WALKER RESEARCH GROUP Research Consulting Data Management

Transcription

1 WALKER RESEARCH GROUP Research Consulting Data Management

2 Execu ve Summary Walker Research Group (WRG) evaluated archery club programming, club composi on, and club characteris cs. The sample was drawn from ~700 club leaders (i.e., according to USAA club registra on numbers) during a 5 week period from August 5 to September 6, To gather the requisite data, an online survey was distributed to each registered club and associated club leader, and interviews with key club leaders and USAA staff were performed. The data were analyzed using frequency sta s cs, correla on analyses, and thema c coding. Sample Profile N=267 surveys were started, which yielded N=199 complete and usable surveys for a response rate of ~28%. Club leadership was rela vely evenly split between JOAD and Adult, but those individuals who lead both clubs simultaneously, were grossly underrepresented in the data set. Of the sample, 65.8% were male and 34.2% were female; age ranged from (M=51.71); years involved in archery ranged from 1 65 (M=23.37); years as a JOAD or Adult club leader ranged from this being their first year to their 40 th year (M=7.18). Respondent ethnici es were mainly Caucasian (87%), followed by Asian (5%), Hispanic (4%), African American (1.5%), Na ve American (1%), and Other (1.5%). Results Summary Adult clubs had greater capacity and membership numbers. However, when looking at member age, the numbers dropped off toward the upper age ranges, which could be a func on of waning interest in the sport. The majority of clubs meet at ranges, pro shops, and other areas. Most club par cipants own their own equipment but ~30% s ll rent. This leaves significant room for purchasing among the popula on. For the most part, JOAD clubs deliver Classes, Coaching, and Awards, while Adult clubs are more geared towards the JOAD Xperience, Special Events, and Leagues. 1/4 of all clubs do not par cipate in events, which was reported as a func on of limited interest and lack of skill. However, only half of all clubs par cipate in some form of fundraising, which could be an addi onal (and unreported) barrier to event par cipa on. Event hos ng, Mail In Series par cipa on, and the Achievement Award par cipa on were equally distributed with ~30% taking part in each. This obviously leaves significant room for growth and club expansion. ~30% do not offer cer fica on classes, do not charge a fee, or have a website. And, ~50% do not market to new members. These data are troubling since they signal stagnancy, which further constrains archery growth. Most of the clubs agree they could benefit from addi onal resources (e.g., development guides, grants, etc.), but only about half would be interested in hos ng events. Sense of Community among the clubs is high, which is an excellent sign. As well, a Sense of Community was shown to predict event hos ng and par cipa on in USAA events. This means that leaders who foster a community approach are more likely to seek avenues to facilitate social interac ons.

3 Contents Project Background Research Overview Club Loca on Club Ac vi es Events Travel Club Outreach Disabled Archers Club Characteris cs Leader Characteris cs Sense of Community Interviews Recommenda ons Appendices

4 4 The goal of The Easton Founda ons is to promote and maintain the viability of archery by growing the sport as a mainstream ac vity at the state, regional and na onal level. This will be accomplished by developing grassroots programs in communi es and schools, suppor ng college and university programs and through these efforts inspire the next genera on of Olympic hopefuls. Be er understand club composi on and characteris cs. Create a profile of club coaches, club leaders, and club par cipants. Describe what types of leaders and coaches are teaching and leading archery at the club level. Iden fy the various resources club leaders need as they grow. Assess the type (and level) of event par cipa on for archery clubs. Describe how clubs managed growth and development opportuni es and threats. Junior Olympic Archery Development (JOAD) is a program of USA Archery that teaches archery to young people, provides great opportuni es for awarding achievement, and helps archers to enjoy the sport recrea onally or progress to the excitement of compeon. Cer fica on Level: 12.3% (Level 1), 47.6% (Level 2), 27.3% (Level 3 NTS), 11.8% (Level 4 NTS), and 1.1% (Level 5 NTS). Membership Type: 62.3% USA Archery members, 3.5% Na onal Field Archery Associa on members, 31.2% held both memberships, and 3.0% held neither. Prior Archery Experience (click all that apply): 78.6% recrea onal archers, 62.7% compeve archers, 14.4% NASP or OAS coaches, 3.0% NASP or OAS par cipants. Respondents Lead: JOAD club (37%), Adult club (60.5%), lead both (2.5%). Combined club leadership is significantly underrepresented in the data. WRG is a full service research and consultancy firm offering a variety of customizable analy cal services with a par cular emphasis on sport. As an academically based research collec ve, WRG scien sts and scholars hold advanced degrees in a range of research, theore cal, and methodological areas. With services focused in three main areas (analy cs/market research, consul ng, and data management) we provide defensible and interpretable data to inform programma c decisions.

