Area Match Planning

[vluc]

Just a general question I became curious about, and since the forum well-represents USPSA, a good place to ask it. Any Area directors here please chime in!

How far out are your Area matches planned? 12 months, 2 years, more, spur of the moment?

With A8 now being resolved by Pitt-Mon stepping up to the plate, will we see a more concerted effort to plan out a few years (not that one may not have been going on)? Not a knock or slam on anyone as I know how demanding putting on the matches, along with the monthly ones, goes.

IIRC, there at least 4-5 large clubs in A8 that have the possible ability to host an Area. Seems we should be able to get something coordinated. Heck, if our section can coordinate classifiers so we don't see the same one all season long, we should be able to plan out a few years.

So how does it work in other Areas?

[kimel]

I know Area 1 announces the location of the match next year every year by the conclusion of Area 1. So I would say that the real planning is about 12 months out.

[Chuck Anderson]

To some degree the planning for Area 1 is even farther out. Marysville agreed to host the 2007 Area 1 at the same meeting held at the 2005 Area 1 match. Other matches, for sure Area 2 and I believe Area 4 are held in the same location and same date every year.

At a minimum a 9 months need to go into an area match. And thats if it's at an already established range. If you're starting from scratch you'd better plan at least a year to line up food vendors, sponsors, tents, RO's and of course shooters. I would love to see all area matches on the calender by Area 2 each year. That would give everyone plenty of planning time.

[Jim Norman]

One major impediment to planning of both Area and Section matches continues to be the planning of the Nationals. If we all knew for certain when the Nationals were being held, forget the mix and even the locations, just the dates, we could all set the rest of the calendar much easier. Obviously there are a few months where certain areas of the country can feel reasonably safe in setting their Area and Sectino match dates. There are aother areas that cannot hold their matches outside of a much narrower time frame, both for weather and for available daylight.

In this case the planning and scheuluing would appear to start at the top and trickle down.

My opiinon of course and certainly you may feel free to vary.

Jim

[vluc]

So it appears that, to this point, uncertainty about one super-major then impacts what can/can't be done with majors, and by extension, sectionals.

For a sport that allows us a 5 minute walk-through to plan how we are going to shoot a cof, we don't seem to apply that same logic to our scheduling.

Please keep the responses coming!

[bgary]

I know Area 1 announces the location of the match next year every year by the conclusion of Area 1. So I would say that the real planning is about 12 months out.

For venue, the planning really begins about 24 months out. At the annual meeting of Area-1 SCs, held at the Area-1 match, we will

-- vote on location for the next-year's match, based on bids that have been presented by potential host clubs/sections, and

-- solicit bids for the *following* year's match, so that we have good (well thought-out) bids in hand to vote on next year.

So... in 2004, bids were solicited for the 2006 match. At the A1-championship in 2005, the SCs voted to have the 2006 match hosted by the Columbia Cascade section based on their vision for the match and ability to put it on the ground. At the 2006 match we'll be formally voting on the 2007 venue, and discussing possibilities for 2008. Etc.

That's for venue. *Dates* are more problematic. We have gotten bitten a number of times in the past couple of years by picking dates before the dates of the Nationals are announced. It is *painful* to announce dates for the A1 match 12 months out, only to have to change them a few months later because the Nats (or some other big event, which does *not* do as much advance planning) "lands" on the dates we planned on. So, there's a real conflict, between announcing early so A1 shooters can plan, vs waiting until the year's matches are known and navigating between dates to get the best of the remaining free weekends.

Bruce

[Steve Moneypenny]

Bruce that's awesome! I hope everyone can follow what a great example your setting!

I really would like to see everything planned 12 months in advance across the board. would make life so much easier on people who have to plan allotted vacation time and money.

[dwt]

Yes that would be real nice ,[advance planning] that way more people could plan it in their schedule to help out ,so the same people you see working all the matches would get some needed relief or there won't be any match's for any of us to go to .