Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Sub-forum for Athletics/Tri Clubs

  • 02-09-2010 07:50AM
    #1
    donothoponpop
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,608 ✭✭✭


    One of the regulars suggested to the mods about adding a sub-section in with the Training Logs and A/R/T events for running clubs. So a few simple questions to those in clubs: do you like the idea? How would you envision it working? What benefit would it be for the club?

    Any and all other questions, queries, fire away, lets get the pro/con debate started.


Comments

  • #2
    ecoli
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,762 ✭✭✭✭ecoli


    donothoponpop wrote: »
    One of the regulars suggested to the mods about adding a sub-section in with the Training Logs and A/R/T events for running clubs. So a few simple questions to those in clubs: do you like the idea? How would you envision it working? What benefit would it be for the club?

    Any and all other questions, queries, fire away, lets get the pro/con debate started.

    I think its a great idea.

    The way it could be worked is that each represented club would have its own thread where they could keep people up to date on relevant events such as club races or that, not to mention answering any questions that anyone who is considering joining a club might have.

    I think clubs would be all for it as it would be a good way to increase exposure.


  • #3
    thirtyfoot
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,912 ✭✭✭thirtyfoot


    donothoponpop wrote: »
    One of the regulars suggested to the mods about adding a sub-section in with the Training Logs and A/R/T events for running clubs. So a few simple questions to those in clubs: do you like the idea? How would you envision it working? What benefit would it be for the club?

    Any and all other questions, queries, fire away, lets get the pro/con debate started.

    Great idea. Can't see anything negative about it.

    You could have a thread based on county, ie, clubs in Cork and contacts or even at club level, ie, Midleton AC. People could ask questions and interact with people from those clubs or people who know about these clubs.

    I presume it would be just for info or details on training or would
    it also be a noticeboard for the club, ie, Johnny Mac ran 45min in Clare 10km last week?

    Many clubs don't have websites and could be a good way to interact with public.


  • #4
    ecoli
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,762 ✭✭✭✭ecoli


    Tingle wrote: »
    Great idea. Can't see anything negative about it.

    You could have a thread based on county, ie, clubs in Cork and contacts or even at club level, ie, Midleton AC. People could ask questions and interact with people from those clubs or people who know about these clubs.

    I presume it would be just for info or details on training or would
    it also be a noticeboard for the club, ie, Johnny Mac ran 45min in Clare 10km last week?
    Many clubs don't have websites and could be a good way to interact with public.

    Dont think this would work as its not fair to name people on a message board when we ourselves hide behind usernames. Thta being said i think if the club have races or team performances they could be noted


  • #5
    tunney
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,584 ✭✭✭✭tunney


    donothoponpop wrote: »
    One of the regulars suggested to the mods about adding a sub-section in with the Training Logs and A/R/T events for running clubs. So a few simple questions to those in clubs: do you like the idea? How would you envision it working? What benefit would it be for the club?

    Any and all other questions, queries, fire away, lets get the pro/con debate started.

    Think its a bad idea.


  • #6
    donothoponpop
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,608 ✭✭✭donothoponpop


    tunney wrote: »
    Think its a bad idea.

    Fair enough, but it's more useful if you expand on why.


  • Advertisement
  • #7
    Krusty_Clown
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,504 ✭✭✭✭Krusty_Clown


    It would be great to have an interface to the clubs, if the clubs were willing to be included. Somewhere where prospective club members could ask questions of a club, like 'are the open to new members of x,y standard', access to club-owned tracks or facilities, meet and train times, etc.

    It happens already to a lesser informal extent, where we get great contributions from the likes of EagleAC, LeCheile, Meath, DSD, etc, particularly around race organization, but it would be nice for the clubs to have a home. Of course there's no guarantee that questions will get answered (thread graveyard). It would also need to be actively moderated for fear of 'my club is better than yours', or 'club runner y is just a banger who is flown in for one race every year'.


  • #8
    cantswim
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 101 ✭✭cantswim


    donothoponpop wrote: »
    Fair enough, but it's more useful if you expand on why.

    agree with tunney. alot of clubs have forums on their owns sites as it is or are on facebook etc... don't see the point in having another place to post stuff...

    if a club doesn't have a website etc now it probably means their members aren't inclinded to communicate online much as it is so don't think they'll suddenly start posting on boards to do it.