5 5 The objec ve of this research was to inves gate the characteris cs and composi on of Junior Olympic Archery Development and other clubs supported by USA Archery. The merit of this research lies in be er understanding how clubs service members and how USA Archery can be er service clubs. Accordingly, WRG worked closely with USA Archery to iden fy several areas that will inform club goals and future direc ons. CHARACTERISTICS An online survey was administered to registered clubs throughout the country. Informa on was obtained directly from coaches and leaders. Feedback was assessed using sta s cal and thema c analyses, to assist both USA Archery and Easton Founda ons in be er understanding the impact and influence of club programming to be er devise and refine recruitment, reten on, and matricula on protocols. While the cross sec onal nature of the data collec on limits the generalizability of the reported results, they nevertheless aid in developing a baseline data set that can be compared against future data, which should be used to establish trends over me. COMPOSITION INVOLVEMENT LEADERSHIP STRATEGY* Total JOAD Par cipants Par cipants M=24.75 (Range: 3 to 115) Total ADULT Par cipants Par cipants M=33.75 (Range: 2 to 70) Total JOAD & ADULT Par cipants M=58.21 (Range: 5 to 91) Par cipant Ages #s By Age Range (JOAD) #s By Age Range (Adult) < > The older age ranges seem to taper off for both JOAD and Adult clubs. This could indicate some moderate levels of dissa sfac on, waning interest, or a lack of club matricula on awareness.

6 6 Where does your club meet? %s do not equal 100%, click all that apply item. JOAD ONLY ADULT ONLY Shoo ng Range 38 % 49 % Other Text responses range from private location to church, armory, camps, fairgrounds, commercial basements, personal residences, and conservation areas. 33 % 37 % Pro Shop 23 % 19 % Notes: Club mee ng loca ons vary. However, 4H loca ons and recrea on centers seem to be the lesser op ons, in comparison to shoo ng ranges and a variety of other examples. The % of par cipants that s ll rent equipment leaves significant room for increased purchasing behaviors. As well, many of the clubs have a limited capacity, which could inhibit growth of the sport. Park School Recrea on Center 4H Loca on 16 % 10 % 6 % 6 % 11 % 8 % 8 % 5 %

7 7 Club Ac vi es Offered: %s do not equal 100%, click all that apply item. JOAD ONLY ADULT ONLY Instruc onal Classes Instruc onal Classes 81 % 88 % Achievement Awards 72 % Individual Coaching 68 % A E U? Recurve 49 Compound 41 Compound (B) 20 Barebow 15 Tradi onal 10 Notes: Club ac vi es vary somewhat by club type. For example, while instruc onal classes are primary for both, achievement awards are more important for JOAD clubs. Addi onally, special events and the JOAD Xperience are seemingly more preferred for Adult clubs. Individual Coaching Special Events Leagues JOAD Xperience How o en does your club meet? 64 % 25 % 24 % 19 % 1 per week Achievement Awards 2 3 per week Special Events JOAD Xperience Leagues 2 3 per month 1 per month 67 % 42 % 36 % 33 % Daily JOAD 58 % 18 % 6 % 1 % 0 % ADULT 31 % 31 % 7 % 7 % 6 % Notes. %s do not equal 100% due to the other text responses, which range from mee ng 4 mes per week (n=2), to varying league and club mee ng mes, and seasonal differences for mee ng mes.

