BAOC Membership Survey Results

Here are some preliminary results from our membership survey. Questionnaires were mailed to all current members, and to former members whose memberships have lapsed in the previous 12 months. About 400 surveys were sent, and we had 188 returned, which is a phenomenal response rate. All of the data has been entered, except for some of the free form text answers. Lisa Wylie is working on the data now and will provide us with a more complete report shortly.

Demographics.
What is your highest level of educational training, 
High school       6.4% 
Bachelors degree 34.6%
Masters degree   33.5%
Doctorate        14.4%
Post doctorate    8.5%

Income level
less than $25,000  6.7% 
$25,000-44,999     6.7% 
$45,000-64,999    18.8% 
$65,000-94,999    28.5% 
$95,000-124,999   18.2%
$125,000 or more  21.2%

How experienced an orienteer are you?
Beginner	9.1%
Advanced beginner	28.0%
Intermediate	23.1%
Advanced intermediate	15.6%
Advanced	24.2%

What is your preferred course?
White	2.8%
Yellow	21.1%
Orange	23.9%
Brown	7.2%
Green	21.7%
Red	15.0%
Blue	8.3%
Subtotals
Beginner/Intermediate	47.8%
Advanced	52.2%

What attracted you to orienteering?
Like to run/hike	24.9%
Like outdoors	24.9%
Like maps	23.5%
Like intellectual challenge	19.6%
Other	7.1%

How did you learn about BAOC?
Friend	30.9%
Newspaper/magazine	29.4%
Other	22.7%
Website	10.3%
REI clinic	5.2%
Great Outdoors Adventure Faire	1.5%

How often do you attend BAOC events?
At least once a month	27.5%
Once every 2-3 months	30.8%
Once every 4-6 months	20.3%
Once every 7-12 months	18.7%
Never	2.7%

What are your personal goals this year?
Become a better navigator	21.1%
Improve fitness	16.2%
Compete with self	12.2%
Nice map guided walk in woods	12.1%
Learn something new	6.0%
Compete in sport	5.8%
Other	4.9%
Meet new people	4.8%
Improve BAOC rank	4.4%
Socialize	3.7%
Move up to advanced	3.2%
Move up to Orange	2.9%
Improve national rank	2.7%

What keeps you from coming to more events?
Family commitments	22.4%
Events too far	22.2%
Work commitments	12.6%
Other sports	12.6%
Other	8.0%
Poison oak, nasty vegetation	7.0%
Takes too much time	6.7%
Terrain too steep	3.9%
Too physical	1.5%
Remote starts	1.3%
No car/don’t drive	0.8%
Poor toilet facilities	0.5%
Concern re: wild animals	0.5%
Did not ask whether was too costly.

Reasons for not volunteering.
Wasn’t asked	19.0%
Other	17.2%
Don’t know how	15.2%
Laziness	12.4%
Job takes too much time	11.9%
Live too far	10.0%
Criticism/lack of appreciation	1.4%

How friendly is the BAOC?
Average	55.0%
Cliquish	23.7%
Very friendly	21.3%

How frequently would you like to have events?  All respondents
Once per week	9.1%
2-3 times per month	62.5%
Once a month	26.1%
Once every 2-3 months	2.3%

How frequently would you like to have events?  Beg/Intermed
Once per week	1.9%
2-3 times per month	60.0%
Once a month	34.3%
Once every 2-3 months	3.8%

How frequently would you like to have events?  Advanced
Once per week	19.7%
2-3 times per month	66.2%
Once a month	14.1%
Once every 2-3 months	0%

How do you consider the technical difficulty of the Orange courses?
Too easy	3.3%
About right	80.2%
Too difficult	11.0%
No opinion	5.5%

How do you consider the physical difficulty of the Orange courses?
Too easy	0%
About right	79.3%
Too difficult	15.2%
No opinion	5.4%


How do you consider the technical difficulty of the advanced courses?
Too easy	15.4%
About right	80.2%
Too difficult	1.1%
No opinion	3.3%

