Novice School Instructor - March 2, 2013

RodneyWright · **Posted:** Wed Feb 27, 2013 11:09 am

JamesShort wrote:

Does anyone know of any Novices who are signed up in the first 40 of registration who are not 100% committed to coming?

I'd ping the students directly for that info. What about the wait list students? Can we fit them in?

JamesShort · **Posted:** Wed Feb 27, 2013 12:38 pm

RodneyWright wrote:

JamesShort wrote:

Does anyone know of any Novices who are signed up in the first 40 of registration who are not 100% committed to coming?

I'd ping the students directly for that info. What about the wait list students? Can we fit them in?

I've emailed all of them who have not prepaid.

We don't have enough instructors so we are hard capping at 40. Those on the list of 40 who have not prepaid by tomorrow night at midnight are getting swapped onto the waitlist in favor of a waitlisted student who have prepaid. Most of the Waitlisted entrants have prepaid so it should be easy to do so. Hopefully people are not using email addresses that they don't monitor.

steve remchak · **Posted:** Wed Feb 27, 2013 10:54 pm

I think it is admirable that ya'll are trying to provide instructors and quality time to all of the newbs registered....................

But, if I may............ take the money and run. Invite the wait-listers and do it in a hurry. If they paid they want to be there.

There is no moral dilemma here James, I just hate that these newbies won't get to meet VK on their first day.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Maybe nine years from now one of this weekends' noobs will be bitching about how awful their first day at Club THSCC was........... :wink:

Trust me on this one........... ya'll will pull it off just fine. :thumbsup:

steve remchak · **Posted:** Thu Feb 28, 2013 12:26 am

Additionally, as a point of reference ... people with my level of un-autocross-ability are likely to only show up once every other generation or so.

Arthur McDonald · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 1:54 am **Posts:** 2052

I just signed up as an instructor. Hope that means we can get Dave O (first on the waiting list) into the event.

JamesShort · **Posted:** Thu Feb 28, 2013 10:25 am

steve remchak wrote:

I think it is admirable that ya'll are trying to provide instructors and quality time to all of the newbs registered....................

But, if I may............ take the money and run. Invite the wait-listers and do it in a hurry. If they paid they want to be there.

There is no moral dilemma here James, I just hate that these newbies won't get to meet VK on their first day.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Maybe nine years from now one of this weekends' noobs will be bitching about how awful their first day at Club THSCC was........... :wink:

Trust me on this one........... ya'll will pull it off just fine. :thumbsup:

It's sad to know you are a business owner....

We are selling a product, namely driver instruction to a group of people willing to spend $40+ (gas, lots of tire wear, etc) and their whole day driving, getting instructed, working the course in 45degF weather. If we, THSCC, appear overwhelmed or can't concentrate on the students to the degree they expect or need, then we have failed. If we are jumping out of car A the moment the run is over and jumping in car B with no retrospective with driver A, then the student loses and we fail.

I think as we're seeing over the years that a single, small bad taste in the mouth of a new comer to the sport or the club can keep them from coming back. We want to make sure as hell that it doesn't happen for the 40 who diligently preregistered (many of which prepaid). For those on the waitlist who don't get to come, well they will likely come on Sunday and Steve Carter and Rob are doing a great job and helping the novices at the points events so I have *no* concern that the waitlisted folks are going to never come back or are doomed to be disappointed with a points event over the novice school.

What does this buy us? If we give excellent and personal instruction to 40 students and 30 are hooked and 10 just had shit-eatin-grins on their face all day but can't afford or don't have the time to come out very frequently, then I think we did our job well. If we have 51 come out and because of all the car hopping and rushing, 20 are completely put off and another 15-20 felt like they had mediocre instruction, then despite the extra $400 of revenue, I feel like we failed because that is a large set of people who probably won't become regulars.

Steve, quit making it seem like you are the ultimate source for the novice experience. You aren't. You are not special in the least. The majority of the officers and staff running this club were novices in the last 5 years or so. The rate of novice to dedicated club member is quite high in the last few years despite the net totals being down.

:soap:

BriceJohnson · **Joined:** Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:33 am **Posts:** 2230

James, he's just being a tool, thats what he does. No reason to take the bait and continue even discussing our business planning with someone who:

a. never comes to autocross
b. proudly talks about how much of a pain in the ass he is on forums
c. is not a club officer and has shown no willingness to actually help the club succeed other than random ramblings on its web forums

The officers and event chairs have spoken, and if Remchak doesn't like it, he can run for president next year.

JamesShort · **Posted:** Thu Feb 28, 2013 10:35 am

Arthur McDonald wrote:

I just signed up as an instructor. Hope that means we can get Dave O (first on the waiting list) into the event.

Thanks Art, we are just getting word about another instructor who has to drop and we're almost completely prepaid in the first 40. I'll let you know if Dave get's in

Bill Aycock · **Joined:** Wed Sep 26, 2012 1:55 pm **Posts:** 117

JamesShort wrote:

steve remchak wrote:

I think it is admirable that ya'll are trying to provide instructors and quality time to all of the newbs registered....................