8 8 Regional and/or Na onal Events? Does Your Club Par cipate In Regional And Na onal Events? Yes No 75 % 25 % Does Your Club Fundraise? 45 % 55 % Notes. For the ques on, What is your most effec ve fund raising strategy, the list of text responses is provided in the Appendix A. What are the reasons for non par cipa on? % Archers not skilled enough 28 % Archers not interested 15 % Logis cs 13 % Travel constraints 9 % Costs 3 % Other 32 % Does Your Club Fund Travel To Regional And Na onal Events? Par cipants Self Fund Other reasons (text) # Lack of opportuni es 6 New program (plan to a end) 5 Other event commitments 5 Notes. High % of other selected but few text responses offered. We Don t Fund 64 % 22 % We Fundraise 9 % Other 5 % H M C Y R, I O Y, T F? $ $ $ $ $ $ Other 4 Notes: The fact that 3/4 of clubs par cipate in events is promising but leaves considerable room for growth. The lack of interest and skill are aspects that could be capitalized on through marke ng and outreach efforts. The lack of fundraising efforts is a curious result, that likely contributes to lower event par cipa on. And, nearly 1/4 of clubs are unable to fund event travel.

9 9 Event Informa on (Con nued) Yes No *Does Your Club Host Events? 28 % 72 % M S L: *Does Your Club Par cipate In The Mail In Series? 29 % 71 % Does Your Club Par cipate In The Achievement Award Program? Do You Use Your State/Regional JOAD Coordinator As A Resource? *What types of events does your club host? % Inter Club 40 % Leagues 35 % State Events 30 % Regional Events 13 % Na onal Events 6 % We do not host % Notes. Click all that apply item. 29 % 71 % 36 % 64 % *Why don't you par cipate in the Mail In Series? % Lack of Awareness 24 % Not Interested 15 % Do Not Understand Format 11 % General Logis cs 9 % Costs 4 % Time Consuming 3 % Other 34 % Notes: Nearly 3/4 of all clubs do not host, par cipate in the mailin series, or par cipate in the achievement award program. This is somewhat troubling from a development and growth perspec ve. In order to facilitate long term par cipa on in events and other opportuni es for social interac on (outside of an archers core group) are essen al. As well, the under u liza on of JOAD coordinators is something that USAA should explore. Perhaps this is an awareness issue that could be easily overcome through be er communica on to the coaches and leaders. Also, since the majority of club members are intermediate, means that programs should be tailored to these groups, and strategies for advancing members to the higher levels, should be embraced.

10 10 What is the reason your club does not host events? Future Planning We plan to in the future, we are a new club. We are just star ng. We would like to host a JOAD event in next 12 months. We are new but will host an event someday. We are looking for opportuni es to begin hos ng events. We only recently helped host one event; plan to host more in the future. We have not been able to get a inter club event coordinated with other local clubs, but plan to in the future. New Club Challenges Have not been in existence long enough. New Club, less than 1 year old. We are a new club. We plan to host leagues, inter club and regional events in the future. We do not have our own space yet. Limited Space Capacity We are too small, but are willing to help other clubs. We do not have a place (parking space) or enough targets for tournaments. Need more help and volunteers, or we would. Do not have the facili es, would like to host in near future. Our facility size limits what we are able to do. Too expensive on the front end. We have not been able to get a inter club event coordinated with other local clubs. We currently do not have a large enough area or enough equipment. Only rent range space. The range is too expensive. Lack of Interest Other Issues It has been asked mul ple mes and the members are not interested. We do not want to. Farm country, low interest, need help, cer ficate expired. High par cipa on in other venues and events. Facility is not available outside regular mee ng me. The space we used can only be used on the schedule provided to us. Notes: A por on of the event hos ng comments were thema cally coded by content and related informa on. Select comments were taken from the data to help illustrate each content area iden fied. Given that a lack of space and capacity were iden fied, it would be meaningful to connect club leaders with other archery / shoo ng organiza ons to collaborate on addi onal ways to bolster interest in event hos ng.

