National survey

Hi fellow Mushers,

Here's your chance to have a say in the future of our sport. ASSA is interested in hearing from you so that we can work out the best ways in which to help you, support you and grow our sport. You'll find a survey on the ASSA website and we'd like you to take a little time to complete it.

Please return your completed survey to Rob Clive (ASSA Qld Representative) by 30th September 2011. As an added incentive, if we receive you completed survey by this date, you will go in the draw to win an ASSA cap.

Regards
Kathy
ASSA Secretary
on behalf of the ASSA National Council

Dear Kathy, I applaud the National Council's initiative in setting up such a comprehensive survey to help the future of the sport. I just had a look at it, thinking I might be able to offer a unique perspective, since I'm only new and I don't have any local clubs to join. I am very disappointed to see that you don't even bother to include Tasmania on your list of states that people might come from. I know that is probably because there are no clubs here yet, but might I offer the opinion that it is not helping your sport to grow if you assume that just because there are no clubs, that means there are no interested people! We have the ideal climate for it here, and I'm sure the more I keep looking the more places I'll find that would be suitable for training, and I hope one day there will be a club here, so I ask you please not to give up on us.

It's not there any more but I'm sure it used to say on your website that you hoped there would be a club in Tasmania soon. I sent you an email when I first found that to ask if that comment was made generally because you'd like to grow the sport, or because you had some contacts who you knew were endeavouring to form a club, and I never got a reply. I was disappointed by that too.

So my final opinion is that it's lucky you've got a small group of members on this forum who are willing to give advice freely to people asking for help, because without their support and encouragement, I probably would have already given up!

Yours sincerely
Felicity Cooper

Hey Felicity,

Dont get disheartened so soon or take it personally. I want to here from your comments in Tassie and you are just the type of person I am aiming to reach so be proactive and fill it out. If you scribble 'Tassie' in big letters I know its from you! And if you know of others down there pass it on to them as well. We need this to target as many different sectors of the sport as possible to give us the broader picture.

When I first drafted this it was over 2 years ago, and it has taken this long to get it out there. Back then the last known Tassie musher Paul Tye had already long moved back to the mainland and know one else in the sport was known to us or had contacted us from there. Tassie is not forgotten, its just that things were quiet down there, until now that is - so have your say!
Tassie was not ommitted on purpose I assure you, and it would be great if a resurgent interest in the sport was spawned down there as it is great weather and beaut country to run dogs. Paul almost succeeded in hosting a stage stop race there many years back as I recall, and it would great to see that vision realised in the future.

How did you go with the harnesses for your dog? Were you able to get one to fit your pup from Ralph? All the best.

Cheers
Rob

Hi Felicity,

As Rob said, please don't take it personally. I try to answer all e-mails as they come through but we've had some serious computer issues and we've only just got our computer back from repairs today. Up until then, I've been visiting the local library and 'begging, borrowing and not quite stealing' and I honestly haven't seen anything come through from you. If you'd like to send an e-mail to secretary@assa.asn.au I'd be happy to help and answer any questions (as would any of the NC members listed on our website).

Regards
Kathy

Thanks guys, I appreciate it.

Felicity

How many of you filled in your National Census in August??? All of you I'll bet.

Well, with an estimated 250-350 participants across the country only 10 have so far replied to the National Sled-dog Survey. Not an effective response so far to draw any clear determination from, and hardly worth the many hours and effort spent on preparing it.

If you are interested in the future of the sport in this country, and many claim they are, then please take the 20-30 minutes to provide information which may be of future benefit and help steer the sports future. People always ask what the sport is doing for them. Ask what can you do to for your sport. It wont take long and the information may provide just the leverage we need to enhance opportunities for you all.

Many Thanks
Rob

Maybe post something on the owdog mailing list as well as these forums only seem to be used by a few.