  • #9
    shels4ever
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,598 ✭✭✭shels4ever


    I'd say no harm in having it, allow it to the club to create a thread if they wish.. Could have a transfers and tap up section too ;)
    Only thing would be the amount of club members that are actually on boards isnt massive but if it gets people to join clubs then it would be a good thing.


  • #10
    ecoli
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,762 ✭✭✭✭ecoli


    cantswim wrote: »
    agree with tunney. alot of clubs have forums on their owns sites as it is or are on facebook etc... don't see the point in having another place to post stuff...

    if a club doesn't have a website etc now it probably means their members aren't inclinded to communicate online much as it is so don't think they'll suddenly start posting on boards to do it.

    I dunno i know there are a few members of my club who would be regular posters on this but our website while good can be a little slow and our IT being set up as a volunteering basis is not checked that often.
    I think the idea here would be not so much to give them more exposure (though it would be a bi product) but rather focus the many threads which are set up about clubs in order to prevent clutter on the page and give the people who are intersested a place where they can get info for the clubs


  • #11
    Krusty_Clown
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,504 ✭✭✭✭Krusty_Clown


    cantswim wrote: »
    agree with tunney. alot of clubs have forums on their owns sites as it is or are on facebook etc... don't see the point in having another place to post stuff...

    if a club doesn't have a website etc now it probably means their members aren't inclinded to communicate online much as it is so don't think they'll suddenly start posting on boards to do it.
    If they don't use the facility, it's no big deal (no loss). They could alternatively just have a thread to point to their actual 'live' forum, to point potential runners in the right direction (e.g. their facebook page). Better to redirect them to the correct manner in which they should be contacted, than say nothing at all.


  • Advertisement
  • #12
    RayCun
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,704 ✭✭✭✭RayCun


    There are regular questions in the main forum from people looking for a club near them.
    It would make some sense to have a Clubs forum, with a sticky listing all clubs by area, and then a thread for each club. If clubs/club members wanted, they could post their contact details, training times and club races in their thread.
    But it could be a very low-traffic area. It would make more sense to have that sort of information in a wiki.


  • #13
    BeepBeep67
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,089 ✭✭✭BeepBeep67


    I'm in favour of it - Boards is becoming a great central resource for all things A/R/T related, encouraging club athletes to visit will increase deabate on here, having a resource for people new to athletics / tris to make a decision on which club(s) they contact is only beneficial.
    Yes it needs to be monitored so it doesn't become a free for all - but that's no different than any thread on here.


  • #14
    shotgunmcos
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,208 ✭✭✭shotgunmcos


    I agree that many clubs have their own web forums and noticeboards etc.. and in many cases only members of teh club can post in them. So in that regard I'd be hard pressed to see the point of it. Of course it may be of benefit to smaller/starter clubs, non bricks n morter ones with no IT geek as a member etc..:) I doubt clubs are going to share how they organise themselves as such. No harm in throwing it up and seeing how it fares. There are no bad ideas. Some work, some don't :)


  • #15
    thirtyfoot
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,912 ✭✭✭thirtyfoot


    ecoli wrote: »
    Dont think this would work as its not fair to name people on a message board when we ourselves hide behind usernames. Thta being said i think if the club have races or team performances they could be noted

    Was thinking the same myself, that kind of stuff can be boring and only of interest in the club.

    I don't see these threads as a means for members of the clubs to communicate with each other but more to communicate with non or potential members. There aren't too many people from any one club and if the wanted to communicate they probably do that in other ways like at actual training nights.

    Would give the many non club members here an example of what options are there. Putting it as a wiki is probably a waste of time as I'd say most people, well me anyway, don't even know where that is. We used have a very good links sections and this could be a more detailed version of that.


  • #16
    robinph
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,146 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    Is there enough Clubs on Boards.ie to warrant it, would there be enough people from each club, or interested in the goings of of each club, to keep such a forum alive? Is there enough people willing to out themselves more obviously, anyone putting a race time up is already outed to a certain extent, but do people want to add their user name to a thread of people in specific clubs.

    Nice idea, but until there is the traffic I'd say no. Have club or county threads in the main ART forum, if it works enough to convince those in the top offices in boards.ie Towers then request the forum and move stuff there. See if people do actually want to chat about it first though.