11 11 What is the reason your club does not par cipate in the Mail In Series? Lack of Awareness We are just learning about it and hope to par cipate this year. Have not discussed with students yet have not researched. Most of our members and coaches do not know about this series. Just have not go en to do it yet because many of us lack the knowledge of how it works. We plan to in the future but currently we do not as we are a new club and do not really know how the process works. Other Issues Most kids not USAA members. Past tournaments took over a year to receive awards. Might try again in the future. Just ge ng started with the format. No confidence that scores are not cherry picked and shot under tournament condi ons. Too easy to cheat. Club s ll new, will par cipate in the future. No indoor facility. Limited Capacity Time Our club is from a poorer area and many cannot afford tournaments. We have not had the me or consistent staff assistance to implement. We have in the past, but have not recently due to me constraints. We hope to start again. We are a new club with the par cipants are just learning. We also have limited staff and volunteers, which limits what we are able to do. Lack of Interest Memberships Kids do not seem interested, most just shoot for fun. We are going to par cipate now the we have built up our USAA membership. Most of our members are not interested in commi ng to regular scheduled prac ces and tournaments. We a end many local tournaments, minimal interest in mail in format. Par cipated in past, lack of interest by our current group of archers. Notes: A por on of the event hos ng comments were thema cally coded by content and related informa on. Select comments were taken from the data to help illustrate each content area iden fied. Given the lack of interest from the membership was listed as a reason for nonpar cipa on, it may be helpful to mentor club leaders on ways to communicate the benefits of the series. In this case, a lack of interest is likely a ributed to a lack of awareness and understanding how the series func ons.

12 12 8 What does your club do? *W T C D Y O? Level 1 53 Level 2 35 Level 3 NTS 6 All 6 *M E M S? Referrals 26 Local Schools 19 Facebook 12 Flyers 12 s 5 Other 26 *W E G? *Does Your Club Offer Leader Cer fica ons? 66 % 34 % *Does Your Club Charge A Fee? 70 % 30 % Does Your Club Have A Website? *Does Your Club Adver se / Market To A ract New Members? Yes No 63 % (List in Appendix B) 37 % 51 % 49 % *Does Your Club Apply For Equipment Grants? 36 % 64 % *Does Your Club Have Resources To Serve Disabled Archers? 78 % 22 % Notes. Other Equipment Grant responses ranged from corporate, to boy scouts, NRA, local shoo ng founda ons, state improvement grants, and Rocky Mountain Elk Founda on. USAA 14 Easton 11 Other 10 Notes: The lack of marke ng is a troubling result. Proper outreach and communica on are key factors for growth that should not be ignored. *What is included in the membership fee? % Instruc onal Classes 45 % Achievement Program 35 % Awards 35 % Equipment Rental 32 % Merchandise 14 % Other 8 % *What is your club fee structure? % Per Year 46 % Per Session 18 % Per Month 11 % Per Week 1 % Other 24 %

13 13 What resources do you use to serve disabled archers? Notes: A por on of the event hos ng comments were thema cally coded by content and related informa on. Select comments were taken from the data to help illustrate each content area iden fied. Interes ngly, 72% of par cipants indicated they DID NOT have disabled archers registered with their club. This percentage reflects 38.2% of the total number of respondents for this ques on. Since archery is seen as a sport accessible to all, USAA should strive to create partnerships with disability organiza ons to promote the sport to marginalized individuals. Range Facility Modifica ons Range has designated parking, wheelchair access to targets, accessible bathroom, trained assis ve technology specialist. Physical range is outdoors and flat. Shop and range are handicap accessible, sigh ng device for vision impaired, chairs available for physically impaired. Our outdoor range is wheelchair accessible. Our facility is fully ADA compliant (e.g., entrance doors, bathrooms, walkways, etc.). Chair li available to get to upstairs archery range. Awareness Only We maintain awareness of club member limita ons. There are no specific resources. We GREATLY need more structured help from you guys, with this. Can we have a webinar, please? I just use our State JOAD Coordinator when I have ques ons. We have a coach/mentor available to help with this. Our clubhouse and facili es are completely handicap accessible, we just have no members in that category. Equipment Visual lights for ming and whistle commands (hearing impaired). Adap ve equipment. Small recurves, light draw weight. Closer bales, lighter bows. Addi onal shoo ng me, slightly modified equipment. Bite Straps, chairs for standing disabled archers. Equipment adjustments, individual training, anything that is needed. I shoot from a stool when shoo ng and use my experience to help make adjustments for the shooters. Instruc on Modifica on Individual coach to assist. Proper training to deal with au sm and ADHD. Local educators involved. Special training of coaches, special needs consultants. A en ve instruc on, accommoda ng shoo ng lines, sign language interpreters. We require parent par cipa on and the disabili es, to date, have been mental. Specific archery instruc on in JOAD program for disabled par cipants.

