OzFclass

Attended the Vic Queens last week and was wondering what the average age of clubs is
After looking around at the Queens there seemed tobe very few under 50 and as for juniors there were a couple An average age at our club would be around 56

Musgrave wrote:Attended the Vic Queens last week and was wondering what the average age of clubs is
After looking around at the Queens there seemed tobe very few under 50 and as for juniors there were a couple An average age at our club would be around 56

I think the age profile is similar around the rest of Australia. To me its only a concern if it leads to a lack of people fit enough to do the physically demanding tasks e.g. manual marking, maintenance and construction. We at Rosedale actually have more success recruiting from the older age groups. And if we do see the need to lower the age profile, then it needn't be by changing the character of our current classes (TR, and the 3 F-Classes). Most of our shooters seem to be happy with them as they are and would resist change. More than ever I believe that what is needed is at least one new class that will bring in more younger shooters. It may have to be something that raises eyebrows, but then for some, F-Class did that, and look how it has turned out. If not for F-Class, many more ranges, including my own, probably would have closed by now due to lack of numbers. What we need is some quality market research into what will attract today's younger shooters, and get behind it before its too late.

Well done at the Queens Alan
We here are all F class mainly F open We sometimes have someone come and try only never to see them again
They are treated well and given all the help possible but to no avail, personally I think younger people are after instant success
Bill

I think that there are several elements influencing the age mix:

Firstly, there's the nucleus that have shot on the open range for most of their life -40, 50, 60 years or more.

Then, there's a younger group who shot when their parents paid but dropped out to raise a family. They're back because they had good memories.

There's the younger ones who seem mostly to be associated with a shooting parent. Whether they'll endure to be the aforementioned returnees or vanish is up in the air. There are a few who stay on, usually because it's a family sport.

Then there's the empty nesters and retirees looking for a sport & attracted to the combination of the competitive & social nature of the sport. They have a degree of disposable income & a thick skin.

In all instances, we're talking about people willing to wade against the flow, because our sport is on the nose with the "buy a thrill" media & fawning politicians buying votes from the credulous.

Rant off.

johnk wrote:I think that there are several elements influencing the age mix:

a thick skin.

In all instances, we're talking about people willing to wade against the flow, because our sport is on the nose with the "buy a thrill" media & fawning politicians buying votes from the credulous.

Rant off.

The young ones have it too, its a prerequisite, this may have some impact on keeping new comers, not everyone has it.

Speaking for myself, the thing that inhibits my ability to compete in Queens and OPMs is work and the time it takes to develop/attend/travel/participate in. I would love to shoot every OPM and queens, put my hand up for state and national teams, but the reality is work (family for others) has to come first. Self employment helps to some degree, but for the averaged guy working an average job, participation just isn't possible.

Put simply its cost , I have spoken about this in the past however the powers that be don’t seem to care. The hidden costs in our sport are out of control and this is the single biggest determining factor to the average age of shooter on the mound. By hidden cost I am talking about membership fees in my case club fees $320 , NSWRA fees $ 165 and $ 25 a week to shoot. I am not to sure how many young shooter have that sort of $$$ to spend and thats before we look at ammo , and OPM fees. This sports is on its way to a slow pain full death .

I'm not sure cost is the biggest factor. The sport can be as cheap or as expensive as you want it to be. Membership fees are what they are. Our club fees are very reasonable, including the SARA fees are $188 a year and we pay $5 a week to shoot, I would pay more if I had to. Maybe you should talk to your club board/coucil/members and see where your money is going and what the costs of running the club actually are. When I've played other sports the membership fees and other associated costs were very similar. You have to look at the cost of running these type of events along with maintaining a club. Then again you can always take up jogging . . . . . .