I started a uni clun in PA recently and it is going well. Tonight about 10 riders! Many new riders are coming again and again, and I share my unicycles.
As happened two weeks in a row, I was left with only a giraffe and an UW to ride. I certainly don’t mind the practice on those, but I’d like to get in some freestyle practice.
What’s the best way to let these new riders know that they should to get their own uni soon? I want to be as encouraging as possible, they are doing well and populating a fledgling club. I do have many unis to share, too, and don’t mind in the least provided I get a half hour in on my nimbus!
Well you could try going to your LBS and asking them to sponser your club with a uni or two, that would allow for some extras.
As for how to ask the people to get their own unis i would say:
“Well it sure looks like you guys are progressing well. I think it may be time for you to get a uni all your own so you could practice at home to!”
Or
“As you can see our club is growing quite fast and i think that you need your own uni so that new commers will be able to have a try too, the more the merrier!”
Always sounds like somehow your helping them and knoone else, people like that. If they think that your trying to boot them off your uni they may get discouraged and give it up altogether.
You can always sneak it in under the guise of “demonstrating” how to learn a trick. “Here, let me show you something I’ve been working on…” (Start with a trick you can actually do).
Cool! We missed your expertise today. Hope you were having fun and not at the dentist or the podiatrist.
It was kind of funny. There was a old-man’s baseball team tailgating watching our practice today. They watched without heckling us for about an hour, but generally kept their distance. When I finished loading the car (9 unis, 4 adults, 1 kid, one big tub of elbow and kneepads) they all laughed and agreed that it was truly amazing that we could pack a car (Jeep Cherokee) like that. The Giraffe did have to ride on the roof.
They didn’t say anything about the riding. Oh well, can’t expect to reach everyone!! Then again, maybe we’ll see some of them next week!
Make sure you educate them. Tell them what unis are good for the money and such. Suggest a LBS or UDC (or somewhere else). Like Trials_Uni said, see if a LBS will support you. Even if they don’t give out free unis, maybe they will give a discount to your club members. Encourge them to try the UW and/or Giraffe! Maybe try and get some more riders that have unis to themselves. Good luck with your club!
Once my students are able to ride they are required to purchase a unicycle but they still have the ability to use any of my uni’s as well as anyone else’s unicycle.
This way if they have a unicycle of their own it doesn’t reduce the number of unicycles I have available.
Anyone who is new and unable to ride can borrow a unicycle from me until they are able to ride. It’s much easier to get someone to buy a unicycle once they know how to ride.
I always make sure there are no more than 4 or 5 people at one time that need one on one training at a time. This way I know how many extra unicycles I need and it keeps the newbees safe and reduces the learning curve.
I noticed at many clubs, when people are just left at a wall or railing on their own without much guidance they will progress very slowly and have a large drop off rate and a small success rate. But, when you train and motivate a smaller group of student at a time they will learn much quicker and wind up sticking with it.
Just One Wheel is not a club, we are a business. We charge people to learn to ride. Our promise is to reduce the learning curve and the pain of learning to ride.
We want to produce new riders. Allot of them!
All my students are also required to wear a helmet and pads in order to ride or practice.
Our business exists to support existing riders but mainly to harvest new one’s.
I have been posting a flier with all the LBS’s phone #s and UDC web addy. One rider has bought a uni from a LBS. I think the LBS’s aren’t certain if we are serious economic driver or not (well neither am I:p ). I ride in with my coker once in a while and make my presence known, that seems to get their attention. I also tell them how many folks come to club etc. I will make the rounds soon. An article is due to come out on June 25 in the local paper, I’ll take a copy to them and ask for discounts/and ask them to stock maybe more than one at a time of donate a couple.
I think getting the LBS involved as a sponsor in some way is a very good idea.
Once my students are able to ride they are encouraged to purchase a unicycle while still having the ability to use any of my uni’s as well as anyone else’s unicycle.
This way if they have a unicycle of their own it doesn’t reduce the number of unicycles I have available.
Anyone who is new and unable to ride can borrow a unicycle from me until they are able to ride. It’s much easier to get someone to buy a unicycle once they know how to ride. They need you to help them with their purchase.
Once they see the LBS unsure of what to sell them they might bail. You are the one they want and will listen to.
Work with the LBS to put together a couple of unicycles with prices that you can show and use to help sell to your students who are interested once they have learned to ride.
I always make sure there are no more than 4 or 5 people at one time that need one on one training at a time. This way I know how many extra unicycles I need and it keeps the newbees safe and reduces the learning curve.
I noticed at many clubs, when people are just left at a wall or railing on their own without much guidance they will progress very slowly and have a large drop off rate and a small success rate. But, when you train and motivate a smaller group of students at a time they will learn much quicker and wind up sticking with it.
Just One Wheel is not a club, we are a business. We charge people to learn to ride. Our promise is to reduce the learning curve and the pain of learning to ride.
We want to produce new riders. Alot of them!
All my students are also required to wear a helmet and pads in order to ride or practice.
Our business exists to support existing riders but mainly to harvest new one’s.