But, if I may............ take the money and run. Invite the wait-listers and do it in a hurry. If they paid they want to be there.

There is no moral dilemma here James, I just hate that these newbies won't get to meet VK on their first day.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Maybe nine years from now one of this weekends' noobs will be bitching about how awful their first day at Club THSCC was........... :wink:

Trust me on this one........... ya'll will pull it off just fine. :thumbsup:

It's sad to know you are a business owner....

We are selling a product, namely driver instruction to a group of people willing to spend $40+ (gas, lots of tire wear, etc) and their whole day driving, getting instructed, working the course in 45degF weather. If we, THSCC, appear overwhelmed or can't concentrate on the students to the degree they expect or need, then we have failed. If we are jumping out of car A the moment the run is over and jumping in car B with no retrospective with driver A, then the student loses and we fail.

I think as we're seeing over the years that a single, small bad taste in the mouth of a new comer to the sport or the club can keep them from coming back. We want to make sure as hell that it doesn't happen for the 40 who diligently preregistered (many of which prepaid). For those on the waitlist who don't get to come, well they will likely come on Sunday and Steve Carter and Rob are doing a great job and helping the novices at the points events so I have *no* concern that the waitlisted folks are going to never come back or are doomed to be disappointed with a points event over the novice school.

What does this buy us? If we give excellent and personal instruction to 40 students and 30 are hooked and 10 just had shit-eatin-grins on their face all day but can't afford or don't have the time to come out very frequently, then I think we did our job well. If we have 51 come out and because of all the car hopping and rushing, 20 are completely put off and another 15-20 felt like they had mediocre instruction, then despite the extra $400 of revenue, I feel like we failed because that is a large set of people who probably won't become regulars.

Steve, quit making it seem like you are the ultimate source for the novice experience. You aren't. You are not special in the least. The majority of the officers and staff running this club were novices in the last 5 years or so. The rate of novice to dedicated club member is quite high in the last few years despite the net totals being down.

:soap:

As a newcomer to the club (and as someone who would have attended Saturday if my schedule had permitted it) I appreciate that you are taking the school and instruction aspect so seriously. :thumbsup:

steve remchak · **Posted:** Thu Feb 28, 2013 10:49 am

Thanks for listening James.

Mission accomplished. :wink:

Matt McGrain · **Posted:** Thu Feb 28, 2013 11:39 am

Not to stir the pot in any way, but I'm just psyched that we had the interest, especially in the cold of winter to even have to waitlist the school. It reminds me of the days the club would have to cap autocrosses at ~120.

The interest so far w/ the school = higher likelihood of a good turnout in NOV this year

If I weren't working Saturday, I'd love to help but on Sunday can help out any novices with ride-alongs in my car or theirs. :thumbsup:

Zach Hill · **Posted:** Thu Feb 28, 2013 12:42 pm

removed

steve remchak · **Posted:** Thu Feb 28, 2013 12:57 pm

So you agree with me then Zach?

The more I think about it the more I agree with James.

I've missed you Brice. :kisses:

Steven Carter · **Posted:** Sun Mar 03, 2013 11:01 pm

Well....I thought for a long time this weekend, and have to say that I think we did a great job at the Novice School. We had a 2:1 student ratio, a TON of seat time and instruction for everyone, and a lot of novice drivers who were demonstrably faster by the end of the day. I think the novices were happy with the time and money spent, and Rob and I will be putting together a post-Novice School e-survey to see if we can find something to improve on for next year.

One thing's for sure: It wouldn't happen without the tireless enthusiasm of Rob Lupella, as well as the volunteer army of instructors, the GM and his set-up team and the THSCC officers. You guys rock!

RodneyWright · **Posted:** Mon Mar 04, 2013 9:01 am

Steven Carter wrote:

Well....I thought for a long time this weekend, and have to say that I think we did a great job at the Novice School. We had a 2:1 student ratio, a TON of seat time and instruction for everyone, and a lot of novice drivers who were demonstrably faster by the end of the day. I think the novices were happy with the time and money spent, and Rob and I will be putting together a post-Novice School e-survey to see if we can find something to improve on for next year.

One thing's for sure: It wouldn't happen without the tireless enthusiasm of Rob Lupella, as well as the volunteer army of instructors, the GM and his set-up team and the THSCC officers. You guys rock!

Don't sell yourself short Steve, you and Rob put on a great novice school! Good flow and 2 very good courses to drive on. As for seat time, yeah, tons.... That was more than a years worth of autox. In the afternoon, I was w/ Eric in the Bullitt and we just did loop after loop on the untimed course. I think car control, looking ahead and hand placement on the wheel were effectively drilled into both of my students heads at the end of the day.

Also kudos to allowing the extra students to show up, great move. Hopefully we sent everyone home happy and tired!

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Novice School Instructor - March 2, 2013

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