14 14 How do you classify your club to the IRS? A IRS C: Non Profit 81 For Profit 19 A F P C: Sole P 34 LLC 31 Partnership 9 Other 25 Notes: Few clubs operate for profit, and the majority that do are either LLCs or SPs. This is neither good nor bad but understanding the perceptual limita ons of either structure are important for the clubs. Also, the majority of clubs are neutral about community service. Boos ng this limited community engagement could serve as a meaningful fundraising tool for clubs seeking to enhance their efforts. Non Profit For Profit JOAD 83 % 17 % Adult 80 % 20 % What is your for profit structure? LLC Sole Proprietorship JOAD 30 % 40 % Adult 33 % 29 % Partnership 10 % 10 % Notes. Other responses ranged from part of a pro shop to S Corp, s ll working on it, not classified and not sure. Other 20 % 28 % My club is ac ve in community service: % Disagree = Strongly Disagree and Disagree; % Agree = Strongly Agree and Agree Disagree Neutral Agree JOAD 19 % 53 % 28 % Adult 19 % 36 % 45 % Notes. Aggregate community service mean score = 3.31 / 5.00 (moderate)

15 15 Addi onal club resources and interests: G G P : M = 4.34 / 5.00 P M: M = 4.21 / 5.00 A M: M = 4.31 / 5.00 H JOAD C : M = 3.63 / 5.00 H S T : M = 3.71 / 5.00 H R T : M = 3.47 / 5.00 My Club Could Benefit From Development Guides & Grant Programs. My Club Would Benefit From Recrea onal Program Materials. My Club Would Benefit From Athlete Development Resources. My Club Would Be Interested In Hos ng A JOAD Camp. My Club Would Be Interested In Hos ng A State Tournament. My Club Would Be Interested In Hos ng A Regional Tournament. Disagree Neutral Agree 6 % 12 % 82 % 5 % 14 % 81 % 3 % 13 % 84 % 19 % 25 % 56 % 18 % 22 % 60 % 23 % 26 % 51 % Notes. % Disagree = Strongly Disagree and Disagree ; % Agree = Strongly Agree and Agree.

16 16 Tell us a few things about the leadership in your club? L / M R: Notes: Lower numbers of highly trained instructors could be a barrier for the clubs in the future. This lack of skill could limit the number of high level archers that could eventually come from club par cipa on. It is in the best interests of USAA to evaluate the training constraints to see what could be done to facilitate greater training and cer fica on. A higher number of trained personnel not only enhances the core product, but also enhances the percep on of the sport and future advocacy for it. JOAD Average How Many Total Leaders In Your Club? How Many Club Leaders Are NASP or OAS Teachers? How Many Volunteers Assist With The Club? How Many Parents Assist With The Club? 1.64 N=47 checked N=16 checked N=11 checked 0 How Many Club Leaders Are Level 1 Cer fied? 3.75 How Many Club Leaders Are Level 2 Cer fied? 3.05 How Many Club Leaders Are Level 3 NTS Cer fied? 1.73 How Many Club Leaders Are Level 4 NTS Cer fied? 0.87 How Many Club Leaders Are Level 5 NTS Cer fied? 0.29 Adult Average N=69 checked N=21 checked N=15 checked

17 17 Sense of Community: As Club Leader, I Disagree Neutral Agree Do what I can to make running the club easier for all. (M=4.74) 0 % 1 % 99 % T C S C: Sense of Community (SoC) is a feeling of belonging that organiza onal leaders impart on organiza onal members, which translates into a feeling that members ma er to one another and to the group. The concept is also a shared faith that member needs will be met through their commitment to being together. For this aspect of the project, we measured the perceived level of SoC among program coaches and leaders. Understanding if JOAD coaches embrace a community approach is cri cal to fostering increased par cipa on and commitment to the sport. Give other club leaders responsibility to make decisions about the club. (M=4.32) Provide other club leaders with experiences to help them develop new skills. (M=4.27) Emphasize the importance of giving back to the community. (M=4.26) Give other club leaders freedom to handle important club decisions. (M=4.17) 4 % 11 % 85 % <1 % 14 % 85 % 2 % 16 % 82 % 2 % 11 % 87 % Encourage others to volunteer in the community. (M=4.13) 2 % 23 % 75 % Make club leader development a priority. (M=4.05) 4 % 22 % 74 % There Is A Sense of Community In My Club. (M=4.11) Disagree Neutral Agree 11 % 6 % 83 % Notes. The SoC items were self reported. As such, there is some bias in the results. In the future, we should ask club members about this aspect to be er understand this impact.

