Hi John/All,
Where is this list of top clubs? Where is your research?
(I ask, because I would like to see it, not because it doesn't exist before anyone asks, i know John is a statistical hoarder of information)
I wonder, whether there is any other ways of interpreting your data??
I wonder if S&SCC are top of the list?
I wonder if it is all due to coaching by club members?
(Andy neave recieved several mentions at the Oscars, but he is like Jonny Brown in Scotland, a wealth of knowledge which has a limit with in a club environment. Andy would probably be the first to acknowledge this, and he is very aware of when a paddler needs to go off into the real world, and do some independent learning, and often this coinsides with ODP Level/GB Canoeing. Our location makes this transition a 'relatively' easy one, its still an hours drive to and hours drive from training at HPP, once or twice a week for most paddlers.)
I wonder if there is any link to the number of events that the Clubs run?
S&SCC run 3 x mini slaloms, and 4 x Div 3/4 Days, and 1 x Prem Championship and 1 x DIv 1 Event.
Do the facilities on site have any bearing on Club success?
Lots of people talk about the canoe kit, but if there is also a social aspect and gym facilities does this have any impact on those people who want to make use of the club.
S&SCC also has a River, and a canal, and a Gym and a Football pitch, effectively, on site. This leads to a number of session options that would not otherwise be possible. Trentham canoe club is also only 5 miles away, and hence alternative disciplines, such as marathon, sprint and polo are also accomodated for canoeists in a region whihc is both compact and also centrally located making travel to events more convienient.
Also they do not have a white water course, so our paddlers are often good technically but lack confidence on the white water. When Stafford and Stone Paddlers become good or 'Prem' paddlers, they have often long since been paddling at Nottingham weekly, and in some cases have already moved to that location, they are simply by that stage Club members by association, and friendship groups, and the club specifically benefitting them in a much more limited manner.
Perhaps to formally raise concerns on their behalf regards GB policies, or too vote at the ACM on motions that will benefit them and their sport.
Does a club require a 'CORE' mass? Do clubs need to be a certain size to sustain themselves, and the level of involvement in the sport?
Lots of questions, rather than answers.
I can see many good clubs/organisations particularly in SCA/WCA that appear to be making excellent progress in the last 3-5years, with this respect. I would hope that in the next 3-5 years a similar resurgence in slalom numbers should occur, as paddlers start to setup home in London.
Maybe they could each adopt a slalom club to propel into the slalom lime light.
How about introducing this, to your club structure...???
Augsburg have a policy, where by the GER Senior/U23 Teams get coaching from the GER Staff. 25 athletes
The Senior/U23 GER Team paddlers all must run at least one session per week to maintain their funding. upto 100 athletes
Each directly coached paddler by a GB Senior/U23 Team member must coach a novice group. Possibility for 400 athletes
A few novice paddlers and some volunteers run new beginners sessions. Possibility for +1000 athletes?
With this pyramid of coaching, there are several sessions everyday, all coached by different people. Each person has a requirement to pass that knowledge on further, and benefit from the experience of someone better. Is it any wonder Augsburg are the most succesful club .... 'Of All Time?'
Maybe this could be a brand new idea for Canoe England/GB Talent Manager/England Canoe Slalom Committee (they have said they want ideas of how to benefit the sport), why don't we run a camp where CE and volunteer coaches from clubs turn up, all the paddlers from Prem, Div 1 and Div 2, turn up too and pay a nominal fee (£10 per day). CE Coaches get paid and use it as their working time. Volunteer Coaches get expenses and benfit from working with top paddlers and coaches...
Prem paddlers get coaching from CE coaches.
Prem paddlers get off the water/Stay on and coach (volunteer coaches help where required) (Top prem poaddlers coach top half div 1) (Bottom half prem paddlers coach bottom half div 1)
Div 1 paddlers (with Volunteer coach support where required) get off/stay on and coach (top half coach top half div 2/bottom half coach bottom half div 2).
Lets be novel and call it a 'World Class - England Camp' ?! Maybe when it works we'll have 2 or 3 per winter? And when it works really well, we'll invite GB Canoeing paddlers and staff to attend too, so they can also benefit, coach, and see the talent we have in our sport emerging.
Any one else/other clubs think this might be good idea?