University clubs

[*Carol*]

I think one of the areas that ShUOC does well with attracting newcomers is through the training schedule that Nic alludes to. With weekly circuit training, two intervals sessions and several other group runs we find that a lot of people interested in running get quickly turned off by the Athletics club (for whatever reason) and try ShUOC sessions (the club is called Orienteering & Fell Running).

The lack of consistent/predictable/organised training with LUUOC is one reason I stopped orienteering and moved to rowing this year. Don't get me wrong, it's a small club run by relatively new orienteers and they do a grand job in getting beginners to try orienteering. I could have formulated my own training and gone to Aire events (by scrounging lifts) but that's quite a lonely existence in comparison to the rowing club. They have multiple training sessions a week, some senior-only or novice-only (me), and some for the whole club. Maybe I'm odd, but I like the structure and predictability!

[awk]

I didn't mean to imply EUOC / ShUOC etc were at fault - they can only do their best with whoever turns up. If they are managing to recruit / retain say 2-3 newcomers to the sport for every existing orienteer who arrives then that would be good.

I think you might underestimate EUOC (I can't say the same for ShUOC as no experience/knowledge). My impression, having had offspring go through the university club there, is that they are very beginner aware, and work hard to develop their membership base. Minibuses have on occasions been so full that established orienteers have struggled to get places!

One anecdote: offspring chose Edinburgh purely on the course and the city - orienteering really didn't feature significantly if at all in the decision. He was more into cycling at that point anway. However, the presence and activity of the club was strong enough that he was encouraged back into the sport, and is now fully back into it (whilst still doing plenty elsewhere).

Yes, the club has been fortunate enough to have strong first teams over the past years, and that has made a big difference in terms of the profile in the university and thus the funding available, but they go way beyond that as a club.

[Knee Deep Mud!]

Not sure that the comments on uni clubs needing experienced juniors is necessarily relevant. 80-90% of my uni club had little or no O experience prior to arriving at uni.
I think the key things for a uni club are critical mass, regular activities, continuity, and transport.
Critical mass & activities - We filled a minibus every week (and occasionally a coach for bigger events), interspersed with social meets on a regular basis (pub after every event!).
Continuity - We had a number of the regulars who did degree and post grad, so provided a core of people who were there long enough to keep things going. Unlike open clubs, universities by definition have a high turnover of people, the vast majority of whom are usually only there for three years, which isn't really long enough to guarantee a club's survival (my uni club went from thriving to nothing in the space of a couple of years).
Transport - Post grads were also necessary, as they were the only ones old enough to be allowed to drive the minibus (over 21). I don't think we had more than a handful of members with cars of their own, and those that did, didn't necessarily run every weekend.

[Lucy.F.]

Awk is quite right...EUOC work massively hard to attract newcomers every year and is very much the focus of a lot of effort that goes into the sports fair at the beginning of the year...the regular orienteers will find their own way to the club. Numbers have definitely picked up over recent years (according to the recent agm report, 24 members last year had never or barely orienteered before) and there is a series of events put on at the beginning of the year to teach newbies. Plus EUOC organises coaches training courses (L1) every now and again so many of the regulars learn how to teach orienteering effectively.
Not only that but the club is also involved with going into primary schools to teach orienteering on occasions - as has been pointed out it is easier to inspire at a younger age.
None of this would be as possible if only a couple of regular orienteers were at a univeristy (I am very aware of how incredibly hard it is for a single person to do this).
So yes I understand the highlighting of potential dominance as a point but actually I think EUOC, SHUOC and other strengthening clubs are doing British Orienteering a favour as they would lose a lot of M/W20/21s otherwise!