18 18 Sense of Community Outcomes: S C: We were interested in the predic ve power of SoC. As such, we examined several rela onships that are considered salient outcomes of a posi vely perceived archery community. Sense of Community JOAD Hos ng State Event Regional Event USAA Events Notes: SoC was significantly and posi vely related to event hos ng and par cipa ng. This is an important result for USAA since it shows that an increased feeling of community is associated with events and archer gatherings. USAA should work to foster and develop archery communi es to increases social exchanges among club members. This can be done through higher event par cipa on or through enhanced communica on. Notes. An aggregate SoC measure was calculated and its rela onship with JOAD Hos ng, State Event Hos ng, Regional Event Hos ng, and USAA Event par cipa on were examined. Sense of Community Importance Sense of Community percep ons were significantly related to event hos ng, and par cipa ng in archery events. What the data show is that when a felt Sense of Community increased, the likelihood of hos ng, and par cipa ng in, events increased as well. To increase Sense of Community for the purpose of reaping these benefits, it is important for club leaders to recognize and provide the following: Provide opportuni es for club members and leaders to be involved in decision making processes. Provide social spaces for club members to interact with one another, outside of tradi onal prac ce/compeon. Increase awareness regarding leadership opportuni es for club members and ancillary leaders. Develop mentorship opportuni es for club members where newer, and more seasoned members, are paired with one another to create learning and bonding experiences.

19 19 Theme 1: Junior Membership Changes R I While quan ta ve data (i.e., surveys) help iden fy the What aspect of the research ques on, we also need qualita ve data (i.e., interviews) to help explain the How and the Why aspects of the research ques on. Notes. To supplement the JOAD survey, N=15 interviews were conducted with USAA staff, JOAD Commi ee members, and JOAD club leaders. Interviews were designed to explore: (1) changes in JOAD memberships in recent years, and (2) challenges the interviewees experienced due to changes in membership. The relevant themes and analysis are provided. Many interviewees commented on an increased interest in archery, which translated into increased membership (par cularly among girls). O en this was a ributed to the coverage of the 2012 Olympic Games, the success of USA Archers at the Olympic Games, and recent movies and TV shows that prominently feature archery, which many dubbed the Hollywood Effect. However, we wish to cau on USA Archery on the interpreta on that the Olympic Games and the Hollywood Effect caused increases in archery par cipa on: First, USA Archery records demonstrate that membership (Adult, youth, and family) and JOAD club memberships have been increasing since This is likely a ributed to changes at USA Archery, the addi on of new staff, and an overall increase in organiza onal professionalism. This la er idea was observed in mee ng minutes obtained from the USA Archery website. Second, prior research on the impact of the Olympic Games and sport par cipa on is ambiguous, in that, this mega event does li le to influence sport par cipa on. Even high viewership numbers on television are not a ributed to causing an increase in people joining a new sport. Third, Hollywood movies and TV shows featuring archery is not a new trend. For instance, the character Robin Hood has been featured rou nely in movies and TV shows da ng back to The last Robin Hood blockbuster movie was released in 2010 and the latest TV adapta on broadcasted from Numerous other films prominently feature archery, such as the Rambo franchise ( ) and The Lord of the Rings trilogy ( ). The list of movies and TV where archery has appeared is extensive, illustra ng that Hollywood has a long standing romance with the sport. Despite these observa ons, The Hunger Games is different and has likely impacted archery demonstra vely. The main character (Katniss Everdeen) is strongly iden fied with (and defined by) archery. It is through archery that she gains her strength, overcomes odds, and finds her voice. Thus, archery is portrayed as a symbol of empowerment, and as such, an ac vity that youth consider cool.

