Age of Marshals

[Robin_D]

Hello Ladies & Gents

I have been marshalling since I was 16 (2000) but one thing I havent seen is many people younger than myself.

I have seen a couple of trainee's of a more mature age but none of the younger guys.

Is anything being done to get a future of marshalling?

Cheers,

Robin

[Pete Howarth]

Robin, as you are younger than most of us, you may hold the answers as how to get the younger generation involved.
I've had some involvement since I was 17 and now coming up to 40, I can't think of an answer of how to get the younger generation involved, but I'm open to suggestions.

[Grandslammer]

Originally Posted by Pete Howarth

and now coming up to 40.

Surely one should be just about reaching the second childhood stage.

[Pete Howarth]

Originally Posted by Grandslammer

Surely one should be just about reaching the second childhood stage.

I've never got out of my first childhood.

[Grandslammer]

Originally Posted by Pete Howarth

I've never got out of my first childhood.

LOL...I guess that's true

[Robin_D]

Well, I started coming to race meetings with my old man, then he started and so did I, as soon as I could.

It is an extremely difficult thing. Most younger marshals I tend to find have a relative who marshals.

We never grow up we just get wrinklier.

[pit bull]

I have been marshalling for a number of years and I take my son nearly every meet i do and he signs on for paddock and he`s 11 yrs old, hopefully he will continue to progress to Bank/Pit`s with an entusiasum of what I have...

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by Pete Howarth

I've never got out of my first childhood.

Neither have I - I decided at around 14 that grownups were boring people & vowed never to become one!

[Hepatic]

I think almost all young people get involved due to relatives, i can't really see how else it could be done. Maybe the "Paddock Kids" could get their mates from school involved, or even get school trips organised and drum up some interest that way?

And as long as Michael doesn't have the same fire fixation, i'm sure he'll make a cracking marshal just like his dad

[Az]

I too have noticed the lack of 'under 25yo' marshalls at events.

I'm 22, I would really like to be involved with marshalling, however I'm just not able to commit myself to most weekends as I have other commitments. I guess this is the same problem for many people whether young or old, but maybe that is a reason.

Also most of the 'youth' today (god I sound old ) 'expect' to be paid for, well, doing anything. Voluntary isn't a word recognised by most... Personally I would love to marshall local tracks to me like Thruxton and Brands Hatch but just could not commit to every race weekend. I guess you can't pick and choose so I won't even ask

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by Robin_D

It is an extremely difficult thing. Most younger marshals I tend to find have a relative who marshals.

That does seem to be common. Maybe it's because younger people who don't already have someone in the family who marshals are hesitant to get involved in an activity dominated by old farts (such as me! ). It can, I think, be a daunting prospect for a lone 16-year-old to fit in with a team of much older people & accept that (s)he is an equal. Transport is, of course, another factor - most circuits are practically inaccessible by public transport, so, unless a young prospective marshal knows someone who can give them a lift there's no way they can get involved.

[Hepatic]

Az, it makes no difference how many meeting you do. Even if you only do one a year, it's a start and you'll soon find the bug bites...!

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by Az

Also most of the 'youth' today (god I sound old ) 'expect' to be paid for, well, doing anything. Voluntary isn't a word recognised by most...

Good point! I help with GCSE engineering classes in the local school; the kids just can't understand why I do it for nothing.

Personally I would love to marshall local tracks to me like Thruxton and Brands Hatch but just could not commit to every race weekend. I guess you can't pick and choose so I won't even ask

You DON'T have to commit to every weekend. A lot of people, for various reasons, cannot do more than a few meetings every year; they are no less welcome than those who can marshal every weekend. We need every marshal we can get! Get along & give it a try - you'll love it!

[Stephen Green]

Originally Posted by Az

I too have noticed the lack of 'under 25yo' marshalls at events.

I'm 22, I would really like to be involved with marshalling, however I'm just not able to commit myself to most weekends as I have other commitments. I guess this is the same problem for many people whether young or old, but maybe that is a reason.

Also most of the 'youth' today (god I sound old ) 'expect' to be paid for, well, doing anything. Voluntary isn't a word recognised by most... Personally I would love to marshall local tracks to me like Thruxton and Brands Hatch but just could not commit to every race weekend. I guess you can't pick and choose so I won't even ask

Az, if you fancy a days marshalling at Brands Hatch to see whether you enjoy it or not, drop me an e-mail to s.c.green@btinternet.com and we can arrange some details.

As Dave has said above, you don't need to commit to every weekend, you do as many meetings as you feel able to manage.

[whatapalaver]

Age should not just be measured in years! My daughter is far more mature than me!!

She has helped in the paddock for 2 years nows, but at 15 many clubs simply say the insurers prevent them allowing "children" signing on. I only brought her along to try to take an active part once I thought she was sensible enough to look after her self. The first time she was left with a strict insturction to kick her out if she played up - however she only got as stroppy as a teenage old girl can with Frank Sytner and he understood the error of his ways!!

