Ranking Local BOF members

[Clive Coles]

In the other Ranking List thread, Simple Soul and Seabird both responded to my question by commenting on whether of not Local BOF members should be ranked within the single ranking lists.

Had, 10 years ago, I had been required to explain why Club members were not ranked in the National Lists I too would have given in justification the argument that BOF membership shows a commitment to the running of our sport and the development and support of our International orienteers. You therefore need to be in it to be ranked within it.

At that time there was no such thing as a Local BOF member ~ the independent and club affiliated orienteers paid no BOF subscription and as a result made no contribution to the running of the Federation.

I think the creation of Local BOF members has addressed this issue and has resulted in
a significant number of people joining BOF. The last BOF Annual report stated we had 8478 National BOF members and 3258 Local BOF members. During the previous year Local BOF membership increased by 19%. I wonder what the next Annual report will reveal.

Local BOF members should not IMO be regarded as 2nd class members ~ they pay a BOF subscription ( their contribution towards the running of the Federation). They choose Local membership because they usually orienteer locally. If they do enter an event outside of their regional association boundary they pay an additional £2. This actually is a direct benefit for the organising club as this £2 increases their event profit margin.

They are effectively "pay as you go" orienteers ~ they pay a lower subscription but an additional entry fee over and above national BOF members when the venture out of area. They are surely paying their way.

I don't suppose there are that many local orienteers who care if their names feature in the National lists. They are more likely to be interested in Regional lists ( if we get them) as this will contain the names of club members against whom they regularly compete during the season.

I suggest Ranking should not be a defined national BOF benefit. It is not something that in itself will entice Local members to convert to National membership. I accept BOF do have a problem to find something other than Focus to recommend national membership for those orienteers who are content to compete locally. But that's a different issue.

When clubs submit results for ranking all participants are included ~ I guess the ranking software selects out just National BOF members at present.

It's really a question regarding inclusiveness. Do we want all our members to know where they stand in the rankings or don't we.

Surely this extended ranking facility could be introduced through filtering. It would be perfectly simple to introduce a tick box to the filters to either include ( or exclude) Local BOF members.

A simple way of squaring the circle. BOF have the full data ~ why not make use of it for the benefit of all ?.

We have developed the ranking software ~ it's as if we have fired the arrow, hit the target but failed to find the bullseye.

[RJ]

I quite agree with your logic Clive. And would add that these local members also make a full contribution to the levy income as well.

They have a membership number, so to be included and recognised by the software is not a problem. The target of the exercise should be to get the lapsed member and the independent/non member.

The inclusion of the local members isn't going to overload the system as they constitute about 30% of total membership.

They may have very good reasons for remaining local members. Perhaps they don't wish to travel the length and breadth of the country and are quite happy with a 40 mile drive.

It seems rather 'mean' to exclude these members.

[EddieH]

In addition to your points, the ruling will have a further effect on ranking of Scots. With such a huge distance to go outside the region there is little incentive for our local orienteers to become national members. This will inevitably mean that our ranking events will contain in their calculation data a higher proportion of high standard orienteers and a lower number overall. The small numbers will tend toproduce more anomolies - how the different profile of core data in each class is concerned I don't know how that will affect things.

[andypat]

As a Scot who rarely travels I'm now starting to wonder why I'm a national BOF member. Mind you - I would miss the ranking list if I wasnt on it!

[RJ]

AFAIK (remember) it was the intention of the membership review group some years ago, to have just the one level of membership. You were either a BOF member.... or nothing! But it was a group of dissenters from (??? guess where???) who got things changed to a two tier (there's that word again!) membership structure.

I reckon that will be where we will be going 'afore long!...... a single membership, and then we can all be ranked.

[frog]

Not sure why I'm a national member either. Initially I mainly moved up from local so that as our club fixtures bod I could put my name on the fixtures rather than that of our chairman. Now I think even as local member I could put my name on the list.
There are few advantages now to being a national member unless you are really good or go down south alot.

[frog]

If the Torys get in down south it may spur on the independance movement in which case the SOA will be it in Scotland anyway.

[madmike]

I think you'll find the SOA already considers itself the national governing body

[SeanC]

Apologies as I have missed the first bit of this discussion, and if I am being a bit thick, but the ranking list (at least for my club) shows all the local members as well as the national. Is this a change that is going to happen when the computer system is fully deglitched?

