Club Maintenance & Members

Raven's_Eye

Active member
Ironman
Bit of a club themed question this morning than a shooting question.

What do clubs do to encourage their members to come out and help when work parties are needed, whether it's helping out at shoots/have-a-goes, or doing club maintenance?
 

fbirder

Member
I've always been susceptible to bribery-by-cake. It does help that we have some wonderful bakers at our club. Judging by the turn-outs we get it seems that several others have a similar weakness.
 

rachann

Supporter
Supporter
We are very lucky at the club I use. There are a core of members who do a fantastic job around the club and when more hands are needed there is not to much of a problem getting them.

Having said that there are some members that are happy to just come along and shot and are never seen on a work day.
 

Raven's_Eye

Active member
Ironman
We are very lucky at the club I use. There are a core of members who do a fantastic job around the club and when more hands are needed there is not to much of a problem getting them.

Having said that there are some members that are happy to just come along and shot and are never seen on a work day.
See this is why I am asking atm we have a comparatively small group of members who'll come out and do things, and seeing as its always the same few they are getting abit fed up. So was wondering what other clubs did.
 

ieuan_johns

New member
Cake and/or Bacon rolls are always a winner.

Honestly though the best thing you can do is just create a friendly atmosphere, have a committee that is approachable and engage the members, that way they feel more a part of things and help willingly.

I've noticed in the past that when a club has a core who do everything, the perception outside of that core is often that they are a kind of clique. Usually this is perpetuated by the core members shooting on the same bosses alongside each other and/or acting a little like supervisors doing all the range duties.

I'm not accusing your club of being like that, but if it is (however well intentioned) then try getting the core to mingle more with the non-core on the line (as equals, not just offering advice), set up a rota for field captain duties whereby everyone has to take it in turns step back for a few ends with the whistle (gets everyone involved).

One of the most useful ideas we had at a club I go to (a rifle club rather than archery but similar situation) was to hold a pairs tournament. Shooters were semi-randomly (top half in one hat, bottom half in another, one from each hat make a pair) drawn together and then given a fairly low target score to aim at with lost points for overshooting. It forced partners to talk to each other who would normally rarely mix and we found it made the club much more sociable.
 

DarkMuppet

Member
See this is why I am asking atm we have a comparatively small group of members who'll come out and do things, and seeing as its always the same few they are getting abit fed up. So was wondering what other clubs did.
I think that's unfortunately "par for the course" in most archery clubs. :(

We shoot on a Friday night 6-8.45pm and on an average night we have about 30 people shooting. I can pretty much guarantee that by 8.30pm you'll see a huge percentage pack their gear away and just leave. It's then left to at times 3 or 4 of the core members to put away 8 targets, bring the backstop down and sweep up the gym floor. Even outright mentioning it to the people who know full well they are "taking the pi$$" doing this, doesn't seem to get more help.

If anyone can find a way of getting them to help more please let me know! :bang:
 

ieuan_johns

New member
I think that's unfortunately "par for the course" in most archery clubs. :(

We shoot on a Friday night 6-8.45pm and on an average night we have about 30 people shooting. I can pretty much guarantee that by 8.30pm you'll see a huge percentage pack their gear away and just leave. It's then left to at times 3 or 4 of the core members to put away 8 targets, bring the backstop down and sweep up the gym floor. Even outright mentioning it to the people who know full well they are "taking the pi$$" doing this, doesn't seem to get more help.

If anyone can find a way of getting them to help more please let me know! :bang:
Raise shooting fees ?1 per session

Everyone who puts out one piece of equipment at the start gets to pay 50p less.

Everyone who puts one away at the end gets 50p back.
 

BillM

Member
We also have the situation of the few arriving early to set up the range, with a lot arriving late then having to leave early. On one occassion last year indoors once the targets were set up and the custodian of the faces and pins arrived and handed them to me, I discovered that everyone else present had gone to the other end of the hall to set up their bows. I merely decided what target I was going to shoot on, selected a half decent face and put that up then went to set up my gear. Just as I had placed my stand on the equipment line I was confronted by several who wanted to know where 'their' faces were. My response of them being the pile on the floor next to the tub of pins and if they wanted to shoot on a face then they need to go and put one up - I'm not doing it for them. A lot of unhappy people but they got the message. Needless to say it didn't last long and it just reverted to waiting for others to do it for them. We are back indoors this weekend so we will see what happens then.

