Stirring up school support

K-wood Kid · Posted: Aug 31, 2005 7:03 pm Post subject: Stirring up school support

Hey guys so last year I started the wake club at our school and it went quite horribly with little support and very very few members we weren't able to get anything done. This year with the onslaught of 1200 new sophmores I think it will go better but need some fresh ideas on how to get more kids to actually show up at meetings. School starts at 7:15 every morning besides Thursday morning which is late arrival and starts at 9:15. Last year I tried having a meeting every other Thursday morning and it was bad. This year I have the last period off and may be able to like go home and get supplies and get back up to the school for after school meetings. Also last year we held meeting in a regular class room. should we try meeting after school off campus (other clubs do it) or what? also last year we went into the school cafeteria before school (where everyone waits for class) and played DownSide Up on a projector onto the wall and that turned some heads but still no one showed up to the next meeting. I'm running out of ideas.

AndyAndy · Addict Joined: 09 Aug 2004 Posts: 660 City: cutchogue

free food/merchandise

Damon · Posted: Aug 31, 2005 7:32 pm Post subject:

Im surprised you even are acknoledged as a club, my districted pulled a "non eduactional" card on me...

Anyway, DEFINATLY have afternoon meetings, unless you get abunch of people playing sports. Having the meetings later at night at some offcampus location isnt a bad idea.

Out of all my non-wakeboarding friends, they are all in love with Welcome, they could care less about relentless or the butter effect. You might want to take that into account.

How many people wakeboard at your school?

K-wood Kid · Posted: Aug 31, 2005 7:37 pm Post subject:

So far one of the main guys who is helping me with the club plays varsity football so after school would probably not work unless we had like a meeting after school once we got alot of support

seadooman89 · Criminal Joined: 03 Aug 2005 Posts: 59 City: niagara falls

get sum hunnies Very Happy

cant go wrong there Exclamation

at least u have a club.... one at my school would be sick Puppy Eyes

HatzicMotive140 · Soul Rider Joined: 18 Jul 2004 Posts: 261 City: abbotsford

thats rad man, but can you guys still ride into the later months of the year? i dont know b/c my wakeboarding season ends around the end of september. and then we ahve to use dry suits b/c the water is way too cold.

ScottyB_RochNY · Addict Joined: 09 Jun 2004 Posts: 971 City: Rochester

punch and pie!

Liquidmx · Addict Joined: 26 Jul 2004 Posts: 755 City: San Jose

See if you can set up a table during lunch with some flyers with info on the club and when the meetings are. Maybe put a tv next to your table playing a vid. Play some music too maybe? Put your wakeboard out there for people to see. Make sure you are in a high traffic area but with enough room for people to linger around. Word of mouth works pretty well too if its a fun event. You could talk about possible sponsorships by the local board shops if there is enough interest; people like the sound of saying "I am sponsored".

Maybe you could set up a giant trampoline at one of the meetings with a rope to work with?

You could always make a banner and park your truck and boat outside the parking lot exit so people can see that your on your way to the lake showing that the club is a reality not just a bunch of kids playing grab @ss. If this year works out definately video as much as possible so you can use that video as propaganda to pull in next years club members.

Good luck, I wish SJSU had a club. Crying or Very sad

K-wood Kid · Posted: Sep 01, 2005 12:43 pm Post subject:

thanks for all the help guys. LiquidMx those are some great ideas. Alecia from Buywake.com was kind enough to help us out with a discount for club members. With their support along with these great ideas our club is looking like its going to be great.

Damon · Posted: Sep 01, 2005 12:55 pm Post subject:

This is high school age right?

surfersarah · Posted: Sep 01, 2005 1:49 pm Post subject:

im the only wakeboarder in my school so i guess a club would really suck Laughing

GuitsBoy · Posted: Sep 01, 2005 1:50 pm Post subject:

How does this work? Does your school have a boat and a lake? Or do you guys just discuss wakeboarding at the meetings?

Jensen · Posted: Sep 01, 2005 1:54 pm Post subject:

a club would work great at my school cuz its right across the street from a private community with a private lake. i'll have to see what i can do. i know theres a lot of wakeboarders at school.

savage3221 · Posted: Sep 01, 2005 2:25 pm Post subject:

K-wood Kid, I'm doing the same thing, I have lots and lots of people lining up to join and I have not even gotten it OK'd by the school yet Laughing

Hope you have some luck getting it started up, and at least you have it approved, and show em how to have a good time on the water

GuitsBoy, probably people come out on his boat with him and split cost of gas and maybe a small one-time upkeep fee for the boat? that is what I plan to do for myself at least, no cost wakeboarding, especially with how much gas is out there! Shocked

sktw8 · Outlaw Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 126

I tried to start one at my school this morning and the princpal said we couldnt do it with school because of liability reasons. but two other schools in our school system already have them.

K-wood Kid · Posted: Sep 01, 2005 5:18 pm Post subject:

sktw8 we aren't allowed to go wakeboarding as a school club because of liability but we discuss it and make plans to ride or get new people riding for after school or the weekend. Guitsboy we dont have a school boat just ride on each other's boats.

