Scottish Championships 2011

[SeanC]

I sympathise with organisers who use too many helpers. Organising a big or even a medium event seems like a stressful occupation. I think the unpredictibility creates the stress and there is a tendancy to err on the side of caution to cover things that might happen but probably wont. Many organisers are new to the job, or organise infrequently - it's probably easier to get the manpower level right if you've organised lots of events.

So yes, I think we should encourage pre-entry because it reduces unpredictibility and the organisers blood pressure. Perhaps those of us with the time and inclination should get into the habit of volunteering to help at other clubs events (in return for free entry)?

[Marian]

noooooo!!! I demand to know what the 6 volunteers (at all times) are doing on the string course - I can envisage:

1 taking names, addresses and other Personal Details as prescribed by the insurers in the Blue Corner (but opposed by the Information Commissioner & the DPA in the Red Corner)

1 manning the compulory dead sheep's head / barbed wire wrapped tree / other gory control feature

1 doing the finish timing & distributing random prizes / lollipops/ Cadbury creme eggs

and then my imagination fails.....

[Scott]

The other three are out guarding the string, lest any of it gets nicked by mountain bikers mid-event

[Mrs H]

I guess this spells an end to the infamous MADO do-it-yourself black string courses


...and of course that is what will actually happen - small events will stop offering string courses making them less family friendly at the entry level of the sport - the very opposite of what is required.

[Paul Frost]

I think sometimes we do allocate more people than necessary to tasks though and they trip over themselves.
I'm string course co-ordinator for day 1 of the 6 days and my instructions suggest I need 6 people manning the string course at all times, which seems way over the top considering we're not keeping names and times and just issuing splits, and no money is changing hands.
3 is the maximum I can think of jobs for.

The 6 Day manual for the string course says that you can expect 300 + 200 on the off-string, so we are talking almost the same number of participants as the Scottish Champs.

They will also be using SI cards and electronic punching.

From my experience manning a string course at a 6 Days you need people for "crowd control", kids are not known for waiting in an organised line, and they can be quite excitable.

[smf]

The 6 Day manual for the string course says that you can expect 300 + 200 on the off-string, so we are talking almost the same number of participants as the Scottish Champs.

Is the 300+ for the six days or per day?

[andypat]

From my experience manning a string course at a 6 Days you need people for "crowd control", kids are not known for waiting in an organised line, and they can be quite excitable.

That makes a lot of sense Paul.
In my experience string courses are usually manned by persons of a similar ilk - unflappable, child friendly and good at managing small groups of hyper kids.

But I do remember one a couple of years ago where the person in charge was struggling to cope with the queue, kids wanting to go again, wanting prizes etc and getting more than a little harassed. It wouldnt take much to turn that person into a grumpy, stressed, bad advert for orienteering in future, and 500 (entry on the day) kids might just do it.

[Paul Frost]

Is the 300+ for the six days or per day?

Every day.
And I don't think those numbers include the parents that will be accompanying some of the kids. So 6 people helping starts to look a bit thin doesn't it?

[RJ]

The 6-Day manual has been written after experience of many years' worth of events, I would imagine. I think I would be prepared to trust the 'manual' knows what it is taking about!!!

[Big Jon]

" I think I would be prepared to trust the 'manual' knows what it is taking about!!!"

I'll second that - and maybe ensure we have an extra body to help at String course on Day 6......

[AlanB]

Gosh! What a response! Wasn't quite expecting that.

Apologies to mappingmum - none of my comments were intended to be critical of anyone or any group (I have been an ESOA committee member for the last 3 years and therefore also involved in discussions etc). I also wasn't taking the moral high ground as a helper, rather pointing out why we didn't ask for earlier start times. Also, if we asked for earlier start times for our 'beginners' then the euoc helper workforce would have been significantly depleted.

Instead, I was posing a question about what to do in such a situation. As a young person starting to organise events then I am still coming across new situations and am keen to know other opinions. It is certainly interesting what Big Jon says about disqualifying others who took >2hrs and what others have said about leaving the finish stuff out till last to bring in.

As for the timings - usually in the past we have had a university minibus which we can pick up anytime and therefore can make the effort to be there early. However competition for these buses is fierce and because we have to prioritise other weekends such as the British University Championships, we lose out on others. This weekend was such a case - the hire bus we got meant we couldn't set off any earlier than 09:20.
The agm was the first ever AROS agm - therefore it needed to be at a time when lots of people would be together (the nature of AROS meaning that people are spread all over the country, or even the world). In future it can be held in conjunction with other AROS events, enabling us to attend other things such as the SOA agm. In hindsight, the start time could have been a bit later but at the time of booking and arranging I didn't know anything about the helping situation or how long the courses would be.

Also, as jjjl mentioned, euoc members often help more than some may realise. A lot of us are members of open clubs and still help them, as well as helping when it's 'euocs turn'. For example, one of our members was asked to help on Saturday as euoc and Sunday as RR. We don't mind helping as we know events need helpers to run but just something that's perhaps not recognised by others.

Lucy.F - if you or any of your colleagues are feeling 'under the cosh' right now, I just want to say that the help, assistance and overall welcome I got from EUOC members at this years Edinburgh Big Weekend was first class - in fact probably the most enjoyable experience I've had at an orienteering event.

And the help I got in parking last Saturday was excellent!

[Lucy.F.]

Thank you Alan, and everyone else who has said lovely comments about EUOC - the appreciation we get always makes what we do worthwhile And it always helps that the older generations are happy enough to take time to show us younger ones what to do in various jobs etc as it means that the good knowledge is passed on and events can continue to be organised well.

[binman]

Given that EUOC is a closed club, I don't see there's any need for you guys to be associated with ESOA, so if you're feeling a bit unloved at the moment, how about coming up north to where we'd die to have such a vibrant university club to use as an inspiration to both youngsters and to draw in talent (a good proportion of whom may stay and become future stalwarts).

Good reply Lucy, measured and gracious.

[graeme]

" I think I would be prepared to trust the 'manual' knows what it is taking about!!!"
.

Its a bit generous with helpers, erring on the "what would be nice" rather than "what you can get away with". But I did the string a couple of times, and here the manual is right, big numbers going round multiple times and a complete zoo to control. Lots of fun and smiley faces though.