Dublin Novice Cross Country

gerard65

Quote from another thread: "Only 74 turned out last year, thats a shocking turnout"
Does anyone involved in club athletics know why the novices gets such a low turnout? The BHAA xc races got 150-200 last year.
Is the poor turnout got to do with it been so early in the season when most club athletes are still in a base training period and not yet at race fitness, or is it a complete lack of interest in XC amoung young club runners?
I noticed that even the 'big' clubs entered only a handful of runners.

bren74

gerard65 wrote: »

Quote from another thread: "Only 74 turned out last year, thats a shocking turnout"
Does anyone involved in club athletics know why the novices gets such a low turnout? The BHAA xc races got 150-200 last year.
Is the poor turnout got to do with it been so early in the season when most club athletes are still in a base training period and not yet at race fitness, or is it a complete lack of interest in XC amoung young club runners?
I noticed that even the 'big' clubs entered only a handful of runners.

I'm not sure if I would consider this a low turn out when you think about the number of Dublin clubs with each only fielding 8 per team (unless they field a B team). I know in my case and my clubs case that the Dublin novices is an important race but the XC season is a long grueling one so one or two more seasoned athletes (with novice status) will be put on intermediate and senior teams at the expense of the novices. I don't think its a timing thing either as any race at this time of year will be useful for sharpening up.

Also novices aren't only the preserve of "young club runners" - they can be any age as long as they have their novice status

Maybe the 'low' turnout reflects the fact that the race is perceived as very much a club race and therefore get very little unattached/individual entries.

gerard65

Actually your right. I've had another look at the results and all the main clubs had teams entered, two had an A and B team. I suppose I'm used to seeing hundreds or thousands in road races etc the 74 jumped out as been very low.

helpisontheway

What we wouldnt give in Kerry to have 74 novices.I think we had 5/6 men and 3/4 women last year.

gerard65

helpisontheway wrote: »

What we wouldnt give in Kerry to have 74 novices.I think we had 5/6 men and 3/4 women last year.

Very low numbers. We're in the middle of the biggest running boom ever and it seems AI clubs are failing to attract new numbers. I know Kerry is a GAA football stronghold but it also has its running hero's (good writeup on John Lenihan is this issue of the Irish Runner). Don't know what can be done but its up to AI to come up with some new thinking.

Peckham

gerard65 wrote: »

We're in the middle of the biggest running boom ever and it seems some AI clubs are failing to attract new numbers.

Fixed that for you!

gerard65

Peckham wrote: »

Fixed that for you!

Open to correction always!

helpisontheway

We have improved over the last couple of years in Kerry on the track and road at attracting new senior/master athletes.We are putting a few iniatives together for the upcoming cross country season to help bring in more novices.The main problem we have down here in Kerry is how athletics is percieved rather than actually is.:(
In saying that we have no problems in the juvenile/junior side of things;numbers growing every year.:)
Some people might say football and even soccer is so big that athletics doesnt get a look in,i dont agree;i think the false perception that athletics is only for ultra competitive talented people is what puts people off competing for clubs rather than just going out and doing an event for fitness,fun etc.

equus

When I did the Dublin Novice x-country back in 2006 in the Phoenix Park, there were 36 women in total but most if not all of the big Dublin clubs like Rathfarnham (my club!), Sportsworld & Tallaght had teams running. It was tiny really and hardly any support! Whereas you'll always see support & much more people at Senior level i.e. Dublin senior x-country in Santry

Racing Flat

Don't forget that Novice is affected by people getting ruled out. Every year the first 3 individuals home and the first 4 from the winning team will be ruled out - so 5-7 are being ruled out every year. So looking at some of the big clubs, that limits their options for Novice. Look at Rathfarnham - they have won National Inter team in 2007 and 2009 - that's 8 of their club alone who can no longer run anything other than Senior from now on. Same for Raheny, Clonliffe, DSD, over the years many of their runners will have been ruled out of Novice. Also if the top 6 in Dublin win County gold at the National Novice they are ruled out from future Novice.

robinph

So we just have to make sure that we come in second as a team then?

bren74

Racing Flat wrote: »

Don't forget that Novice is affected by people getting ruled out. Every year the first 3 individuals home and the first 4 from the winning team will be ruled out - so 5-7 are being ruled out every year. So looking at some of the big clubs, that limits their options for Novice. Look at Rathfarnham - they have won National Inter team in 2007 and 2009 - that's 8 of their club alone who can no longer run anything other than Senior from now on. Same for Raheny, Clonliffe, DSD, over the years many of their runners will have been ruled out of Novice. Also if the top 6 in Dublin win County gold at the National Novice they are ruled out from future Novice.

yes thanks RF you are quite right - I had meant that there was no qualification criteria for the nationals