How do you consider the physical difficulty of the advanced courses?
Too easy	1.1%
About right	68.1%
Too difficult	27.5%
No opinion	3.3%

How do you consider the progression from yellow to orange?
Easy	22.6%
Neither easy nor difficult	31.5%
Difficult	18.5%
Not applicable	27.4%

How did you consider the progression from orange to brown/green?
Easy	10.9%
Neither easy nor difficult	31.7%
Difficult	23.8%
Not applicable	33.7%

What is the longest time you are willing to drive to a 1 day B event? All
respondents
Under 30 minutes	1.6%
30-59 minutes	43.8%
60-89 minutes	32.4%
90-119 minutes	15.7%
120 minutes or more	6.5%

Thus, the percentage of all respondents willing to go to a 1 day B event if
the time it takes to get to the event is:
Less than 30 minutes	100%
Less than 60 minutes	98.4%
Less than 90 minutes	54.6%
Less than 120 minutes	22.2%
More than 120 minutes	6.5%

Thus, the percentage of begin/intermed orienteers willing to go to a 1 day B
event if the time it takes to get to the event is:
Less than 30 minutes	100%
Less than 60 minutes	97.3%
Less than 90 minutes	36.0%
Less than 120 minutes	10.8%
More than 120 minutes	4.5%

Thus, the percentage of advanced orienteers willing to go to a 1 day B event
if the time it takes to get to the event is:
Less than 30 minutes	100%
Less than 60 minutes	100%
Less than 90 minutes	82.4%
Less than 120 minutes	39.2%
More than 120 minutes	9.5%

What is the longest time you are willing to drive to a 2 day A event?  All
respondents.
Under 30 minutes	1.7%
30-59 minutes	12.6%
60-89 minutes	15.1%
90-119 minutes	21.0%
120 minutes or more	49.6%

The BAOC should map new parks in the Bay Area, even if the terrain is not the
best for orienteering.  All respondents.
Agree	61.0%
Neutral	28.0%
Disagree	9.9%

The BAOC should map new parks in the Bay Area, even if the terrain is not the
best for orienteering.  Beg/Intermed.
Agree	62.4%
Neutral	30.1%
Disagree	7.6%

The BAOC should map new parks in the Bay Area, even if the terrain is not the
best for orienteering.  Adv.
Agree	59.2%
Neutral	25.4%
Disagree	15.4%

The BAOC should produce maps with better terrain, even if further away from
the Bay Area.  All respondents.
Agree	48.8%
Neutral	28.7%
Disagree	22.6%

The BAOC should produce maps with better terrain, even if further away from
the Bay Area.  Begin/Intermed orienteers.
Agree	34.4%
Neutral	32.3%
Disagree	33.4%

The BAOC should produce maps with better terrain, even if further away from
the Bay Area.  Advanced orienteers.
Agree	67.6%
Neutral	23.9%
Disagree	8.4%

The BAOC should produce maps of smaller, more central parks for beginner’s
events.  All respondents.
Agree	40.7%
Neutral	41.2%
Disagree	18.2%

The BAOC should produce maps of smaller, more central parks for beginner’s
events.  Begin/Intermed orienteers.
Agree	44.1%
Neutral	37.6%
Disagree	18.3%

The BAOC should produce maps of smaller, more central parks for beginner’s
events.  Advanced orienteers.
Agree	36.1%
Neutral	45.8%
Disagree	18.1%

The BAOC should update its current maps to IOF standard and put on OCAD.  All
respondents
Agree	67.7%
Neutral	27.3%
Disagree	5.0%

The BAOC should update its current maps to IOF standard and put on OCAD.
Begin/Intermed. orienteers
Agree	57.2%
Neutral	34.1%
Disagree	8.8%

The BAOC should update its current maps to IOF standard and put on OCAD.
Advanced orienteers
Agree	81.4%
Neutral	18.6%
Disagree	0%

-- Evan Custer


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