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