BillM
 

pantherman

New member
As a EFAA field club we have a work Sunday 2nd Sunday of the month (9am to 1pm ish).
We always had the same 10-12 people turn up, and it came to a head when a certain bunch were turning and sitting in their cars until the work was done and then getting out and shooting.
This caused a LOT of resentment!!!!
We brought in a idea of, ?5 off your membership up to a maximum of 5 work days then you get ?30 off your membership.
We now get 20-25 at work days and little resentment.
Now if we could thing of a way to get the 3D's in after a shoot without me getting wound up...........
 

DarkMuppet

Member
Raise shooting fees ?1 per session

Everyone who puts out one piece of equipment at the start gets to pay 50p less.

Everyone who puts one away at the end gets 50p back.
Hehe! That's pretty much what a few of us suggested, I might float it again at the AGM in December. :D
 

rachann

Supporter
Supporter
I think that's unfortunately "par for the course" in most archery clubs. :(

We shoot on a Friday night 6-8.45pm and on an average night we have about 30 people shooting. I can pretty much guarantee that by 8.30pm you'll see a huge percentage pack their gear away and just leave. It's then left to at times 3 or 4 of the core members to put away 8 targets, bring the backstop down and sweep up the gym floor. Even outright mentioning it to the people who know full well they are "taking the pi$$" doing this, doesn't seem to get more help.

If anyone can find a way of getting them to help more please let me know! :bang:
Lock the door:rotfl:
 

hawmjans

Member
As a EFAA field club we have a work Sunday 2nd Sunday of the month (9am to 1pm ish).
We always had the same 10-12 people turn up, and it came to a head when a certain bunch were turning and sitting in their cars until the work was done and then getting out and shooting.
This caused a LOT of resentment!!!!
We brought in a idea of, ?5 off your membership up to a maximum of 5 work days then you get ?30 off your membership.
We now get 20-25 at work days and little resentment.
Now if we could thing of a way to get the 3D's in after a shoot without me getting wound up...........
This sounds like a good solution.
Effectively lower the annual fee for people doing the work.
A raise the fee for people staying away from things like bar-duty schedules.
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
Sometimes the problem starts because the club has no set times for starting and ending the shooting sessions.
The keen ones are there early and tend to stay longer; a recipe for setting up before the rest arrive and being there after the rest have gone. If early birds set up just their own target, they will be delayed by the rest setting up in the middle of things.
One option is to have set times. Late arrivals, don't shoot................... not a popular decision!! Late arrivals have to put away.............??? Doing nothing about it, isn't a good idea as those who keep the club running feel they are doing all the work.
Is it possible, that those who are not easily able to be there at the setting up and putting away, are given other things to do to make up for that? Perhaps do other club tasks, like re serving beginners' bow strings, and fletching club arrows, or mending stands.

I also like the idea of discount on club fees for those who work.
 

Renton

New member
We decided last year at the AGM to set a specific set up and start time for our main shoot (Saturdays) and have had a much better turn out for setting up and packing away the field. Those of us that were doing the majority of the work last year have also taken a small step back to get other people doing more.

We are still struggling for help with "work" though members are still quick to ask why something hasn't been done.
 

Dave

Administrator
Staff member
Fonz Awardee
Ironman
American Shoot
NOCO
Raise shooting fees ?1 per session

Everyone who puts out one piece of equipment at the start gets to pay 50p less.

Everyone who puts one away at the end gets 50p back.
Problem is that there's plenty of people willing to pay a ?1.00 to turn up shoot and then leave without having to do anything.
 

sylvanus333

New member
Bit of a club themed question this morning than a shooting question.

What do clubs do to encourage their members to come out and help when work parties are needed, whether it's helping out at shoots/have-a-goes, or doing club maintenance?
hi it depends on if you are working or retired, family commitments other hobbies many people want to pay their dues and let other members worry about the details
 

ThomVis

Active member
Problem is that there's plenty of people willing to pay a ?1.00 to turn up shoot and then leave without having to do anything.
And that's all right. Some archers are happy being a "customer" to the club, others like to be more involved in club activities/maintenance. We're in the process of having working members pay less annual contribution, but the board is still working on it.
 

ieuan_johns

New member
Problem is that there's plenty of people willing to pay a ?1.00 to turn up shoot and then leave without having to do anything.
I don't see that as a problem.

Enough will rather save the money to make it lighter work for everyone and those who have been helping out more will get rewarded for it.

You can't force someone who really doesn't want to because they will be more hindrance than help.
 
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