Bike Clubs and what can go wrong

[Slakewell]

Volunteer Syndrome
Bike Clubs and what can go wrong.
I got reminded of this the other day when someone gave me the How dare you question that persons Integrity there a Volunteer and the (Put name here) Club would be hopeless without them.  Most clubs have one of these people, there attracted to clubs because it’s one of the few places you can play this game and no one really questions you because it’s rude to say that a Volunteer is a hopeless nut job who’s anal controlling ways very often do more damage than good. You can hear the words ( I’m not paid to do this ) If your rude enough to suggest that they may have done a little better.
Volunteer Syndrome the short version is how dare you question me I’m a Volunteer so I’m right. Goggle the long version if you need more clarification. 
These people will polarize club members you either think there the tireless Volunteer who the club would be lost with out or a screaming anal control freak of course if you think the later you will simply slowly leave the club and stop turning up because it’s rude to say so.
These people fill there prophecies. They do end up doing huge amounts of work to keep the club going mostly because so many people have left because they can’t stand them. They also will undermine and put down anyone who might dare just work quietly in the background as they feel threaten by these people.
It is really catch 22 many club members don’t know what to do. If you try and vote them out of the club you become the biggest arsehole or if you leave them there they will slowly kill your club. It can be turned around and I have seen it done, it will take a good 12 months for the club to return back to health and start growing again.
Turn up to Club meeting and look the dynamics if it has less than 10 attendees you can be sure that one or more of the club officials has Volunteer Syndrome.
How many members turn up at Penrith club meetings lately?

[Paul552]

Volunteer Syndrome
Bike Clubs and what can go wrong.
I got reminded of this the other day when someone gave me the How dare you question that persons Integrity there a Volunteer and the (Put name here) Club would be hopeless without them.  Most clubs have one of these people, there attracted to clubs because it’s one of the few places you can play this game and no one really questions you because it’s rude to say that a Volunteer is a hopeless nut job who’s anal controlling ways very often do more damage than good. You can hear the words ( I’m not paid to do this ) If your rude enough to suggest that they may have done a little better.
Volunteer Syndrome the short version is how dare you question me I’m a Volunteer so I’m right. Goggle the long version if you need more clarification. 
These people will polarize club members you either think there the tireless Volunteer who the club would be lost with out or a screaming anal control freak of course if you think the later you will simply slowly leave the club and stop turning up because it’s rude to say so.
These people fill there prophecies. They do end up doing huge amounts of work to keep the club going mostly because so many people have left because they can’t stand them. They also will undermine and put down anyone who might dare just work quietly in the background as they feel threaten by these people.
It is really catch 22 many club members don’t know what to do. If you try and vote them out of the club you become the biggest arsehole or if you leave them there they will slowly kill your club. It can be turned around and I have seen it done, it will take a good 12 months for the club to return back to health and start growing again.
Turn up to Club meeting and look the dynamics if it has less than 10 attendees you can be sure that one or more of the club officials has Volunteer Syndrome.
How many members turn up at Penrith club meetings lately?

This is so true
My son races mx and there is this guy that constantly has to tell you what he has done and is constantly telling you what to do. At the same time as my wife is out on the track flag marshalling all day.

I put my son up a class and want to look after him on the bigger bike but this guy takes it upon himself to order you around and make a drama for nothing ( while he is looking after his son  not flagging)
I tell you you are correct these types kill a club volunteer syndrome is real!!!
They are always the same nobodies they never made it in a professional life!!!!
It's bad that I don't feel like taking my boy racing because the impulse of permanently adjusting this guy is too strong!!!!

[VMX Andrew]

Argh yes this all sounds familiar.
Wonder if its the same guy that was ordering me around at a Dargle grass
track meet a few years back while i was out doing the flag marshalling.
Moved a few metres down he track after a junior rider went down to get a better
look then he gave me the Adolf hitler third reich.
After they stopped the race you could hear the other flaggys making comments
about this guys whole approach to running a club day.
It wasnt nice.

[paco]

You are right ; but what can you do other than be truthful . It takes all types ; that is what makes the world go round . These people should take lessons in how to talk to people . p

[80-85 husky]

so sad that people have to micro manage their kids lives... christ when i was growing up we f*cked off after breakfast and showed up for tea! managed to have a hell of a lot of fun.

a club i was in years ago had two big egos "running it" with their kids in battle on the track...well!

The political back stabbing, conniving for advantage and all that petty "chickenshit" (US Army term) was just amazing to watch.... julia should get a lesson, she is a babe in the woods compared to these guys

as stated earlier, the world goes round.... none of em made world champ either....

