Town Recreation Boards- How to Approach and Convince?
Hi all,
I instruct for a modest fencing operation with four branches and I operate the branch in my town with c. 30 regular youth students.
Recently my town's recreation commissioner was forced to step down and an inquiry into how best to use the (fairly generous) budget is underway.
My program has a good reputation in the town and I have a few contacts on the town council so naturally I'd like to use this opportunity to expand fencing in my town with a slice of the recreation budget.
Aside from a few discrete conversations, I don't feel I have enough information about 'selling' a fencing program to a town to make an official or otherwise public push at present.
I'm hoping that people who may have fought this battle before can share their experiences and perhaps sources of data and media that have proven useful in 'making the case for fencing' in similar situations.
Of course I have all of the 'sales tools' from the USFA site etc. but I find them a bit thin, and even if this is the best available data set to work with I'd really like to know how people have used the data and media to put together winning arguments in similar situations.
My town's recreation budget is spent on providing free, or low cost facilities and instruction for a number of sports and recreational activities. I would like fencing to become one of those activities supported and promoted in whole or part by the recreation committee, its access to free print and other promotional tools, and its annual budget.
I realize transitioning my particular club to public 'ownership' or oversight may create technical/legal difficulties that I'll address as they arise.
My goal now is simply to take advantage of the Olympic publicity 'bump' fencing has enjoyed and make the best possible case to the recreation committee for fencing to become one of the new activities the committee plans to add to the roster.
Specifically I'm expecting to need to be ready to answer questions of program cost, the benefits of fencing as an activity and sport, as well as questions regarding the appeal of the activity (i.e. If we fund it, will anyone come?) and why it should be funded over other activities the committee will be considering.
To make my case I'm looking for good and convincing ammunition of facts, cases, and media. For example my push would most certainly include an informational (and promotional) packet of power point style bullet points highlighting (among many other things) fitness benefits for sedentary youth, the developmental, psychomotor, and cognitive benefits for people of all ages and its significant value as a therapeutic activity for many varieties of developmental disabilities.
As you know, there are many life-long benefits to fencing. My goal is not to overwhelm the audience with masses of statistics and attempts to put every possible benefit of the sport in their faces like a blunderbuss hoping some pellets land in useful spots.
I want to find just those facts, verifiable statistics, and quality media that has a proven track record of getting the interest of committies like this one, and then giving the members some simple, good and solid reasons why they should feel confident about voting 'yes' to fencing.
i would play up the olympics media and common stereotypes, i.e. "physical chess".
you can find a lot of data on fitness information. here is a sample.
cost really depends on your own goals and expectations. estimate class sizes and expectations and base your needs on that. make sure to get extra gear.
There are so many ways you can “sell yourself” both as a program and as an investment opportunity, but at the same time there are some conditions.
1. When are you lessons; when in Alaska, we had an after-school program that ran from 3:30 till around 5pm. SOLD! The school had another program they could show off as both engaging as well as a physical activity. Several of the students went to JO’s here in the US and for some their first and possibly only time on a plane.
2. How many other “winter” sports are there for people in your surrounding area? If there are a lot then you’re going to have trouble but you can still sell it as an indoor activity to get people to get out.
3. Instead of a PowerPoint presentation, use picture; pictures of people fencing, talking socially in their fencing gear, a small group listening to a coach giving a presentation—stage them if needed. Fencing is social time as well as exercise.
4. Don’t forget to include people from all ages, from youth to “older than dirt” people in your pictures/presentation. Show that fencing is a life-long activity and be passionate about that.
5. Bring fencing gear with you to presentations and if needed students to show how the gear works and protects you.
6. Bring a list or have a list of commonly accepted safety rules (No pointing weapons at anyone without a mask, etc) and a breakdown of your class structure; 10 mins of stretching, 15 mins of basic drills, etc but once again, don’t turn your presentation into “Death by PowerPoint.”
**Picture presentations can be difficult for people to perform but it shows you know your topic and you're really interested. Also, if the audience can read it off the screen then why not just give them it on paper and call it good. Since most public hearings don't have PowerPoint, your more than likely going to need to either stand and talk about your clubs or take a few bucks and enlarge two of your best pictures to flank you during your presentation.
Last edited by Cold-Sabre; 11-07-2008 at 04:07 PM..
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