Tournament Online Registration - Does your club use it?

[Kelvin]

This is an open ended poll designed to elicit feedback and discussion about the USAWaterski online tournament registration system.

 

1. Does your club use it?

2. What reasons are behind the decision to use/not use the OLR system?

3. If you don't use the system, what would need to change to get your club to use the system?

4. Would you be in favor of allowing all sanctioned events to use the system without having to pay extra sanction fees?

 

Thanks

Kelvin

[John Brooks]

Our club is not using it primarily because of cost. I have used the system for registering for Regionals and like the system and how much easier it is for setting up the scoring books.

 

I feel it makes a lot of sense for larger events, such as a Nationals or Regionals, but for local tournaments we are not dealing with the large number of entries, so to save a few bucks have decided not to use it.

 

I would be in favor of using it with no additional cost to the club. I think this could be a valuable benefit to the clubs hosting tournaments which AWSA could provide.

 

Thanks

[LeonL]

We stopped using it for two reasons. 1. Cost, $15.00 initially, which USAWS gets for doing nothing as I can see. Approximately (can't remember for sure) 3% to PayPal. While we don't expect to really make money, we'd like not to go in the hole and those two items can push you in if you're on the edge. 2. Skiers can't enter until your EVP approves the tournament, and if he gets behind behind or whatever --- no entries as opposed to getting them by mail. Having said all the above, I still prefer to use it as a skier entering tournaments. @John Brooks, our scorer is still able to download a template that seems almost as easy for her.

[jhughes]

It seems like this wouldn't be the hardest thing to make. Even if the system handled EVERYTHING EXCEPT money, it would be a huge help, right? Might be a good side project.

[h2oski]

1. Our club has used it for several years.

2. Its easier for the club and the skiers. I like to be able to go online and see who is entered. Its a pain to fill out paper entries, waivers,

checks, etc.

4. Yes

[Than_Bogan]

Exactly what scotchipman said! But I am shocked to learn there is an upcharge for doing this right. If anything, we should be charging people for using paper! (And the tournament I help run still does, but we should stop.)

[MattP]

I'm 22 what are stamps, envelops, and paper? Online is my friend. Crap I did it again @than_bogan @scotchipman

[rodltg2]

As a newbie I like the online. Question , if you use the paper method mail in entry, how does one know they are actually entered. If the tourney is full how do you know ?

[LeonL]

@rodltg2, faith in USPS. Seriously, you don't know, nor do you know if its full. That has always been a drawback. On the other hand, with online the LOC can run into trouble with taking too many entries. It doesn't automatically shut off entries when the max number has been reached. Say you want to limit your entries to 30 skiers. You go to bed one night with 28 and wake up the next morning with 40. Or even 10 minutes later, you could get a bunch. You have to manually shut off entries. On the plus side, once the stated deadline is reached it automatically adds on any late fees.

[Chef23]

I like online. Someone hast to write the application maintain it and host it that stuff isn't free. If the $15 is an issue add $1 to each entry that comes online it is worth it to me.

[disland]

No because of what @LeonL said