That said none of my clubs local members have been to more than 2 ranking events in the past year, so I doubt whether they would be too fussed. If they got keen and started travelling more I doubt whether they would be too fussed about paying a bit more for national membership as it would be insignificant compared with travel costs. There are several good local leagues down my way to keep local orienteers happy.

However keeping the local members in the list would enable the list to be used as source data for local handicap competitions - average ranking points seems a good a measure as any for a not too serious competition.

The think I don't like about the local membership is the extra confusion for newcomers. I suspect many would be happy to join at the national rate or the local rate*, but the option adds confusion and gives people a reason to delay joining. You want them to join whilst they have their post event enthusiasm - just £X to join the club, not all the scary stuff about local level, national level, association component blah blah. Perhaps bring all our membership fees down to the local level and raise the rest by extra levy.

Not levies. probably best change the subject.

*so long as it's free in the first year.

[greywolf]

As has been quoted before, the recommendation of the RWG was that:

"All competitors who are members of British Orienteering .... at Ranking events should score Ranking points. There should be no exclusions based on age or any other factors."

Don't think the RWG registered that Local members might be excluded - and I don't think anyone mentioned it during the consultation.

[DJM]

I'm not quite sure how this story all started, but I have it on authority from Mike Hamilton that local BOF members are included in the rankings lists, as per the specification drawn up by the Rankings Working Group.

[Scott]

And the membership benefits page on the BOF website has quietly changed since Saturday - it now agrees that Local members are included .

[Clive Coles]

That's all good news.

Will now just be patient to see if further names appear in the lists later this week. I spotted the glitch when the Thetford Thrash Day 1 results were uploaded. Certain members, who I knew were running eligible courses, did not appear in the lists. That's what started the questioning.

[seabird]

I see the benefits of becoming a Local member, but where is the incentive to become a National member - unless you go to lots of evnts outside your region? (benefits shown at the bottom of this mail)

I have in the past year entered EOD at several events where the discount applies, well outside my region. No-one has ever asked to check my membership status (and long may that continue - volunteers should not be burdened with layers of bureaucracy). A BOF membership number, all that needs to be given, does not differentiate between National and Local members.) Unless the Local members are a very honest, and aware, lot, it is the easiest thing in the world to pay the discounted rate, except, I assume, if you try and pre-enter. My own club never apply the surcharge (lack of discount).

In my running club, everyone has the same level of membership of England Athletics, which is also our competition licence. The fact that I have not run in any race licenced by England Athletics or its predecessors in 5-6 years has no bearing on my membership level. Should it not be like that with BOF? I don't understand the arguments for 2 tier membership.

I noted the level of BOF Local Membership has grown? What has happened to the level of National membership in the same period.

Benefits of becoming a Local Member of British Orienteering:
• Bi-Annual “Local Focus” Newsletter
• Discounted entry to regional and local events in your club’s Association
• Eligibility to compete in the JK, national, regional and local events
• The option to compete in a Rankings scheme
• Access to a ‘Navigational Challenge’ and ‘Racing Challenge’ Incentive Scheme. (To be implemented during 2010)
• Public Liability Insurance when participating in events and activities registered with British Orienteering
• Papers and vote at the British Orienteering AGM
• Discounts from national companies through the member discounts scheme
• Access to a members only section of the website.

Benefits of becoming a National Member of British Orienteering:
(Extra benefits highlighted in bold)
• Four copies of the British Orienteering magazine, Focus, which includes the junior magazine Ozone.
• Eligibility to compete in the British Championships, JK, national, regional and local events
• Discounted entry to the JK, national, regional and local events in all Associations and significant savings (£2 per day) when entering a multi-day holiday event (such as the Scottish 6-day, Croeso or the Lakes 5-day) when held outside your own Association
• Opportunity to qualify to represent your country at international competitions
• The option to compete in a Rankings scheme.(To be implemented during 2010)
• Access to a ‘Navigational Challenge’ and ‘Racing Challenge’ Incentive Scheme
• Public Liability Insurance when participating in events and activities registered with British Orienteering
• Papers and vote at the British Orienteering AGM
• Discounts from national companies through the member discounts scheme
• Access to a members only section of the website

[SeanC]

I get the impression from our membership secretary that most new members are joining as local members simply because it's free, any benefits of national membership being not so relevant when starting orienteering.

Once joined at a particular level there must be quite a bit of inertia to changing subscription details.