  • #17
    robinph
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,146 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    Tingle wrote: »
    Putting it as a wiki is probably a waste of time as I'd say most people, well me anyway, don't even know where that is. .

    http://wiki.boards.ie/wiki/Board:Athletics


  • #18
    ecoli
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,762 ✭✭✭✭ecoli


    robinph wrote: »
    Is there enough Clubs on Boards.ie to warrant it.

    Just off hand i can think of people on here who are members of:

    Athenry
    Eagle AC
    Craughwell
    Crusaders
    Raheny
    DSD
    Tallaght
    Clonliffe

    I think like people have said before its not for club members communicating with each other but rather a medium for non members (who are looking at the club route) having a way of getting to talk to people and get a feel for what exactly the clubs offer. For the people who are not interested in this or the related threads which pop up on a regular basis its a way of getting them off the main page so win win for all:D


  • #19
    token56
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,655 ✭✭✭token56


    I'd agree about the amount of traffic. Would there be enough to warrant a sub-forum. There used to be a useful links sticky which had links to alot of clubs websites around the country plus other stuff, but it's gone now. Does each club actually need its own thread? I'm not sure. How about a club discussion megathread with a sticky of links to clubs of interest? Where people can go to if they have a question about a club if the website doesn't provide enough information, or if there is a club someone is interested in not mentioned. Just a thought.


  • #20
    thirtyfoot
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,912 ✭✭✭thirtyfoot


    token56 wrote: »
    I'd agree about the amount of traffic. Would there be enough to warrant a sub-forum. There used to be a useful links sticky which had links to alot of clubs websites around the country plus other stuff, but it's gone now. Does each club actually need its own thread? I'm not sure. How about a club discussion megathread with a sticky of links to clubs of interest? Where people can go to if they have a question about a club if the website doesn't provide enough information, or if there is a club someone is interested in not mentioned. Just a thought.

    Could work. That links sticky had loads of links and lots of work went into by the mods before me and when I was a mod. It was divided by county too. Anyone know where it's gone? Only thing it didn't have a list of clubs without a website.

    I would compile a list of all clubs in various counties from the athletic club perspective if you wanted to go down that route.


  • #21
    donothoponpop
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,608 ✭✭✭donothoponpop


    Tingle wrote: »
    Could work. That links sticky had loads of links and lots of work went into by the mods before me and when I was a mod. It was divided by county too. Anyone know where it's gone? Only thing it didn't have a list of clubs without a website.

    I would compile a list of all clubs in various counties from the athletic club perspective if you wanted to go down that route.

    I *think* a lot of it went into the Wiki, which never really seemed to take off. There was also a FAQ thread which I unstickied as it had been a graveyard for several months, but I don't remember club info on this (it should still be searchable, wasn't deleted).

    Edit- here is the club info.


  • Advertisement
  • #22
    RayCun
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,704 ✭✭✭✭RayCun


    robinph wrote: »
    http://wiki.boards.ie/wiki/Board:Athletics

    I think the wiki is a great idea that is underused, and not well enough known. There are a lot of questions that are asked again and again on boards that have (mostly) uncontroversial answers. It would make sense to gather them all into one place, and make that place more visible.

    What running clubs are near me? What standards do they cater for? When are their sessions?
    What running _shops_ are near me?
    Where can I buy gels/other products?
    How do I treat blisters?
    how does chip timing work?
    What are pacers? (and what is the boards connection?)

    Then there are key threads that could be pointed to, eg the nominations for threads of the year, and/or grouping together threads by subject
    What do you need to know -
    when you just start running
    before your first (road) race
    before your first (track) race
    before your first triathlon
    when you start training for a marathon
    when you start training for a tri


  • #23
    ThisRegard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,833 ✭✭✭✭ThisRegard


    ecoli wrote: »
    where they could keep people up to date on relevant events such as club races

    Would that not be better left in the main events forum so it saves people having to look in a number of separate forums ?


  • #24
    token56
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,655 ✭✭✭token56


    Tingle wrote: »
    Could work. That links sticky had loads of links and lots of work went into by the mods before me and when I was a mod. It was divided by county too. Anyone know where it's gone? Only thing it didn't have a list of clubs without a website.

    I would compile a list of all clubs in various counties from the athletic club perspective if you wanted to go down that route.

