Amateur/Novice Divisions

[Eric Roussin]

Should more tournaments offer amateur or novice classes? Currently there are three big Ontario tournaments that offer an amateur of novice division: the Central Ontario Championships (novice), the Mike Gould Classic (Amateur), and the Toronto Pro SuperShow (Amateur). Almost all other tournaments in Ontario only offer an “open” division, where a total newbie could face a 25-year vet. Should more tournaments offer a novice or amateur division?

Do these divisions help grow the sport? If you are a newer puller, would you likely attend more events if there was an amateur or novice division?

[Fayez Moutassem]

i think adding amateur and novice classes to most of the tournaments would help grow the sport but the question is: how much would it help? The novice class at Guy's tournament was definitely positive. we've seen new comers such as the cook bros among others who compete now almost regularly. Would these new competitors be competing now if there was no novice class at that time and if they lost all their matches? maybe.. it really depends on how much they love the sport. but motivation is required for new comers and being able to win matches early on dramatically boosts the motivation. I'd suggest to test this out by adding amateur and novice classes to most of the tournaments for 1 full year at the least and then record the following:
1) the number of new comers who attend the novice and/or amateur classes at each tournament
2) how many of these new comers have later joined aw teams and attend tournaments regularly or semi-regularly
3) ratio of novice to open class and amateur to open class (attendees)
4) Total number of attendees
These results for each tournament can then be studied and compared to previous years too.
However, in order to increase the accuracy of the results, it is very important to ensure that each competitor enters the class which best suits his level of experience. However, novice can be allowed to enter any class and amateur can also enter the open class but not backwards
JMO
Fayez

[Eric Roussin]

Thanks for your detailed response Fayez.

What I’m hoping would happen is that more people would attend events if novice or amateur divisions are offered. Let’s say 8 people go to an open tournament and pull the 198 class. I’m hoping that if there was a separate division for amateur, this would not result in 4 pullers pulling amateur and 4 pullers pulling open. I would hope that the amateur division would draw pullers who otherwise would not have attended. Maybe 2 of the 8 would pull the amateur division, plus 4 additional newer pullers would attend to pull the amateur class, leaving 6 in the amateur and 6 in the open. There would have to be some type of overall increase in attendance, otherwise there wouldn’t be much incentive for the tournament organizer to offer the extra classes.

[Fayez Moutassem]

I agree Eric. The best way is to test this. I think that a number of novice or amateur pullers would think twice before entering a class full of very experienced pullers like you, Kade, Sylvain, etc in which they know they'd easily lose all matches. I mean its a long distance, time consuming, and maybe costly. Yes i agree that it is good experience and a great competitive environment and thats how i feel but would new comers think or feel this way? again, maybe some yes and some no. best way is to test this to find out.

[Chris Macpherson]

im on the fence on this issue. on one hand it is very likely to draw new pullers to events. on the other hand can you effectively implement some sort of cut-off as to who can pull these amateur/novice classes? if you try to limit the class to people who have been pulling for 6 months for example, there are still people, myself included, who have pulled various tournments for months, years etc. that still don't offer much competition in open classes. my idea is if you have competed at a provincials you are ineligbale for amatuer classes. the novice classes i feel should be reserved for first time competitors

[Leo Ayotte]

I think small tournaments are enuff for amateurs because some people just don't want to be babied. When I first started I wanted to pull to compete we didn't talk about pro or am we just wanted to do our best to see were we stood in our wheight classes. I think people shoud understand that some days you're the hammer and some days you're nail if someone can't handle losing this just might not be the sport for them. I would like to see more newcomers pull the more experienced guys after the tournaments this would give them a better understanding.

[Eric Roussin]

I don't think there's a perfect way to define "amateur" in this sport. I personally am a fan of a combination of self-identification and tournament director discretion. Whatever method is selected, an amateur division would ensure that the top pullers are excluded.

Keep the opinions coming.

[Grippler]

Actually I think there will be a very Cool Idea coming to light that is very similar to the above topic at an event very soon WOOT!! WOOT!!

[Dave McEwen]

Yea Ian it should be called fresh meat off the street . LOL , on a sader note Rob Graham's son isn't doing very well , just heard from Rob today.

[silverback]

Sorry to hear that. Our thoughts and prayers are with you Rob.

Team Sudbury