Discussion: Junior recruitment
in: barb; barb > 2012-08-21
Aug 21, 2012 3:36 PM
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The idea has much appeal, but I think a large number of requirements decreases the probability of recruiting new people.
As a thought experiment, I was imagining this:
- Six months to a year in advance of the Interscholastics, a club announces a training program/tournament to choose a regional team.
- There are some number of trainings, e.g. one per month in addition to local meets.
- A few months before the Interscholastics, there is a competition with multiple meets - like the Park-O series, e.g. Say there are six races, top four count. The races might be diverse to reflect the diversity of the A-meet.
- The top three boys and top three girls get an all-expense paid trip to Interscholastics (say $500 for flight, hotel, and entry). A chaperone would go and drive a van or whatever. It would be ideal if we could persuade Interscholastics/OUSA to allow a "group school" so they didn't all have to come from the same school.
If enough juniors are recruited for trainings and competition, the program could pay for itself. If, for example, we charged $5 per training and race, and each junior came to ten trainings/races, we would only need 60. It might take some time to get to 60, but the program could at least subsidize itself. It would in effect be a lottery to send kids to the IS champs. The competitive component would reward kids who cared to train.
The proposition is simple: come in the top three in this local O-tournament, get a free trip to IS Champs. We will even teach you how to O. You would need to announce it well in advance to maximize its reach.
As a thought experiment, I was imagining this:
- Six months to a year in advance of the Interscholastics, a club announces a training program/tournament to choose a regional team.
- There are some number of trainings, e.g. one per month in addition to local meets.
- A few months before the Interscholastics, there is a competition with multiple meets - like the Park-O series, e.g. Say there are six races, top four count. The races might be diverse to reflect the diversity of the A-meet.
- The top three boys and top three girls get an all-expense paid trip to Interscholastics (say $500 for flight, hotel, and entry). A chaperone would go and drive a van or whatever. It would be ideal if we could persuade Interscholastics/OUSA to allow a "group school" so they didn't all have to come from the same school.
If enough juniors are recruited for trainings and competition, the program could pay for itself. If, for example, we charged $5 per training and race, and each junior came to ten trainings/races, we would only need 60. It might take some time to get to 60, but the program could at least subsidize itself. It would in effect be a lottery to send kids to the IS champs. The competitive component would reward kids who cared to train.
The proposition is simple: come in the top three in this local O-tournament, get a free trip to IS Champs. We will even teach you how to O. You would need to announce it well in advance to maximize its reach.
Aug 21, 2012 3:48 PM
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Possum Trot OC, here in Kansas City, has offered grants to help their juniors attend A-meets. I don't know what the criteria are for receiving one, but they might be able to provide some ideas. Dick Neuburger is PTOC president.
This discussion thread is closed.