Socials

[Jerome Jacob]

Can we get regular socials going? Seems most sports teams have them like every other week... especially next year? might encourage more people to ride as well! Are there any plans for the socials atm...? Would love to repeat good times like those back in october... could be a way of keeping people interested in the club?

Cheers

[Trendog]

unfortunately cycling has never been the most 'sociable' group, its always been very hard to have consistent socials with ppl turning out in gd enough numbers. It would be great to have, but never seems to happen....

I think as we're not exactly a sports team that play and train regularly its quite hard to get everyone together, like roadies dont really know any dh'ers and vice versa so unless its a big social like the lycra one people dont seem that fussed to turn up!

I hope it changes in the future!

[Jerome Jacob]

To me though, if people are up for the lycra social then naturally they are in fact 'sociable'... just might need encouraging a little... I can't see a reason why they wouldn't want to have more consistent socials. Just seems like we'd have to work at it so that we do create a bunch who are up for it.

Indeed lets hope the future changes this! Was talking to Jonny and could all just go for a drink every couple of weeks or so, something a little casual and then once we've got a group established of people normally up for it then we could go on more nights out etc

In terms of people not knowing each other (because we are really 3 or so different teams)... socials are the only real way for different discipline riders to get to know each other... so thats easily solved by the issue itself. Cheers

[Nyle]

No one mixes it is a fact really, ok xc riders kinda mix with both groups but it doesn't work that way. We wouldn't mix that well anyway. The meal we had after the Pizza Hut ride, only Roadies and xc guys were there. Admittedly it was the start of exams and deadline time, but the opposite was true at the xmas social, mainly Dhers and xc riders.
The lycra and Freshers' social are really the only ones that everyone gets out together for, because they are highlight events.

We have to find something that includes everyone, the DVD evening in my first year was a good get together and pre-trip socials are always good. Also hopefully trips this year will include Roadies so that would be a good oppurtunity to get to know everyone.

The club isn't big enough to sustain socials over a long time, yes to more socials but we have lost loads of money this year from socials not going ahead or people not turning up, so we need to be careful.

[davecamus]

I say yes to more after ride meals/beer! Since I missed out on the pizza hut meal.

Dvd Night i heard about from simon last year, Its a shame one didn't occur this year- would have been good I think.

[Jerome Jacob]

Maybe if we establish a group who are up for things then we wouldn't lose money...if it's losing money that puts organising socials off then why not just do things like meet at the pub which won't cost anything to the club as would be nice and informal and so people would be more likely to be up for that! could even do an informal pub tour of a little area with no financial committal from the club... just be like a few mates having a get together... personally feel thats always the best bit anyway. As for DVD nights sounds good if it worked but seems like the biggest issue here is that there's a lack of cohesion between xc, road and dh... so for the benefit of the club... maybe we should actively try and improve this. I reckon most people would be up for the pub and stuff as then there's no pressure... pubs also a good idea for next years freshers to get more involved... The only other option I can see from what you say Nyle, would be to organise separate socials for the separate disciplines...?

Anyway... similar to Dave, I think pub and even meals might suit best if cost is a concern..? What does everyone else think?...including the Social sec

[holly]

I agree with jerome. It would be nice to try and get people together, as this is obviously not going to happen on bikes, and it's the roar part of socials that people seem not keen on and that lose the club money, what about an informal pup type social. It could be organised in a similar way to rides, through the forum. Maybe every few weeks/every month we can meet at a different pub, and once you see who turns up, take it from there?

[Jerome Jacob]

Yes Holly! Maybe like every 2/3 weeks or so... My point exactly

[ruari]

You have to remember that we aren't like most sports clubs. Only a handful of our club members compete outside of BUCS events and considering there is only one BUCS race per discipline then it is safe to say that our club is not competition oriented.
The rides themselves are more like social events which is partly the reason why we have so few get togethers. We just don't feel that it's necessary to socialize after spending the day riding with each other (except on the odd occasions such as freshers and pizza hut ride).

Compare that to other sports clubs such as rugby, football, basketball, hockey, etc. who are more strict in that when they get together it is for serious training and competition on a weekly basis. It is convenient for them to get together for the social aspect after training or a match.

Also, cycling generally isn't a team sport and this reflects in the athletes who aren't as bothered about team socials as the emphasis on team bonding just isn't necessary.

The social secretary can only organize socials for the club as a whole, you can't expect him to organize a group of you together in the pub as this doesn't need the structuring that a pub crawl, union night or club meal requires.

[Jonny Five]

I don't think it was meant as organising a specific group to go to the pub. An easy fix would just be, if one or two people had considered going for a drink at t'pub, whack it up on here a day or two before and see if anyone else posts up any interest. Very informal and minimal organisation, therefore no pressure on the social sec. Simples

[Jerome Jacob]

Many fair points indeed Ruari...

Jonny, I think you've got the jist spot on

[Nyle]

Yeah that hardly requires a discussion going to the pub I think as a matter of course rides should end at a pub but that is just my upbringing

but it will only attract the same old crowd, I'd imagine Roadies and xcers - that is not a probelm though, people naturally segregate different personalities and so on.

Dhers as a sweeping generalisation are more likely to go out on a night out, and roadies and xc riders the opposite is probably more true. Highlighted at the BUCS xc riders were first to bed, DHers braving the bitter cold.

Yes go ahead and organise Pub events and see who comes along, I am willing to be prooved wrong, and would be good for the club if more people knew each other. I think people will turn up to the pub fairly regularly. I bet in the summer months we could even have a BBQ.
I just don't see other than the main socials a complete club going out together.

Trips are probably the best bet to get everyone together.

[johna]

Some good points here. I think many roadies would be up for a pub trips/ meals/ BBq's.

The was talk of holding a social after the committee meeting, which is held every month in the pub - we could hold that then people could come to the pub after wards. Also I don't mind holding a BBQ at mine sometime. High Peak are very sociable and they have different disciplines like us (though they are a bigger club).

[Jerome Jacob]

Ah so the multi-discipline format of the club shouldn't hinder us then as high peak seems like a valid example. Liking the wide ranging input guys! Some good ideas arising and I think if people wanna go out (whatever the event... be it pub/club/meal bbq etc), and we act positively as a club to encourage this then I can see no reason why it won't happen... nyle's straight t'pub mentality is a nice one as people would probably be more likely to be up for it... but variety is the spice of life as they say and so should just mix this up with a whole range of things - possibly on an fairly informal basis.

So looking forward to seeing this all improve next year as there appears to be many of us willing to make it happen and to improve the sociability and mentality of the club as it's only with this kind of enthusiasm we can improve things

[Trendog]

The reason its good to have socials that go to ROAR is that the club gets MONEY for every ticket we buy. So more socials there mean more money for the club which is what i tried to do this year!

Socials contain the whole club and involve a whole night out, going down the pub after rides is not a social!

Going down the pub with fellow riders is good, buts its never gonna solve the club social issues that there always has been.

You gotta remember that even tho we all ride bikes, we're pretty different in the way we go about it and things we're into. So obv its great to get ur group of riders down the pub, but the key is to have socials that every1 wants to go too.

Freshers
Lycra

ideas........