Director Events 2017 Annual Report

Position Profile

To work in a collaborative manner with my fellow BMXNSW Directors and volunteers to deliver BMX racing events in NSW.

2017 was a big year of BMX "eventing' for me as I transitioned into the Event Director role. I would like to thank Paula Griffiths for her patience, her extreme patience, in showing me the ropes. I'm sure there must have been many times she felt like she was dealing with a curious 6 year old with my unrelenting questions. I'd also like to thank the Board of BMXNSW for the kind and inclusive manner in which they welcomed me to the role.

In 2017 BMXNSW Events delivered the Test Team and Mighty 11's events and the State Championships held at Macarthur BMX Track. We also delivered the States merchandise, awards/trophies, event programs, State Series presentations and a few ceremonies and dinners to keep us all connected. I say 'we' because whilst the Events Director is a single role, it is the people who have assisted me throughout the year that should be recognised for their commitment to the sport of BMX and working behind the scenes to enable me to pull everything together on the day. These people are the aforementioned Paula G, Naomi Pal, Mary Harding, Bec and Peter Seckold from Macarthur Club, Fred Furner and Nat Hadley. Thanks also to the people who spontaneously offered their assistance at events, particularly when they saw I needed help in trying to muster the sprockets for their 2017 State Championships awards presentation! A big thanks to Melissa Chambers for her stellar efforts as BMXNSW Sprockets Coordinator. Bluey Seaton, my fellow Director played a big role in the success of the State Championships. The Racing Director and Event Director roles have a direct linkage to make racing events work and it was a pleasure to work with Bluey. One of the 'warm and fuzzy' benefits of being Events Director is that I get to meet some outstanding members of the BMX community.

It was through putting into practice much of the information Paula and others shared with me that I am confident that 2018 is going to be a spectacular year..a 'Spectacular Spectacular' as they say in Moulin Rouge. And whilst BMX is at the other end of the spectrum to dancing (particularly that kind of dancing), the theatre, the smooth coordination, the ceremony, the behind the scenes rehearsals so the performance is seamless along with some fun stuff that can go on around what's happening on the track is what I would like to focus on in 2018.

The things I would like to focus on next year are:

-maximising the overall experience a rider/parent/spectator has when attending an event like Test Team/Mighty 11 or State Championships. In real terms, this might be getting an XL polo when you ordered an XL polo (seems reasonable) and having the State Championships Awards Dinner on a Friday night before the weekend of racing starts.(Client experience)

-making event set up more streamlined for club volunteers. An example of this is having rider bags packed and prepared weeks before the State Championships so club resources (people) can focus on immediate event set up needs such as track work, canteen, running practice sessions .(Reduce/balance workload)

-dynamic merchandise that immediately appeals to the BMX community and is recognisable at the event brand. (BMXNSW brand)

-feedback from the BMX community - what do you want the experience to be like when you attend an event run by BMXNSW? Thinking back over previous years events that you have attended, either as a rider or a parent/spectator or a volunteer, what worked? And what didn't? What makes you want to come back to BMX year after year, and tell your friends 'hey, this is a sport you want to be a part of'? Your feedback is so important and certainly valued by BMXNSW when designing events. (Continuous improvement and Increase/Retain membership).

See you trackside

Sarah Davis

BMXNSW Director Events