Club membership doubles

SHUFFLEBOARD

Since the close of league play in May 2022, the Shuffleboard Club has doubled in size to 75 current members for the upcoming fall season. Such a change in the size of a group raises two questions: How does such growth occur? And, what must happen to retain members year after year?

The answer to the first question involves a lot of elements. New members often report that the regular articles and photos in the LW Weekly have been a great recruitment tool. Veteran members and officers have courageously changed many historical practices to meet the needs some previous members expressed. Perhaps the biggest change has been the addition of the Tuesday evening league. Additionally, the club has three different competitive seasons —fall, winter, and spring—rather than one eight-month long commitment.

Last summer the club adopted a “5 Fs” guide to future plans: Fun, Friendly, Flexible, Fulfilling, and Fair to all. The 2023-24 shuffleboard year will continue this plan, and “developing a strong infrastructure” has been added.

Integrating 29 new members requires many approaches. Working to ensure all members enjoy scheduled social gatherings remains a key element. One of the best parts of official games is that a person plays at the same end of the court with a different person in every league game. This automatic mixing gives people a chance to know more people and develop more friends.

With the recent restoration of the courts and the use of a new product to powder courts before playing, flexibility has become key. On average, 14 members have been attending the open play practices to learn and relearn shuffleboard with the new conditions. In addition, the 10 captains for this coming season are experimenting with new practices to give everyone a chance to play more, improve their game, and enjoy the fulfillment of a multi-faceted game.

Building a strong infrastructure is complicated. However, at last Wednesday’s open play practice, there were examples at work. Several members learned the process of wiping the courts with a microfiber mop. Two veteran members, Roger Bennett and Ellie West, relined scoreboards that have needed new lines for several years. There are scores of individual activities necessary for a vibrant club, but when divided among many, they become doable.

For club information, call Membership Coordinator Patty Peterson at 562-714-7072. — Kay Mount