by PhilBixby
Thu Sep 11, 2014 4:55 pm
After a few years of being Racing Secretary I need to hand it on to a next lucky recipient - which could be you. Yes, you! The purpose of this posting is to set out a bit about what the role involves (and doesn't involve) and to get some of you thinking and ready to step forward to form an orderly queue.
Okay, what's involved:-
- You become a member of the committee so you get to go to committee meetings at the ever-welcoming Your Bike Shed. This isn't a big deal; they're about every three months, they last two hours max, and you can drink beer throughout them.
- You need to deal with the SPOCO paperwork (simple forms and risk assessments which have all been pre-done) and keep an overall eye on the SPOCO arrangements - but not organise/marshal/whatever
- You become the contact person for BC and LVRC, but this only involves a couple of emails a month max
- You get to decide the club's race programme for the year ahead and fire off the necessary forms to BC/LVRC. This is done these days over a pint with most of the club's regular racers, as we now have half a dozen or so people who have organised events, so there's no expectation that you have to actually organise anything yourself (and I'm happy to continue to organise whatever LVRC stuff we do, certainly for next year).
- You need to deal with liaison with First Aid and Traffic Management providers for the club's events - basically a couple of emails in each case since they're both well-oiled organisations.
- You need to keep an overall eye on event budgets, but individual event organisers are expected to keep records so this is pretty nominal (and the club isn't financially wobbly, so there's no edge of panic to it).
- You need to keep the race-related web pages vaguely up to date (ie the right event dates/details for the year in question). This is pretty simple with the Google site setup, and help is at hand if needed.
- You need to keep track of event signage, SPOCO files etc. The signage overwinters in Dave I'Anson's shed, so it basically means checking we've enough of everything, ordering up replacements if needed, and ensuring it's available for the first event organisers in the spring. I've ended up with some of this stuff living in my spare basement store, but it's not a logistical nightmare or anything. And you can always ring the club bell just for the hell of it if you feel in the mood!
- You need to take a lead in organising the Saturday training rides. These have a fair amount of routine about them so it's not a major thing, and we might be able to pre-agree some of the arrangements via the end-of-season Pub! session.
What's not involved:-
- It doesn't - or shouldn't - take up huge quantities of time. I'm stepping down because (i) I reckon it's time for a change and new blood and (ii) my self-employed day job is burying me in work at the moment and looks set to continue to do so and (iii) I've just taken over as chair of York Environment Forum and that's looking like taking up whatever spare time I have. Plus I'd like to simply focus on training and racing for a bit.
- You don't need to be a cycling legend, the fastest bloke in the club, an example to all, or any of that - as I have ably proved over the past few years! I have tried to set the bar low and, I feel, I have largely succeeded. You just need to be reasonably able to organise, and reasonably willing to communicate.
Okay, that queue. In time for the OGM on 18th November, per-lease!
Okay, what's involved:-
- You become a member of the committee so you get to go to committee meetings at the ever-welcoming Your Bike Shed. This isn't a big deal; they're about every three months, they last two hours max, and you can drink beer throughout them.
- You need to deal with the SPOCO paperwork (simple forms and risk assessments which have all been pre-done) and keep an overall eye on the SPOCO arrangements - but not organise/marshal/whatever
- You become the contact person for BC and LVRC, but this only involves a couple of emails a month max
- You get to decide the club's race programme for the year ahead and fire off the necessary forms to BC/LVRC. This is done these days over a pint with most of the club's regular racers, as we now have half a dozen or so people who have organised events, so there's no expectation that you have to actually organise anything yourself (and I'm happy to continue to organise whatever LVRC stuff we do, certainly for next year).
- You need to deal with liaison with First Aid and Traffic Management providers for the club's events - basically a couple of emails in each case since they're both well-oiled organisations.
- You need to keep an overall eye on event budgets, but individual event organisers are expected to keep records so this is pretty nominal (and the club isn't financially wobbly, so there's no edge of panic to it).
- You need to keep the race-related web pages vaguely up to date (ie the right event dates/details for the year in question). This is pretty simple with the Google site setup, and help is at hand if needed.
- You need to keep track of event signage, SPOCO files etc. The signage overwinters in Dave I'Anson's shed, so it basically means checking we've enough of everything, ordering up replacements if needed, and ensuring it's available for the first event organisers in the spring. I've ended up with some of this stuff living in my spare basement store, but it's not a logistical nightmare or anything. And you can always ring the club bell just for the hell of it if you feel in the mood!
- You need to take a lead in organising the Saturday training rides. These have a fair amount of routine about them so it's not a major thing, and we might be able to pre-agree some of the arrangements via the end-of-season Pub! session.
What's not involved:-
- It doesn't - or shouldn't - take up huge quantities of time. I'm stepping down because (i) I reckon it's time for a change and new blood and (ii) my self-employed day job is burying me in work at the moment and looks set to continue to do so and (iii) I've just taken over as chair of York Environment Forum and that's looking like taking up whatever spare time I have. Plus I'd like to simply focus on training and racing for a bit.
- You don't need to be a cycling legend, the fastest bloke in the club, an example to all, or any of that - as I have ably proved over the past few years! I have tried to set the bar low and, I feel, I have largely succeeded. You just need to be reasonably able to organise, and reasonably willing to communicate.
Okay, that queue. In time for the OGM on 18th November, per-lease!