Transcript Expectations of Elites - Orienteering Australia

MANAGING EXPECTATIONS
OF ELITE ORIENTEERS
L3 Workshop – Aug 2009
Adelaide
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009
Unit purpose
• To analyse the expectations of elite
competitors, their support staff and
supporters, particularly those who come
from interstate or overseas.
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009
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:
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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
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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."
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009
Managing
Expectations/Stakeholders Needs
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Elite Competitors
Sponsors
Commentators
Photographers (still & video)
Journalists
Spectators
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009
Words of Wisdom
Tell them early
Tell them often
Oivind Holt IOF Workshop Albury 1998
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009
Oivind Holt’s Distribution of
Activities
Event
Advis
er
Level
3
Level
2
Level
1
In forest
Forest Activity
Out of forest
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009
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
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009
Elites
• Sometimes achievements should be
rewarded.
• Red start group, reverse order
• Be presented and projected as elite
athletes
• Success is acknowledged - presentations
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009
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
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009
Commentators
• Good accommodation and location
• Good equipment - computer & PA
• Good information - background, live and
interim results
• Good access to athletes soon after
finishing
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009
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)
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009
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)
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009
Spectators (on site)
• As much involvement as possible from
start to finish
PLAN the ARENA
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009
Clear chest numbers
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009
Spectator Controls
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009
Ramps
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009
Man made features
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009
Start in the arena
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009
Results
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009
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
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009
Spectators (remote)
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Live internet coverage
Good commentary
Updated results
Tracking
Map availability
Start lists
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009
Impact on the event
What are the implications of these
expectations?
Consider the impact on:
• Timelines
• Personnel / skills
• Facilities
• Budget
• Potential conflicts
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009
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!
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009
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
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009
Making a timeline – 3
Typical top level milestones
+ 6 wks
Event reports to OA and OA controller
+ 3 wks
Printed results available
Event
Official results available no more that 4 hrs after latest allowable finishing time and
on internet on day of event
Event
Bulletin 4
2 wks
Start lists available (IOF events, start draw is later)
1 mth
Overprinted maps available, final details / bulletin 3 available
3 mths
Draft courses with controllers, courses and combinations agreed, entry forms
available (if not IOF), assembly arena(s) agreed
12 mths,
Survey complete and draft available, bulletin 2 (IOF only, should include entry
form) / publicity available model areas available
2 yrs
Bulletin 1 (IOF only), accommodation negotiation ongoing; Area(s) approved (inc.
event centre etc.), officials appointed, timelines agreed, sponsorship application
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009
Issues
• Technical - in forest
• Blending competition area with arena
• Supporting commentators and the media
• Overall planning - big issues, location,
parking and services
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009
Communications and conflict - 1
Larger and more complex teams
• Interclub
• Interstate
• International?
• More than 1 event
RESPECT
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009
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?
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009
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
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009
Australia’s place in international
orienteering
• Growing in stature
• We should be positive about what we can
offer
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009
Final Word of Wisdom
• Check
• Check again
• Get someone else to check!
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009
Acknowledgements
Compiled from material published by:
• Bob Mouatt (ACT)
• Katie and Dave Stubbs (UK & Qld)
• Oivind Holt (Nor)
Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009