GuitsBoy · Posted: Sep 01, 2005 5:31 pm Post subject:

Dudes, that rocks. Ive been out of highschool for 7 years now, but when I was going I tried to get a school BMX team going (dirt jump style contest). Got shot down for liability reasons too. It would have been sick to have a wakeboard team, but theres no good spots to ride on long island.... and wakeboarding wasnt this popular back in 98. Even if you guys cant do it through the school, it would be awesome just to get a group togather just to go out riding togather and shoot video togather. You can still put togather a team outside of school. I did just that with beerpong! Mr. Green

K-wood Kid · Posted: Sep 01, 2005 7:03 pm Post subject:

One of the guys who I was talking with about the club has an X-star and a tube for tube shots. He actually goes out on the tube and shots with a normal camera without waterproof casing because he has water damage insurance on it. Hopefully we will get to ride abunch before it gets too cold and we have to bust out the dry suits.

K-wood Kid · Posted: Oct 04, 2005 9:33 pm Post subject:

Well I put up flyers and had the meeting announced on the morning announcements. The meeting is before school on Thursday. I've gotten quite a few emails now of people waiting for the first meetng, but one girl has cosmetology before school so she can't make it. I was thinking about having a meeting like a week from now at maybe at 5o'clock on Sunday down at the docks and just have my jet ski there with a board and a skate for a few people to try out. Anyone think thats a good idea or a better time or any imput?

*NOTE* I didn't want to start another thread so I brought this one back

msimpson · Posted: Oct 05, 2005 8:39 am Post subject:

Try to get some students out to the lake to try it. When they are successful and talk at school about how great of a time it was, interest will start. Being a teacher, I have learned that peer pressure is very powerful in schools. Ha!!

Damon · Posted: Oct 05, 2005 10:32 am Post subject:

Yeah definatly get kids out there doing it... If your just sitting in a room looking at eachother, things will get kinda boring.

And the kid with the camera with water damage insurance? Thats pretty stupid.

K-wood Kid · Posted: Oct 05, 2005 2:09 pm Post subject:

What I was thinking was getting my ski out there like one day after school for kids to come try is out. Like have my ski someone drive and someone spot and I'll cordinate from the beach. ONly thing is that alot of kids have football till 7. It will be more successful in Spring, but how should I make due for now?

Damon · Posted: Oct 05, 2005 2:20 pm Post subject:

Buy a winch, and build a pool/gap/pool in the school.

That would be a pretty sick thing to do at a pep assembly

Honestly... your in texas so you've got the weather on your side... Up here we'd be watching movies and getting ready to head up to the mtns.

If you can't wakeboard, atleast plan trips with your club together... just get people involved... Colleges will love it too.

bellada1 · Newbie Joined: 05 Oct 2005 Posts: 10

Just get people on the water, once they're up they will be hooked and will spread the word... i wish my high school would have acknowledged a club, oh well college does Very Happy

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HOLLOMAN101 · Soul Rider Joined: 26 Jul 2003 Posts: 478 City: Austin

welp count me in i just started the club at my school to, we seem to have a pretty group of pps wantin to be apart of it and hopefully we will have a good turn out, first meetin is next thursday. Hunter get some tshirts goin for the club thats what we are doin and we are gettin pps wantin them who arnt even in the club, it will be really good to get some spendin money for the club

Damon · Posted: Oct 06, 2005 4:02 pm Post subject:

Yeah make sure to talk to admin before you get T-shirts off though, most school districts have contracts for those types of things, and can probably save you money.

K-wood Kid · Posted: Oct 06, 2005 5:24 pm Post subject:

Man this morning was unfortunately another bust. I had quite a few emails but I show up and it's me, my girlfriend, my buddy who rode with us, and two other guys. Pat called and said he was on his way but got stuck in traffic along with Kyle and the few girls didn't even show. I need help!

HOLLOMAN101 · Soul Rider Joined: 26 Jul 2003 Posts: 478 City: Austin

k wood does your school have announcements, ours has tv announcements and they mention the club i also have flyers all around the school

K-wood Kid · Posted: Oct 06, 2005 5:59 pm Post subject:

I have done both. Daily announcements for a week leading up to the meeting, 50 flyers around school. Doesn't help man. How much are you selling the shirts for anyways?

Damon · Posted: Oct 06, 2005 8:03 pm Post subject:

It's because they are in the morning, I hate to say it.

Last year we had morning meetings for all the ASB/class officers, elected officals, usually only 1/4 of them showed up. Eventually I stopped going too because we couldnt ever get anything done. Don't let this happen to your club.

How many people are in your school?

K-wood Kid · Posted: Oct 06, 2005 8:23 pm Post subject:

at the main campus (10th-12) roughly 3,000

Damon · Posted: Oct 06, 2005 8:40 pm Post subject:

Daaaaamn

Hmm... What time was your meeting?

K-wood Kid · Posted: Oct 07, 2005 12:10 pm Post subject:

started at 9 am in room 321 and the tardy bell for first period rings at 9:30

Damon · Posted: Oct 07, 2005 1:04 pm Post subject:

9? And people couldn't make it?

Damn, I thought you were talking like 6:30 or something. Those kids are slackers.

Liquidmx · Addict Joined: 26 Jul 2004 Posts: 755 City: San Jose

Maybe supply them with some jumbo jacks for breakfast or something. Mr. Green