20 20 Theme 1: Membership Changes (con nued) Notes. While the Hollywood Effect may have contributed slightly to an increase in archery interest, the main up ck was due to USAAs staffing and capacity building (i.e., foresight). Certainly, increased awareness of a sport comes from mainstream, media exposure. However, growth is only a ributed to properly sa sfying demand. We cau on USAA in relying to heavily on movies to grow the sport, as this can only be accomplished through internal recruitment and strategic reten on strategies. As a result, The Hunger Games has likely served as a catalyst for the impact of other movies and TV shows on archery. However, we do cau on USA Archery with relying on the Hollywood Effect to be long standing since the final two movies of the franchise will be released in 2014 and 2015 (respec vely). Moreover, the storyline of these two movies may not feature archery as prominently as the first two (i.e., based on our an analysis of the books). This means that USA Archery should not an cipate that membership in archery will con nue to grow at the rate experienced from This also means that USA Archery should be concerned with developing strategies to encourage reten on of exis ng and newly acquired members. Theme 2: Capacity Building A main challenge that interviewees experienced was mee ng the demand for increased interest in archery. Having a sufficient number of coaches was an issue for some clubs, while for others, it was finding a suitably sized venue for prac ces and regular club mee ngs. As parents are o en considered a resource for clubs, USA Archery should consider developing coaching recruitment policies for targe ng parents. Likewise, encouraging (and poten ally incen vizing) exis ng members and even older (experienced) youth to become coaches is another strategy that USA Archery should explore. There were also several comments related to coaching individuals with disabili es. As archery is generally considered to be a sport that anyone can par cipate in, regardless of gender, age, and physical a ributes, one might expect that it would be a rac ve for individuals with disabili es. However, coaches were unsure of how to cater to people with individual needs. It may, therefore, be important to examine what resources are available to beginning coaches. And, perhaps the topic of coaching individuals with disabili es should be introduced early in a coaching development and training.

21 21 Theme 3: Communica on Issues Interviewees reported several communica on issues, which they men oned were mainly a ributed to archery growth and to the available (and preferred) modes of communica on. Notes. Accessible, consistent, and personable communica on are the cornerstones for organiza onal growth. As such, USAA should strive to maintain communica on strategies that enable member interac ons and facilitate informa on transfer. Simply, the more informa on USAA makes available to members, the higher levels of sa sfac on and advocacy for the organiza on will result. First, the USAA website for is not user friendly, and informa on is o en located under several layers of webpage. This makes it difficult for people to find informa on and u lize it accordingly. Second, some felt there may be an over reliance on new modes of communica on, par cularly social media. This is directly a ributed to some members and staff not being overly familiar with, nor comfortable using these pla orms. USA Archery should consider using mul ple modes of communica on to accommodate varying preferences. Third, while some JOAD club leaders are comfortable communica ng with USA Archery staff, others are not (mainly due to a lack of familiarity with staff members). The growth of archery, and the addi on of new staff may have created a percep on that USA Archery is more of a faceless bureaucra c agency, rather than the face of archery in America. USA Archery should consider ways in which they can present themselves as an accessible and friendly resource to all. For instance, the inclusion of a weekly/monthly video blog or video welcome message on the USA Archery webpage could go a long way to promo ng the organiza on as personable and human. Finally, the addi on of new staff members to USA Archery has created some role ambiguity regarding the purpose of the JOAD Commi ee. When interviewees were asked to comment on the role of this commi ee, the results can best be described as consistently inconsistent. That is, interviewees (i.e., regardless of whether they were staff members, JOAD club leaders, or JOAD Commi ee members) tended to offer very different explana on for the purpose of this commi ee. This disconnect was also revealed in minutes obtained from a USAA annual mee ng. USA Archery needs to reconsider the structure and purpose of this commi ee and then ensure that any changes are effec vely communicated to all members.

