Discussion: O Employment Stats

What's your guess for the US?

I'd like to think it's over 5 in Canada, but perhaps not.

One difference, I think--more Canadian O employment is oriented towards coaching/athlete development. I don't think we have any of that here. In the US, it is putting on races, mostly of a hybrid, or O-lite nature.

Yes and no in Canada. Alberta for one has I think close to two people working in pure administration roles. I'm not exactly sure if it's good value for money, although they do have lots of money which is better than none.

I've long talked about trying to combine forces with a nordic ski club to pull resources to pay someone more. Often clubs have funding for say 2/3s or half time salary and sometimes it's only seasonal. If an O club and ski club could find someone who could potentially coach both, then you could have a decent salary. Would finding a candidate be difficult? Yes, but not impossible, but hard to get the first club to move on it.

I have no idea what the USA number is. Remember, I'm talking FTE's here, so you want to count anyone who is paid. So someone working half-time all year is a 0.5, as is someone working full-time for just half the year.

In the USA, the number for OUSA is 1.0 for Glen, plus 0.x for Robin (maybe 0.5??). Then there is Eric Bone (1.0?), Vladimir (0.1??? at this point, hopefully more). I don't know of any people employed by clubs, but maybe there are a couple?

And then there are mappers, which I hadn't really been thinking about, since I was thinking more along the lines of people getting paid to organize events and promote the sport. Maybe the mappers total 2 or 3???

I'm just pretty sure that if the number of professionals was higher, we'd be doing a lot better.

My sense is Canada has been more successful getting government and grant money and has more professionals.

Ed Hicks (and Bob Burg, and a couple of other temps, not sure what the model is), if not necessarily competitive sport-oriented.

GHO has a 1.0 FTE. The individual coordinates our adventure running programs. Half of that position is funded by the income from our Adventure Running Kids program here in Hamilton. We have received a six requests for ARK franchises (which we arent selling) from individuals not currently in the sport of orienteering. It is interesting to see how people not in our sport see the money making potential.

In many other sports the clubs hire coaches to organize athletic development from the income they make from club memberships while companies organize the larger events. I think our sport would be much more developed if that model were followed.

I think Deb Humiston goes on the list, and Chris Cassone may contribute a fraction as well.