[matcho mick]

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[Shaun G]

<snipped>
Turn up to Club meeting and look the dynamics if it has less than 10 attendees you can be sure that one or more of the club officials has Volunteer Syndrome.
How many members turn up at Penrith club meetings lately?

Penrith is going fine. It really doesn't matter how many turn up to a club meeting so long as the 3,4 or 5 that do all the work to put an event on for you are there. Then you can bag the shit out of them later because they don't agree with you interpretation of how they should be running things. FFS 

Cheers
Shaun

[micks]

yer why point out the penrith club.you could of used any club. who about heaven how many go to their club (not race) meetings.?
anyway i understand where you are coming from there are people who take an active role in a club and then there are members. that reminds me i must do my bit for the club and renew my membership 

[TooFastTim]

I think we all recognize your volunteer. Usually been involved in the sport for years but never raced. They also have a strange attraction to tweed jackets and flat caps and pipes.

Yeah, they can be misguided and very often their contribution is underrated, so you have to handle them with kid gloves. The best is also volunteer for club work days, be visible and then, diplomatically suggest that there might be a better way of doing things. This way you are one of the self sacrificing group that he holds so dear and he's more likely to take your (constructive) criticism seriously.

[Nathan S]

http://feralsportscarclub.net/CarClub2.html

I've been looking at building a race car out of one of the old rally shells sitting here. A particular "hardworking volunteer" has turned me off the class entirely, after he showed himself to be a bully and a liar.
There's two blokes (who hate each other) who have made a mess of rallying in NSW with their ego-driven power wrangling - the 'funny' bit is that the vast majority of competitors want them both to f$&k off.

You didn't present your case well in the other thread, BTW Slakewell.

[Dono113]

Hey Nathan one those blokes names wouldn't be Mcferrson, short fat dude would it?

[Nathan S]

Hey Nathan one those blokes names wouldn't be Mcferrson, short fat dude would it?

No. Messers Humphreys and Dudok. Both do a lot for the sport, but they also do a lot of harm (as Slakewell was saying in his opening post).
Only MacPherson in NSW rallying I can think of is the world-famous Greggy from RallySchool. He's not one for the power wrangles, AFAIK.

[firko]

I'm not going to get into slagging personalities but I well know where Slakewells coming from. Unfortunately these club positions are often taken up by people with personal agenda and a dictatorial bent. HEAVEN in particular had a bloke at the helm who offended nearly everyone he dealt with. Thankfully HEAVEN and Penrith are now being driven by folks who have the sports future as their main focus, not political ambition or Mussolini role playing. One problem with the club structure is that most punters join a club to race, the last thing they want to do is man the sign up table, wave a flag or lap score. That's why it's hard to find good officials who not only have good administration skills and a good working knowledge of vintage racings unique foibles but have an even temper, good communication skills and can can get it done while racing three classes himself on the day. When these people get into administrative positions in the club we need to treat them with the highest of respect by offering assistance whenever it's needed or at the very least not making their day harder by loading them with petty crap. People with these positive skills are as rare as chicken lips and need to be encouraged and nurtured

[suzuki59]

I'm not going to get into slagging personalities but I well know where Slakewells coming from. Unfortunately these club positions are often taken up by people with personal agenda and a dictatorial bent. HEAVEN in particular had a bloke at the helm who offended nearly everyone he dealt with. Thankfully HEAVEN and Penrith are now being driven by folks who have the sports future as their main focus, not political ambition or Mussolini role playing. One problem with the club structure is that most punters join a club to race, the last thing they want to do is man the sign up table, wave a flag or lap score. That's why it's hard to find good officials who not only have good administration skills and a good working knowledge of vintage racings unique foibles but have an even temper, good communication skills and can can get it done while racing three classes himself on the day. When these people get into administrative positions in the club we need to treat them with the highest of respect by offering assistance whenever it's needed or at the very least not making their day harder by loading them with petty crap. People with these positive skills are as rare as chicken lips and need to be encouraged and nurtured

Ah the "good old Heaven days" when The Son of Satan was at the helm,making no friends with all and sundry.
I think that you will find the odd power  hungry zealot in committees etc in all sports,including VMX.
Because  generally they are the only places that they can feel powerful and important.
Ultimately if you want to do something about people like this,you need to man up,and get involved with the club.
Just saying.
Cheers
Craig

[Curly3]

It's not just motorcycle clubs but all amatuer sporting clubs in general.
It has always been like that and always will, cooperation and acceptance of differing opinions is very rare.
From what I can tell Penrith as a club is going okay, Nepean Motor Sports Club on the other hand is having some serious issues at this point in time.
The issue there as I see it is that there are half a dozen clubs involved in running a larger club that has a big future along with a huge asset within an hour of Syd.
I've put my hand up to be a BWP delegate but am having second thoughts.