I could also see the situation occuring that the paddock becames used as a child care service. My daughter has reported back that issues have arisen when "the children" have caused problems.

I can understand the problems the clubs have with age - the great gods H&S and Insurance are there for good reasons, even if over used. I do wonder about the different ages, but the answer is easy. I marshal events that I know are OK for the little 'un, and those that refuse her don't see me again.

[Rich D]

Awareness also comes into it. I spent the first 25 years of my life in the UK, attended some racing events (although not small ones) and always thought that i'd enjoy marshalling, but had no idea how to get into it. I was always under the impression that these people were a select band, highly trained, and probably full time employees of the circuit.
It was not until I stumbled across my current club's booth at a winter motorcycle show in Toronto that I found out that it was volunteer, it was easy to start, and I could do it! 3 years and 80 events and i'm not looking back....
At university (Lancaster) we had a motor club, which I was a member of, but no-one there had any idea about marshalling - at that time I got my kicks skydiving, so spent big money eveny weekend on that -- maybe if I'd know about marshalling I'd have started then and been a richer man today (in many ways).
Not being the kind of person who will go up to a marshal and say "how do you do that?" but has to find out, then all I can say is promotion, promotion, promotion!! Booths, signs, posters, visit school and university clubs/programs..most kids will not be interested, but we only need the few keen ones!
Having said that, we have a problem holing onto the youngsters we train -- the ones that tend to stick around are the ones with family, who have grown up at the track.

Rich.

[Crazy Marshal]

I was 13 when i started marshalling, and didn't know anyone on my first day! I am now 17 and still love it just as much. I know that transport is a big issue for many people my age and younger, but foretunately i have wonderful parents that will get up early in the morning and take me to Oulton. I do know people at college who would like to marshal, but can't due to weekend jobs etc.

[shjo558]

I was 20 when I started marshaling, 5 years ago. I find most people around my age just want to go to the pub on Saturday night, not have an early night then 2 hour trip to their local track. Inviting local schools to the circuit for club meetings would be a good idea but even if they wanted to come back there would be transport problems. OK, we could arrange a lift, but some folk might not be happy giving a lift to a 16 year old girl/boy......

I personally think the best way to get new marshals, of all ages, is to issue leaflets and display posters around the circuit at club meetings. We tried that a Knockhill a couple of years ago (last meeting of the year), and 2 folk came up to chat to me about marshaling the next year.

[Woolley]

I started at 20 when the club of which I was a member (MAC) invited assistance on the then RAC Lombard rally in the newsletter. As a result I got to know some of the marshals at Shelsley and moved to hill climbs a couple of years later and then to the circuits just after that.

In that time I've introduced several friends to the sport, some of whom didn't even follow motorsport before coming with me. I reckon the vast number of marshals start as a result of coming along as a guest of someone else.

[CombeMarshal]

I am a grand old age of 31, and I thought I was one of the young ones!!!!

Lee

[chezza]

I started at the age of 19 and am now 22...blimey i thought I was younger than that when I started! I mainly became involved through my dad who was already a marshal, I went to spectate at the GP, liked the look of marshalling, loved the people and I couldn't wait for my first meeting!

I don't know how we can get the young ones in...maybe the GNVQ that is being developed will help, maybe we could get at the universities and colleges and ask them to set up marshalling societies?! I don't know what the answer is, but I hope we can attract some young ones soon.

[CombeMarshal]

Word of mouth, we all only need to get one person on board and we'll double our numbers, I've got 2 to my name so far, and am working on another, It's like pyramid selling, or is it a snowball!

[Andrew Gunnell]

I started marshalling two years ago when I was 18, because it was part of the degree course I was doing. Today I am the only one from that year to still be marshalling and the module I did has now changed.

The main reason why the others did not continue was that they could not see the relevance of marshalling to the course and they could not commitment themselves for a weekend of marshalling due to other commitments.

There might not be enough students to form marshalling societies at universities, why not have a stand from a local marshals’ club at the fresher week fairs, promoting marshalling by offering lifts from the university campus to the local circuits for a small amount of money.

[NotLordPercy]

The results of the survey carried out among Combe marshals in July were issued on Monday. The first question related to age of marshals. 16 to 25 5%; 26 to 45 27%; the rest were over 45 !
I'm afraid that age is catching up with a lot of us faster than we would like & there are just not the younger replacements coming through! At Combe last Monday, there were a small number of recruits of all ages being shown all aspects of race day before being allowed out on the circuit . Sounds like an excellent introduction.
We still lose too many novices who have an " uncomfortable " first day on the bank with unfriendly or cliquey marshals. New keen marshals are essential to the well being of our sport!
I hate to think what the average age on our post was last Monday...............

[flagwaver]

One wonders if this thread should not be linked to the one about marshals sitting down during racing, in view of our average age.