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MANAGING EXPECTATIONS OF ELITE ORIENTEERS. L3 Workshop – Aug 2009 Adelaide. Unit purpose. To analyse the expectations of elite competitors, their support staff and supporters, particularly those who come from interstate or overseas. The Leibnitz Convention – August 2000.
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MANAGING EXPECTATIONSOF ELITE ORIENTEERS L3 Workshop – Aug 2009 Adelaide
Unit purpose • To analyse the expectations of elite competitors, their support staff and supporters, particularly those who come from interstate or overseas.
The Leibnitz Convention – August 2000 WE, THE MEMBERS OF THE IOF, attending the 20th IOF General Assembly in Leibnitz, Austria, on the 4 August 2000, hereby declare that “It is of decisive importance to raise the profile of the sport to further the spread of orienteering to more people and new areas, and to get orienteering into the Olympic Games. The main vehicles to achieve this are: • to organise attractive and exciting orienteering events which are of high quality for competitors, officials, media, spectators, sponsors, and external partners • to make IOF events attractive for TV and Internet We shall aim to: • increase the visibility of our sport by organising our events closer to where people are • make our event centres more attractive by giving increased attention to the design and quality of installations • improve the event centre atmosphere, and the excitement, by having both start and finish at the centre • increase television and other media coverage by ensuring that our events provide more and better opportunities for producing thrilling sports programmes • improve media service by better catering for the needs of media representatives (in terms of communication facilities, access to runners at start/finish and in the forest, continuous intermediate time information, food and beverages, etc) • pay more attention to promoting our sponsors and external partners in connection with our IOF events We, the Members of the IOF, expect that these measures shall be considered by all future organisers of IOF events."
Managing Expectations/Stakeholders Needs • Elite Competitors • Sponsors • Commentators • Photographers (still & video) • Journalists • Spectators
Words of Wisdom Tell them early Tell them often Oivind Holt IOF Workshop Albury 1998
Event Adviser Level 3 Level 2 Level 1 In forest Out of forest Forest Activity Oivind Holt’s Distribution of Activities
Elites • Elites value the technical challenge above all • Fair and equitable - do not use compromised control sites & double check all sites • Physically challenging, but not over taxing • Longer, steeper not necessarily better • Opportunities to display their skills
Elites • Sometimes achievements should be rewarded. • Red start group, reverse order • Be presented and projected as elite athletes • Success is acknowledged - presentations
Sponsors • Return on investment • Their name/logo be presented in a good light • In print and on websites • On banner and competitors’ bibs • Announcements during commentaries • Opportunity to attend events. Consider hospitality, meeting athletes & addressing spectators
Commentators • Good accommodation and location • Good equipment - computer & PA • Good information - background, live and interim results • Good access to athletes soon after finishing
Photographers • Clear unrestricted line of shot - no spectators • Good photographic environment, entire finish chute, good light at photographic controls • Good background, spectators, bush, control flag (ensure it looks like an orienteering event) • Good view of or warning of approaching athletes • TV mixture of vision close and long range • Ease of identifying competitors - clear numbers, start list • Privileged parking and easy exit (IOF events - provide transport)
Journalists • Ready supply of timely information; what, when, who, where etc (Bulletin 4) • Start lists • Results - high priority. Paper (& electronically if possible) asap after last finisher. Advice on complications - protests, outcomes etc • Deadlines - television 2.30pm, AAP 6.00pm (AEST) preferably sooner, Local press negotiable until about 8.00pm (AEST) • Access to athletes soon after finishing • Privileged parking & easy exit (IOF events - provide transport)
Spectators (on site) • As much involvement as possible from start to finish PLAN the ARENA
Spectators (on site) • Program • Good commentary with a mixture of event progress & short interviews, no long silent gaps • Good views of or warning of approaching athletes • Reasonable run in • Large display clocks • Large quickly updated easily visible results display for all competitors • Many spectators like to do their own assessments
Spectators (remote) • Live internet coverage • Good commentary • Updated results • Tracking • Map availability • Start lists
Impact on the event What are the implications of these expectations? Consider the impact on: • Timelines • Personnel / skills • Facilities • Budget • Potential conflicts
Making a timeline - 1 • What additional actions / key decision points need to be added to the event timeline? • Work backwards from the event date • Some actions have fixed time-points – eg bulletins • Do not assume volunteers are always available, they have jobs too!
Making a timeline - 2 • Agree individual targets and durations with those doing the role – get their buy-in! • Allow for the unexpected – illness, other commitments etc • Monitor progress, adjust whenever necessary • Parallel processing • Make sure the entire team understands the timescales involved, not just key officials
Issues • Technical - in forest • Blending competition area with arena • Supporting commentators and the media • Overall planning - big issues, location, parking and services
Communications and conflict - 1 Larger and more complex teams • Interclub • Interstate • International? • More than 1 event RESPECT
Communications and conflict - 2 • Conflicts • Between officials • Between cultures • Between rules / guidelines You may all be talking English but are you speaking the same language?
Other considerations • Expect the unexpected – plan for it • External / internal pressures – expect them • Use previous experience – observe, discuss with your predecessors, don’t reinvent the wheel • Assess and evaluate as you go along, don’t be afraid of change • Use your experience to improve for the future, report and recommend
Australia’s place in international orienteering • Growing in stature • We should be positive about what we can offer
Final Word of Wisdom • Check • Check again • Get someone else to check!
Acknowledgements Compiled from material published by: • Bob Mouatt (ACT) • Katie and Dave Stubbs (UK & Qld) • Oivind Holt (Nor)