put something in your paper?". They didn't reply.
Would Frank be willing to give some advice for getting press coverage so I may do a better job next time?
- SeanC
- god
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SeanC wrote:I had a go at getting press coverage for a local event I organised a few months back. My efforts were pretty ropey - I just sent the local rag an email saying "we're doing an orienteering event, would you put something in your paper?". They didn't reply.
I'm not Frank, but here's my 2p:
Best way is to start with some results of an event, highlighting local successes - it doesn't matter how tenuous the use of the word "success" is - a 3rd place on a yellow and a 2nd place on a light green at a colour coded would do nicely, victories on B/S classes at National events also sound suitably impressive. The younger or older the person concerned the better. Then work in a mention of the next event/source of information at the end - if it's part of a series with the event you're reporting on so much the better. Also add 'for more information contact [club membership/publicity officer]. Read the sports page of the paper to get the style and then write the article so that all the sports ed. has to do is maybe edit slightly, think up a suitably 'witty' headline (no matter how good yours is, they'll come up with something worse) and find it a space.
The first time or two you might get no response, but if the editor gets the impression that this was a regular thing with regular local success then they're likely to start to take notice.
See The Westmorland Gazette for some good examples (try a search on the word orienteering) - they've been publishing pretty regular O reports for a number of years now, and usually stick upcoming local club events (inc. colour coded/evening series(?)) in the general sports fixtures panel.
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Ed - diehard
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I've been thinking a bit more (BTW I should've mentioned that I'm a 20-40 old) about my response.
AIRE does have a good range of activity going on -
Take this week for example (it is a particularly busy week!).
Saturday afternoon - Sprint Race (Short, Long, Yellow) in Roundhay Park
Sat night - Harvester - 3 teams
Tuesday - Tuesday Night run - organised run with food (either bring your own to someone's house or pub depending on location)
Wednesday - Informal Event - 3 courses
(Easy, Med, Hard) on Baildon Moor
Friday - Club Meal
Sunday - District Event and YHOA School Champs - Meanwood and Adel
Just think how many fantastic people we have in the Club to be able to organise all this!!!
Heather
AIRE does have a good range of activity going on -
Take this week for example (it is a particularly busy week!).
Saturday afternoon - Sprint Race (Short, Long, Yellow) in Roundhay Park
Sat night - Harvester - 3 teams
Tuesday - Tuesday Night run - organised run with food (either bring your own to someone's house or pub depending on location)
Wednesday - Informal Event - 3 courses
(Easy, Med, Hard) on Baildon Moor
Friday - Club Meal
Sunday - District Event and YHOA School Champs - Meanwood and Adel
Just think how many fantastic people we have in the Club to be able to organise all this!!!
Heather
- AIRE Chair
Getting press coverage
Can I suggest that you join the BOF Club Officers Forum, where there must be loads of people willing to give you the benefit of their experience:
http://cgi.orienteering.plus.com/phpBB2/index.php
http://cgi.orienteering.plus.com/phpBB2/index.php
- AIRE Chair
Thanks AIRE chair and members for your responses.
For me, it's easy to see why AIRE have a healthy number of 20's and 30's. There is the publicity to get people to try the club and the social life, number of events and friendliness to keep people in the club. If your looking for a social life, the shear number of events and social activities means that you can base your whole non-work life around AIRE. A more typical club, with say one event (orienteering or social) per month, means you need to do something else to get a life - which I guess is when people drift off orienteering into rugby/hockey/adventure racing/lager drinking etc.). The events also seem to suit a variety of different people - from the elite to the people who just want local events once a week.
Maybe 20 years ago all this wasn't needed to get people to go orienteering? But at least AIRE shows the slow death of orienteering is not inevitable!
For me, it's easy to see why AIRE have a healthy number of 20's and 30's. There is the publicity to get people to try the club and the social life, number of events and friendliness to keep people in the club. If your looking for a social life, the shear number of events and social activities means that you can base your whole non-work life around AIRE. A more typical club, with say one event (orienteering or social) per month, means you need to do something else to get a life - which I guess is when people drift off orienteering into rugby/hockey/adventure racing/lager drinking etc.). The events also seem to suit a variety of different people - from the elite to the people who just want local events once a week.
Maybe 20 years ago all this wasn't needed to get people to go orienteering? But at least AIRE shows the slow death of orienteering is not inevitable!
- SeanC
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Frank's approach has been pretty much the same as Ed's suggestions. As the club archivist for the newspaper coverage in Wharfedale, what I've found is that whilst the reports initially got tucked into any old place the editor could find, now we have a regular appearance alongside the other running and athletic club reports, which will surely help the cross-fertilisation. It certainly makes it easier to find them.
One other thing Frank does - he makes certain the paper knows how local the athlete is. Where he can its "Alistair Wood from Menston", or "Ilkley based Peter Haines" etc. Local papers are really keen on this.
Andrew
One other thing Frank does - he makes certain the paper knows how local the athlete is. Where he can its "Alistair Wood from Menston", or "Ilkley based Peter Haines" etc. Local papers are really keen on this.
Andrew
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awk - god
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It is suprising how once a newspaper starts to print reports they will keep on doing so, assuming you send in thre script. I started to report basketball results in the midland area over 20 years ago. Used to write the report in the pub after the game and push push through the local paper letter box on way home. Noticed when visiting family the other week that the club still has reports in the same paper.
Good to see still some orienteers in Menston. I used to O with the local scout troop (Menston St John Guy 1909 troop)well over 35 years ago.
Good to see still some orienteers in Menston. I used to O with the local scout troop (Menston St John Guy 1909 troop)well over 35 years ago.
- redkite
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