    The thread that was the useful links sticky is here:
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055609384&page=last
    I thought it was definitely useful anyway.

    But anyway regarding the topic at hand. I was thinking a sticky which had a list of all the clubs, with links to the websites and sorted like in the thread above. People can use this to find out about any clubs in their area. Then a separate clubs "megathread" where people can come and ask questions about any particular club or additional information if the website doesn't have the info is the club isn't on the list. You could also just have a little note in the club sticky at the end about the "megathread" and it's purpose with a link to it, in case it goes off the front page or is buried somewhere. Easy access then for any new comers and confines all club talk to one thread I suppose. If that thread is getting too much traffic or isn't suitable for what people want then maybe the sub-forum may be a good way to go.

    It's just my opinion, I dont know if much would agree, let alone the powers at be.


  • #25
    robinph
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,146 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    It takes a bit before you reach the critical mass of having enough useful information on something like the wiki that people then think of it as the default reply for some of the common questions. It really is easy to edit though, so if anyone has anything to add, then do so.

    Before thinking too much about having somewhere for clubs to appear on boards though, it should be run by the owners of boards, as although the clubs are not exactly businesses it may be viewed as free advertising. A listing of links to club websites I can't see them having a problem with, but "Join Mid Atlantic Harriers -'cos we are the greatest and will make you run super fast" and a thread along those lines would probably count as advertising.

    Although you could argue the same about the events forum I guess.


  • #26
    donothoponpop
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,608 ✭✭✭donothoponpop


    One of the problems with Stickies, FAQ's, etc, is they can very quickly become graveyards. The Wiki might be easy to update, but no-one has done that, its hopelessly out of date. Ditto the "Useful Links", (which got amalgamated into a larger set of "stickies killer"), has quite a few dead links. Plus, once you've been here a while, you start to notice the repetitive questions, and it's easy to assume a FAQ should suffice, but in practice it makes for a livelier forum to have constantly new posts- fresh is better. A stickie can quickly become a graveyard, and its contents get talked about on the main forum anyway.

    I like the way token56 has suggested, a link to the club info for those who are interested, and a general club megathread to gauge the reaction. The forum could probably do with a club athletics shot in the arm.


  • #27
    ecoli
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,762 ✭✭✭✭ecoli


    donothoponpop wrote: »

    I like the way token56 has suggested, a link to the club info for those who are interested, and a general club megathread to gauge the reaction. The forum could probably do with a club athletics shot in the arm.

    Why not use the AAI google map link:

    http://www.athleticsireland.ie/content/?page_id=5996

    This contains all the clubs in Ireland and contact details and is map based so people can search their area even if they dont know if there is one near and from this have the megathread that people can ask opinions etc on?


  • #28
    token56
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,655 ✭✭✭token56


    ecoli wrote: »
    Why not use the AAI google map link:

    http://www.athleticsireland.ie/content/?page_id=5996

    This contains all the clubs in Ireland and contact details and is map based so people can search their area even if they dont know if there is one near and from this have the megathread that people can ask opinions etc on?

    I didn't even know that existed to be honest, but it looks good. I guess the only small thing would be the map doesn't provide direct links to the website, and while it's very easy for someone to just go google the name of the club etc you'll probably get some people asking about links etc. But I guess those are the same people that probably wouldn't even look at a sticky in the first place and there is probably very little that can be done about that. All in all it looks good.


  • #29
    ecoli
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,762 ✭✭✭✭ecoli


    token56 wrote: »
    I didn't even know that existed to be honest, but it looks good. I guess the only small thing would be the map doesn't provide direct links to the website, and while it's very easy for someone to just go google the name of the club etc you'll probably get some people asking about links etc. But I guess those are the same people that probably wouldn't even look at a sticky in the first place and there is probably very little that can be done about that. All in all it looks good.

    Does have links to some clubs and others there are phone numbers etc. I think it was just what ever details were got at the time it was drawn up. Atleast that gives a starting point for people to be aware of the clubs and from there i guess google and the megathread could do the rest of the work i suppose


  • #30
    token56
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,655 ✭✭✭token56


    Ah ok, I think I must have just checked the clubs without links.:p

    But yeah it's a good start anyway for someone who is genuinely interested.


  • Advertisement
Advertisement