Observers

[endo kid]

Anybody got any ideas on how to get enough observers at trials, because at the trials we attened they have a lack of observers especially at the youth trials. My son is to young to go round the trial by himself so what i do is take my wife and my daughter to observe and i help to set the trials out, clear up afterwards and be a comitee member. It always seems to be the same people observig week after week when there is plenty of other parents who just turn up and watch.

[j@mes]

same problem every where

solution live with it

[eric23]

Other solutions I've seen out there:

Membership in the club and participation in the events requires at least one "work" event.

Split the group into two groups, have the riders observe each other. Our club uses this approach, the upper level riders observe the lower classes in the morning and then trade places in the afternoon.

[alan bechard]

Where are you at Endo?

I have found that mostly what I need to do to get observers for the Youth Trials, is ASK, Plain, Simple straightforward.

HEY! JOE, I NEED YOU TO CHECK THIS SECTION for the kids. At this point we have a core group that step to the plate and make this happen for us. Most people will do it, but they must be asked. I would rather the parents not do it myself, as I want them picking JR up and getting him going again when he bites the dust.

As to observers at the regular trial, again it is ASK, and then make darn sure that you treat them right. Make certain that you get enough to share the load around so you are not working them to death. Make certain that you laid your sections in with the observer in mind.

Bring them food, bring them water, shelter and company. Get them someone out there so they have a bathroom break. Get the sections where they can see a little something. Have more than one per section so they have someone to talk with. Check on them often so that they do not feel they are hanging out there forgoten.

Give a set END TIME to the event. All too often we do this thing that "I will start the sweep at 3:30, well, the guy at section 8 has no idea when he will be done. People are a lot more ameanable to "hey, I will sweep as soon as possible, but at the latest you will be out by 4.

Insure you send out a sweep guy to help them get back and make sure they know to come in.

Take care of your observers. Back your observers on thier calls. Do NOT tolerate a rider bullying observers, they will not come back. Make it a point to thank the observers repeatedly. Without them, the whole affair does not happen.

Do what you say for your observers, if you tell them something, make sure you follow through.

OK, I will climb down off my soapbox. I just ran a two day event on 40 acres, 10 sections each day, 4 loops, minimum 2 checkers on each section, some with 3 and some with 4 to help people through. I do not believe I saw a line at any point of over 8 riders at any one point other than the initial starts. We had 73 riders one day and I believe 64 the next. I think most (I hope all) the checkers I had were pleased with the way they were treated and will be back next year.

We run a seperate youth event and Ian rounded up 4 seperate checkers each morning for that as well. ( although I think I saw Dwight do both)

There has been talk of money, entry fee etc. I think that the mandatory work day for championship points, combined with being treated well as a checker, is what keeps people willing to do it.

[jtt]

HEY!  JOE, I NEED YOU TO CHECK THIS SECTION

OK, where and when

[Guest Yamaha_dude]

At the trials i go to coz i ride the small class alot the dads go round and they jus hav a few observers and ask for volunteers. i dont think you can make people observe just ask at the trials there and then and if no one volunteers then you cant do the trial can you!!!

[j@mes]

we do run a raffle for the observers with botlles of cokes and packs of choclate biscuits etc

[trials lad]

At my club if theres not enouth observers the club sec' asks for some riders to volenter to observe for the first 2 or 3 laps then they are replaced by another rider then they get a 'prioty rider' shrit so they can go straght to the front of the queue at the sections. It seems to work quite well.

Danny

[rabie]

in the north Kent trials combine each club run a round (once event a month) and that club's riders observe and then get to ride the other rounds through the year

a good theory but doesn't always work.......

i suppose the AMCA MX system is similar to the above but has mandated numbers and really makes the rider "work" - well it works for AMCA MX

rabie

[jesster]

I observed my first trial on Sunday, it was a PNTA event near my home. I didn't ride in the event, I went just to observe. The way it was structured the intermediates and novices rode in the morning, and the sportsman/expert/champs rode the afternoon. I observed an afternoon section, and it was a blast. I got a totally different perspective than when I just follow the riders, and I got to meet all the local pros, so it was great. I cant imagine ever not wanting to observe, all anyone has to do is ask, thats usually how it goes in my area, although the club says you must help at one event, but its not enforced.