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Match Setup/Admin Help


af220wa

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I'm looking for ways to inspire the shooting community in my area to help make the matches better by volunteering for setup and administration.  I've been involved in the sport for 6 years and for the most part see the same people helping out each week. I realized a long time ago that you get the most out of something when you are willing to invest but in this case I'm worried that these volunteers are getting burned out because there isn't a return on the investment.  I'm not trying to pass the torch so to speak but simply trying avoid making a match dependent on a few people being available to spend 2 entire days several times a month volunteering their time so 80-100 people can enjoy the sport each month.  This is a volunteer sport so how can we inspire people to become involved?

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Great ideas however the setup crew already get free admission.  I do like the gun or prize idea and I'll propose that to the range since all the funds go to them and they would need to buy it.

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15 minutes ago, af220wa said:

Great ideas however the setup crew already get free admission.  I do like the gun or prize idea and I'll propose that to the range since all the funds go to them and they would need to buy it.

If a match is generating good numbers buying a Glock, XDetc is a drop in the bucket.

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Great idea.  I'm also going to hit up our best sponsors to see if they want to participate in local matches and have them contribute to the fund.  Many great opportunities each month to showcase their products.

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To me I think that enticing people to "Volunteer" by promoting prize give away events for the helpers is setting the wrong expectation. Make it clear to your shooters that matches CAN'T happen without the dedicated volunteer efforts from many different people. Set a minimum head count requirement for Volunteers to commit to helping with setup the week before the match. If the minimum head count isn't satisfied, then the match will be canceled. It won't take too many canceled matches due to lazy asses not stepping up volunteer to change the tune of the masses. The magical stage setup fairy doesn't click her heels and poof a stage materialized out of thin air. The shooters must put in the effort to build those stages on match day to make it a viable situation. We shouldn't have to treat adults like children as we expect them to understand what is required and help make it happen when needed. But some times you need to treat adults accordingly to how they act. If they act like children, then they will be treated like children.

 

Everyone participating in local USPSA matches needs to fully understand that the meager fee's charged to attend a club match does not entitle people to do nothing but sit back waiting for their turn to shoot. If you are not willing to roll up your sleeves and help make the match happen then you are participating in the wrong hobby/sport. 

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I love Sarge's idea.  It's a lot of work and these volunteers deserve something for their work.  For years our club would just give a free match to the helpers, then we added a tip bucket and everyone added a buck or two to be split amount the volunteers.  Nothing was given to the ROs because that was done by each squad and rotated depending on the shooters.

 

The club now pays for a set-up crew and adds the tip bucket.  It's been working real well for about two years. 

 

Last month the set-up crew was sick and people had to volunteer.  It shamed me at how many said they wouldn't help and just stayed under the shade while a few guys took up the gauntlet.

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10 hours ago, AzShooter said:

I love Sarge's idea.  It's a lot of work and these volunteers deserve something for their work.  For years our club would just give a free match to the helpers, then we added a tip bucket and everyone added a buck or two to be split amount the volunteers.  Nothing was given to the ROs because that was done by each squad and rotated depending on the shooters.

 

The club now pays for a set-up crew and adds the tip bucket.  It's been working real well for about two years. 

 

Last month the set-up crew was sick and people had to volunteer.  It shamed me at how many said they wouldn't help and just stayed under the shade while a few guys took up the gauntlet.

 

Your experience is what happens when you pay people to do the work. That sets the expectation for the shooters that they don't have to do any work because someone is getting paid to do it.

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1 minute ago, CHA-LEE said:

 

Your experience is what happens when you pay people to do the work. That sets the expectation for the shooters that they don't have to do any work because someone is getting paid to do it.

strongly disagree with that. Perhaps you live where volunteers are fighting over pulling props out of the barn but in the real world 6 people showing up to help around here is a banner day. People either want to help or they don't. Offering perks to those who help made set up a breeze for me. 

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It all comes down to how to motivate your customers to "Volunteer". If you have trouble getting people for step up help, then double the entry fee for the "Consumers". When lazy asses figure out that their entry fee has doubled because they don't put any effort into making the match happen its amazing how motivated they get to save some $$$.

 

Over the years I have only had to do this to a select few shooters who were being 100% consumers and it magically fixed their perspective on the situation.   

Edited by CHA-LEE
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I ran an "Introduction to Practical Pistol Shooting" seminar at our local club to try and bring in more club members and get them involved.

It's great that we have people driving 90 minutes to get to our matches but I can't expect those folks to come early and stay late as well.

We need more local participation and this has helped. I'd like to run another one in the Fall as well.

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Yes, 2 days.  Setup typically takes 4-8 hours depending on how much help we get.  I've floated the idea of early setup the day of the match since we have a captive crew however not getting much traction on the idea. Currently reducing match size to compensate so you pay the same for 5 of 6 stages as opposed to the normal 7.  Fewer props has also been a result so more static targets with less complicated stages.

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Yes, 2 days.  Setup typically takes 4-8 hours depending on how much help we get.  I've floated the idea of early setup the day of the match since we have a captive crew however not getting much traction on the idea. Currently reducing match size to compensate so you pay the same for 5 of 6 stages as opposed to the normal 7.  Fewer props has also been a result so more static targets with less complicated stages.


How many folks do you have for setup? A couple guys can build a field stage in just over an hour, maybe an hour and a half.
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We setup and teardown the day of the match. Our weekly matches are 3 stages,you and weekend are six stages. When posting the match information I post setup time followed with the statement that shooting starts as soon as stages are ready. 

 

We normally do not have any problem get stages up and down in timely manner. 

 

Scott

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