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Steve T · Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 8:24 am Post subject:

This has all got far more exciting than I imagined it would.

Basically all that has been suggested is that we make room for a few newcomers in the first session, and if it gets busy we run three sessions instead of two. Otherwise we use the existing rules which seem as fair as they can be and let the kids get home early.

Graham makes the best point – paddling is not an indoor sport so get out there and do it. Once you can roll there’s only so much you can do in the pool anyway, especially if your boat’s broken and won’t cartwheel. There are lots of members now who can paddle together at Burrs without needing coaching or leadership so use the forum to organise the odd Sunday morning.

Dave – what if the initial rush doesn’t die down? It was February / March last winter when it got stupid. Just bring your kids along as and when you can, I will be bringing Amy in the next few weeks also. It’s made clear to newcomers that they’re expected to join after three sessions, and the rules are clear that if you are a non-member then you’re bottom of the list after your third session. I’m not sure we how prioritise based on supporting the club; although I agree that it feels the right thing to do, we don’t keep a league table of who has turned up when.

Also Dave, advice from the likes of yourself who have been paddling for a year or so is always useful - sometimes people just need another pair of eyes to tell them what they're doing because it's easy to get disoriented upside-down. Hence Carl's suggestion for people to consider Level 1 coaching. In fact a brand-new shiny L1 coach might be more up-to-date than those of us who are getting a bit long-in-the-tooth. But I digress (long live Ronnie Corbett).

I really don’t think that it will be that big a deal. If we have three sessions then I can’t see us having thirty paddlers so you might even get two sessions. If we do have thirty, then once we’ve looked after twenty people the coaches will be frazzled and will just have a lie-down during the third session anyway, so the pool will be empty. On top of that you’ll save £1.50 and that was almost the price of an (admittedly crap) pint in the Cross Guns last week.

Steve
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Steve Thomas
Secretary & Website Editor

www.westhoughtoncanoeclub.org.uk
website@westhoughtoncanoeclub.org.uk

Phil · Joined: 27 Jan 2009 Posts: 91

Steve T · Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 11:57 am Post subject:

I've re-read the rules and checked. No-one gets preferential treatment, whether regulars or those paid-up members who found it difficult to attend through the summer. The only possible exception might be the four places for the Shufflers and for anyone who doesn't remember three/four years ago when we sometimes struggled to fill the single one-hour session we then had, the club would have made a loss on pool sessions without them. Juniors have to use the first session for obvious reasons.

Mel Stoddart · Joined: 27 Nov 2007 Posts: 207

Interesting arguments from both sides I think!
Daves point about people who have supported the club by being part of the club is a valid one. It would be unfair to say that there's "no room at the pool" to them. On the other hand, if a bit of extra attention wasn't given to beginners, how many of us would still be in the club?

How about we decide on the night? The session starts at 8, so we can suss out how many people are there and decide whether to have two or three sessions. Sometimes people will be dissapointed, but kayaking is unpredictable - even inside!

Just my thoughts.....

Steve T · Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 2:09 pm Post subject:

Dave W · Joined: 12 Mar 2009 Posts: 96

Hi Steve

I think we should also think about banning anybody that does not own at least 2 boats a barge or a spraydeck off death.

Dave

Steve T · Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 3:11 pm Post subject:

_________________
Steve Thomas
Secretary & Website Editor

www.westhoughtoncanoeclub.org.uk
website@westhoughtoncanoeclub.org.uk

CarlS · Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 5:39 pm Post subject:

Let's take up fishing instead!

CarlS · Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 5:47 pm Post subject:

Actually no, I've got a better idea! Why not split the pool into a lower and upper section, the water is about 5 feet deep, so have the bottom 2.5 feet for those who turn up later and the top half for the rest. We will have to weigh the boats down, but we could then have twenty people using the pool (without anyone knowing), of course we may have to borrow Mel's diving gear.

Another possibility would be to ask if we can we book the other pool at the centre (you know the one with all the Disney pictures on the side), might be a problem for rolling practise though.

You can please some of the people some of the time etc etc etc

Bradshaws · Joined: 14 Nov 2008 Posts: 74

That’s a good idea with could use arm bands so we don't sink when we rolling

Chris T · Head Coach Joined: 24 Jul 2009 Posts: 39 Location: Leigh

My Go

Not sure if you have tried this in the past but as a suggestion

What about a single session (the first 45 minute of an evening) once or twice a month being reserved for those newcomers to try. That way the instructors and experienced paddlers can complete some good coaching rather than a single person being split trying to coach a few rolling, a group practicing the all in rescue, some trying support strokes and a newcomer to the pool.

To further everyone’s ability the sessions need to start to have more organised coaching structure.

GrahamS · Joined: 13 Dec 2007 Posts: 182 Location: Warrington

Or could we hire the pool at Burrs - more than ten people on at a time, longer sessions and turn up / get off when you want. Might be a bit nippy for rolling practice though!

Steve T · Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 7:36 am Post subject:

Thanks for the ideas Chris.

What we tried to do during the summer was to encourage newcomers to attend on the first Wednesday of each month - that might work for the pool also, and everyone else will then know that a number of places will be reserved that week, we can post this on the forum. Of course we'll have to ensure coaches will be there, and the prospective members might not turn up but that's another issue.

We traditionally haven't been very (at all) structured in what we do in the pool, nor on the river for that matter, but then traditionally we haven't had these sorts of numbers turn up either. Maybe now is the time to consider it.

Pool sessions are billed as an informal way to practice and to keep in touch through the winter - a formal structure would change the nature of this, but is perhaps necessary. The club is itself changing from a small "bunch of mates" type set-up into a medium size proper club and there will inevitably be changes to our culture and the way we do things.

We've even had an AGM, and are having a Christmas do, so it even feels a bit like a proper club - I blame the website.

We shall speak about this, no doubt. I'll be there tomorrow but won't be getting in the pool as I'm trying to shake off a cold; I won't be at the pub either as I'll have to shoot off early-ish.

Graham,
There's nothing to stop us hiring the Burrs pool, and we should do this a couple of times through the winter to get our new members outside and stop them becoming bored in the swimming pool - like the trip we ran in January, when we also went onto the river.

Steve
_________________
Steve Thomas
Secretary & Website Editor

www.westhoughtoncanoeclub.org.uk
website@westhoughtoncanoeclub.org.uk

CarlS · Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 6:24 pm Post subject:

It may get a bit cold during the winter nights, but it was only £20 to hire the pool and if enough people wanted to do this then the individual cost wouldn't be too much. The only down side is that we need to block book the swimming pool over winter. Incidently there is some Youtube video of the Burrs pool in winter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqFKQn_2vIM

Steve T · Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 9:24 pm Post subject:

You got me hook, line & sinker

_________________
Steve Thomas
Secretary & Website Editor

www.westhoughtoncanoeclub.org.uk
website@westhoughtoncanoeclub.org.uk