22 Twenty five percent of all clubs do not participate in events, which was reported as a function of limited interest and lack of skill. However, only half of all clubs participate in some form of fundraising, which could be an additional barrier to event participation. Further, when asked if their club funds travel to regional and/national event only 9% said that they fund participants through fundraising efforts. Recommendation: Provide club leaders with suggestions regarding potential fundraising strategies that have been used by other clubs to help promote participant travel to events and increased engagement in archery. Lack of physical space and restricted (and limited) capacity was identified as a reason for not hosting events for club members. Recommendation: An active push should be made by USA Archery to explicitly connect club leaders with other archery/shooting organizations (e.g., NASP, State Coordinators) to enhance collaboration and potential capacity in communities across the country. As well, the under u liza on of JOAD coordinators is something that USAA should explore. Perhaps this is an awareness issue that could be easily overcome through be er communica on to the coaches and leaders. Nearly 3/4 of all clubs do not host, par cipate in the mail in series, or par cipate in the achievement award program. This is somewhat troubling from a development and growth perspec ve. In order to facilitate long term par cipa on, events and other opportuni es for social interac on (outside of an archers core group) are essen al. Recommenda on: Alterna ve opportuni es for par cipa on need to be communicated to club leaders (1) on a consistent basis, and (2) through mul ple mediums (e.g., , face to face mee ngs, Facebook, twi er). Given the need to keep par cipants engaged in the sport of archery within their clubs, it is important that new/ alterna ve forms of archery par cipa on (e.g., mail in series and achievement program) are constantly promoted and u lized to their full poten al. The majority of clubs meet at ranges, pro shops, and other areas. Most club participants own their own equipment but ~30% still rent. This leaves significant room for purchasing among the population. Recommendation: An effort to partner with local merchants could be made by club leaders to obtain discounts for members to purchase equipment. This extra incentive (reduced cost), may increase equipment purchase. Approximately 30% of clubs do not offer certification classes, do not charge a fee, or have a website. Further, approximately 50% do not market to new members. Recommendation: There needs to be an incentive for club leaders to market to new members. Whether it be providing tips for marketing strategies or offering rewards to clubs who increase membership in a given year.

23 Appendix A: Fundraising Ideas Raffles Tournaments/JOAD fees Selling calendars Iron deer at tournaments Dinners, tournament Restaurants giving por on of bills on certain nights Lessons Summer picnic and raffle Raffles and 3D shoots Hot dog/brat sales Again, a future event. We are hos ng a winter tournament Concessions at club Yankee Candle, Car wash and bake sales Shoo ng events Local grants Hos ng local compeons Car wash Fall Product and Cookie Sale Shoots T shirts Free Archery classes followed by recrea onal archery sessions Reques ng grants, hos ng local tournaments We make the flip score cards used in tournaments Dona ons Selling entertainment books, calendars, solici ng to businesses for contribu ons Tournaments Car Wash Spaghe dinners Instruc on fees Krispy Kreme Donut Sales Selling Gold Canyon candles Field Day Raffles Booster club and youth fund raisers Shoots Bucket drop Calcu ta Field Day Raffles BBQs, Clam Bake Beginner Classes

24 Appendix B: Club Websites paseoarchery.org desertskyarchers.com pointstothecross.com virtualjoad.com was ngarrows.com krgcteamxtremejoad.wix.com/teamxtremejoad B4hfss.org sfarchers.org and cosoarchery.com part of archeryinmo on.com cupidsgatearchery.com eas orkarchery.com cornerarchery.com/cornerkids palmyrasportsmenassoc.com home.myfairpoint.net/vzeoz7fq/ facebook.com/tenrings ngers?ref=hl parkboard.org/codp/archery.htm Run through pro shop. pelkeysarchery.com PalmyraSportsmensAssoc.com overtonsarcherycenter.com/joad toppinarcherysd.com oshkoshjoad.com statenislandarchery.com hrjoad.org straightarrowarchery.org kennesawarchery.com aces archery.org redtailarchery.com granitecityjoad.com precisionarcheryjoad.com saludariverarchery.com Rivercityarchers.org minnehaha archers.com nhjoadarchery.com Hallsarrow.com tomahawkarchers.com weymouthsportsmensclub.com focalpointarchers.com goldengatejoad.com wheatonrifleclub.org greatlakessrc.org baypatharchers.com GenevaArchery.com winnerarcheryandgun.com Chicagoland JOAD ironarchers.com theolympicarrow.com under construc on demmercenter.msu.edu nassaubowmen.org mudjawbowmen.com rapidsarchery.org hrjoad.org rovingarchers.com AhamoArcheryClub.org westallisbowmen.com papagoarchery.com acearchers.com falconarchers.hypermart.net/ riversidegc org pointstothecross.com Issaquahsportsmensclub.com wopena.com wildernessjoad.net thearcherycenter.org wyliekarate.com newberryjoadclub.org roaringbrookcamp.com brazos 4h archery.org landolakesbowmen.com tuscaroraarchers.com rakowanaarchers.com nmarchery.org 50thstatearcheryclub.com theglenn.com facebook.com/groups/midgaarcheryclub westallisbowmen.com rrpc.org