Should Clubs host matches

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baird

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l have been wondering about clubs who have significant membership who always seem to be at other clubs but never host a match themselfs. We always are talking about giving back to our sport by becoming volunteers or signup to setup/teardown, RO etc. In ON we are fortunate to have many indoor & outdoor ranges, with the majority putting on matches but there are few in the GTA where the largest membership is that seem to do nothing but showup at other clubs shoot and disappear. I can't speak for other prov. and how they do it, but here in ON it could be made mandatory to keep your club affiliation.
If this seems to heavy handed l can except that but it's something l have been thinking about for awhile, and l'm interested in what others who shoot think
 
I don't know about making things "mandatory" but I agree that we need to see more clubs get involved in hosting and helping with matches. Multigun matches are few and far between around here as it is and if we keep leaving it to a handful of people to put these on, burn-out will follow and we will shortly go from few to none.
No one likes paying more but I've often thought that the Multigun matches around here have undercharged. When you factor your ammo costs into the match fees it is not exactly cheap to participate in these events but then again it is not like they are hosted every month either. I'd gladly pay more in match fees if I knew it was offsetting the membership fees or providing an honorarium for the organizers or club volunteers. The folks I've seen running these things (EESA, Team Hoser, etc.) all seem like such selfless people but for the rest of us to just rely on the goodness of their heart over and over again isn't exactly fair. Many of us have a good bit of money tied up in gear and I suspect that I am not the only one that would pay for the opportunity to play with it more!
 
Runningfool , baird, what have you done yourself to have more matches in Ontario?

You seem to forgetting that it is always about people. Most people can only do so much and it doesn't have much to do with their club membership.
 
I run three gun matches in Ponoka AB and the shooters are great with helping to set up and take down. Mind you I make this as simple as possible. I find the bigger the set up with lots of props/walls/barricade/barrels,etc. the less help you will get. If the shooters want all the bells and whistles and are not prepared to help set up and tear down "Charge then a larger match fee".

At the ATHL shoot we held in Olds we got only a small group to help set up the day before. Now that ATHL shoots at various clubs we make set up/tear down as easiest as possible. People help out very well.

At the WRAS 3 gun shoot in Spruce Grove, I find that set up takes too long. Generally people help with set up and tear down. The benefit is the gate out of the range won't work until we have cleaned up.

Like most volunteer activities you live by the rule of 10-80-10. 10 % of the people do all the work. 80% of the people are the silent majority but generally will help but you have to really asked them. The finally 10% are those people who that will complain no matter what is done. This last group is also the group that won't help with set up or tear down.
 
euxx said:
Runningfool , baird, what have you done yourself to have more matches in Ontario?

You seem to forgetting that it is always about people. Most people can only do so much and it doesn't have much to do with their club membership.
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I've always stayed behind and helped tear-down after a multigun match...I've offered to help with the set-up of several matches... I've inquired at my own club as to what it would take to put on a match...I've encouraged other like-minded shooters to get into three-gun...I've offered to work in whatever capacity necessary to put on 3-gun matches again at my club. Considering I just got into multi-gun 9 months ago that's not bad but I'm just getting warmed up! Thanks for asking though.

I'm not experienced enough to spearhead a match but I am a willing grunt. In fact I just pm'd 7.62mm this morning in an attempt to pick his brain about design, navigating club red tape, etc. so I am trying. Right now all I can honestly bring to the table is my time and sweat and the desire to see another multigun event in the area.
 
Factor in cost to set up. Volunteers to set up. Someone to organize it all. Fear of getting a complaint about noise.(this closed 2 in Alberta that I know of)
Go to a meeting and bring it up at those clubs!
 
Mandatory wont work dude, you'll just end up with :bigHug::bigHug::bigHug::bigHug: matches. I would love to see more events but as others have noted, only a small portion want to do the legwork. Often at the end of it, the MDs and helpers are often left wondering if it was worth it.

I hope to do some smaller stuff at our club this year, but with another kid on the way, it might be tough
 
Why does a club need affiliation with IPSC? IPSC competitons host "members of IPSC Ontario/BC/Alberta/wherever", not "members of club ###".
 
euxx said:
Runningfool , baird, what have you done yourself to have more matches in Ontario?

You seem to forgetting that it is always about people. Most people can only do so much and it doesn't have much to do with their club membership.
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yes l figured you wouldn't belong with that reply, again leading with" foot in mouth" believe it or not there actually was people involved before you came on the scene.
What l have or haven't is even the question,
 
baird said:
yes l figured you wouldn't belong with that reply, again leading with" foot in mouth" believe it or not there actually was people involved before you came on the scene.
What l have or haven't is even the question,
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Believe it or not, people learned how to type and use punctuation before you even been born.

PS: I didn't understand a damn thing from what you mumbled there. :)
 
Onagoth said:
Besides that, it sucks to do all the work, and then half the shooters don't show up because its raining or too cold
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Or snowing.
I have learned that too! Prepaid is the only way to go as well. For instance 43 people wanted to attend my 1 mile shoot and it was a stretch to get 20 to show. That 20 that did show I hope had a lot of fun.
The formula is usually less than half will show if theres no money prepaid. All but a few will show if they prepaid.

Onagoth said:
'I would love to see more events but as others have noted, only a small portion want to do the legwork. Often at the end of it, the MDs and helpers are often left wondering if it was worth it.
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I took on too much and ran out of steam. Burned out might be a better term. A team of 5 would be awesome for any event prep. It was a dream I had once.
 
Prepaid is only a mitigating strategy, seting up a match and getting volunteers just sucks when a lot of ppl dont show up
 
Onagoth said:
Prepaid is only a mitigating strategy, seting up a match and getting volunteers just sucks when a lot of ppl dont show up
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Pre pay is THE mitigating strategy...

It shows who is committed and who isn't... When you have a situation where there are more shooters interested in attending and not enough space for them all it's the only way to do it.
It prevents slots being taken by wishy washy types who at the last minute opt out... In this case there are often two losers... The match organizers lose a match fee and someone else who wanted to come, but couldn't secure a slot because they were all "taken" misses out.
It also saves work on match day... Why spend time playing cashier when you could be shooting..?
I have several other good reasons why pre pay is the only way to go, but... My mom always tuaght me that if I didn't have something nice to say about someone it was better to say nothing at all ;-)
 
I agree, but when you're trying to promote a sport and 10-20% of your 'prepiad' spots don't show up, its a little disheartening
 
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