He gave me some good advice, thanks Bob, and I've put together an outline that I'd like you to look at and give some feedback on. If you have experience with clubs please let me know if I'm missing something. Or if you are a local here in Osaka, foreign or Japanese, and would be interested in joinining a club like this please get in touch with your views.
Samurai Striders (tentative)(Osaka International Running Club)
To start early September 2011
FIND MEMBERS
Foreign and local runners (How to do this)
ARRANGE FIRST MEETING
To talk about its set up (Where to do this)
DECIDE A NAME
Decide on name and logo (Initial members decide)
APPOINT/ELECT CLUB OFFICIALS
President
• Treasurer
• Secretary
• Fundraiser Coordinator
• Social Coordinator
• Race Coordinator
• Club Coach
• Web Site Coordinator
DETERMINE THE CLUB MISSION
Who are we what are our objectives
WRITE THE CLUB HANDBOOK/BYLAWS
Do this as a group
PLAN A WEBSITE
Who will design and run it day to day (Me to start)
SCHEDULING RUNS
Time and duration (Week night 7:30 to 9:00)
FIND A LOCATION
Place with track and showers (Nagai Park)
SET ANNUAL FEES
To cover clubs running costs (annual 2000 yen)?
I’d appreciate any feedback and expressions of interest regarding the setting up of this running club.
Thanking you in anticipation
Scott Brown abenoki@gmail.com
Something else that might be of interest to you. A slide show on the beauty and strength of Bamboo. "Be Bamboo My Friend"
Be Like Bamboo (TEDxTokyo 2011 slides)
View more presentations from garr
great idea, good luck with this, scott
ReplyDeleteWell Scotty as the ex road race secretary of my local running club I thought I better give you some advice about setting up your club!
ReplyDeleteMeet at the local club-bar-pub.
Rules; who needs rules apart from everyone buys a round!
Clothing; that punk rock stuff looks good!
Good luck and hope you get enough members so you don't have to do all the jobs.
p.s. you could organize your own races with all the funds going to your club beer allowance!
2,000 Yen is about 17 Euro which is very good value. The Club I run with have an annual fee of 50 Euro which covers access twice a week to a tartan track and shower/changing facilities and entries to Club Competitions (Track and Road). The club organises 2 races a year to which is the only form of fundraising necessary. Best of luck with your venture.
ReplyDeleteGood idea Scott. Not sure what it's like up there, but most clubs down here are 'Incorporated' - that means none of the officials can get sued if there's an accident (runner gets hit by a car, etc)... so, also important to have insurance cover.
ReplyDeleteBorrow somebody elses bylaws/rules and copy them.
ReplyDeleteIt is then just an editing job rather than a bunch of loons coming up with all sorts of crazy rules because of their traumatic childhoods.
Great idea Richard!
ReplyDeleteBut not before I slip this one in for me...
"On annual club overnight trips all and any "Bed Wetting" shall hereafter referred to as “nocturnal enuresis” and said wetter never forced to clean the toilets for a month."
hi scott - sorry not posted any comments lately. this is a GREAT idea, and that's a pretty cool name.
ReplyDeletecan i join as an overseas member and run with you guys on my annual trip back to Japan? I'm back this summer for a fair chunk of July (so if you're bored please launch early - ha ha) and will be back for 2weeks in October either side of the Osaka Marathon
look forward to hearing how this idea progresses, but I for when think its great. Hell, could even be a good enough reason to actually move back to Japan