[Help Thread] Organizing official WCA competitions

[Jaysammey777]

I understand your concern, and the main reason I'm holding this comp is to get to go to one XD Also my friends just attended the Atlanta open so they should be able to help me with functionality of I should run into the issue.

^^ if you mainly want to go to a competition then go to one someone else has hosted I.e the past two in GA or nats in SC. Hosting a competition should be for competitors not yourself.

anyway what do I know, I've never hosted one.

Regardless the more the merrier, right? And as long as it's done properly I'm sure you'll get a lot of support. Nobody want to see you crash and burn which can easily happen with inexperience.

 

[b0ssGuy23]

I would say go to a competition, and then host one.

I will also say, that I will most likely be attending, if this does end up happening.

 

[camcuber]

I have been to several competitions during my cubing career both official and unofficial. I have also seen some really well run events and some that turn into a mad house by lunch time. My advice to you would be to carefully plan the event, try to account for a decent amount of time per event so that you are not running late or having to drop events to accommodate the schedule. Find a large enough venue with good lighting and enough chairs for guests and competitors. Having tables also seems to be nice so that some of the competitors can hangout and practice together. If you go through with it, I wish you the best of luck and hope that you have a great time! :tu

 

[qwertycuber]

Is there a guide for starting a comp in Canada then?

 

[PenguinsDontFly]

Is there a guide for starting a comp in Canada then?

yes its on the cubing out loud website. plz organize a comp.

 

[Themagicman03]

WCA competition helper on Long Island.

I have been thinking about hosting a WCA competition at a local library with a big auditorium and if anybody is in the Long Island area and would like to help me organize it in anyway. Please reply to the thread and we can pick it up through private messaging.

 

[theROUXbiksCube]

Alex Maass to the rescue

 

[CornerCutter]

Hello,

I've been thinking of trying to set-up or help set up a competition. Is it a lot of work?

Does anyone have any personal experience they could share?

I don't know if its worth it.
The reason is because there are none in my area.

Thanks.

 

[sqAree]

https://www.cubingusa.com/cguide.php

 

[CornerCutter]

https://www.cubingusa.com/cguide.php

Thanks.

I changed my post to the question I didn't have answered.

 

[AlphaSheep]

I'm not an organiser, but I am a delegate, so I can share my perspective. The amount of work that needs to go into a comp depends on how successful you want the comp to be. There is some work that has to happen no matter what, like arranging a venue (some venues need more admin work than others), planning a schedule, printing score cards, certificates, and a bunch other things. Then the are the optional things, such as prizes, finding sponsors, arranging staff, advertising, etc. The more effort that goes in, the more enjoyable the experience will be for the competitors.

If you plan things well in advance, know what needs to be done, and get some reliable helpers to spread the workload, then it's not too much work.

On the day, it depends. Some delegates are OK with tasks like calling heats and keeping the flow of the competition going, but I think most delegates prefer if the organiser plays an active role in this. It can be quite stressful and you certainly won't have time for mingling or warming up for your events, unless you want to annoy the delegate.

I see organising as a bit of a sacrifice. If you want to organise a comp so that you can go to it to compete, then don't bother, it's not worth it. If you want to organise a comp because your area doesn't have many and you want to give others in your community a chance to compete, and you're willing to put in some effort, then it's definitely worth it.

 

[biscuit]

If you want to organise a comp so that you can go to it to compete, then don't bother, it's not worth it. If you want to organise a comp because your area doesn't have many and you want to give others in your community a chance to compete, and you're willing to put in some effort, then it's definitely worth it.

I disagree with this in multiple ways. First off, you do get to compete and that's good. Second, you organizing in an area will encourage others to organize. In KC there are a couple people planning comps other than me, and I'm a big fan of that. Being able to compete is not the only reason you should organize, but it can be a strong motivator and leading factor to your decision, and that's fine.

What you should note about this though is it takes a lot of energy. By the time I get home, I'm ready to hit the bed and fall asleep. My times aren't as good at comps I organized, and others have seen the same thing. However, it's extremely rewarding. I enjoy comps I've organized in different ways then other comps. That being said, I've only attended one comp where I wasn't full time staff, so I may not be the best person to ask when it comes to organizing vs just attending.

The biggest thing is your confidence in your self, and your ability to buckle down and do the work, which isn't even that much if you give your self enough time.

 

[Josh Silvers]

I am interested in organizing one, but I don't know the total cost. I know timers and stuff are expensive.

 

[AidanNoogie]

I am interested in organizing one, but I don't know the total cost. I know timers and stuff are expensive.

The delegate probably has some.

 

[AidanNoogie]

I disagree with this in multiple ways. First off, you do get to compete and that's good. Second, you organizing in an area will encourage others to organize. In KC there are a couple people planning comps other than me, and I'm a big fan of that. Being able to compete is not the only reason you should organize, but it can be a strong motivator and leading factor to your decision, and that's fine.

What you should note about this though is it takes a lot of energy. By the time I get home, I'm ready to hit the bed and fall asleep. My times aren't as good at comps I organized, and others have seen the same thing. However, it's extremely rewarding. I enjoy comps I've organized in different ways then other comps. That being said, I've only attended one comp where I wasn't full time staff, so I may not be the best person to ask when it comes to organizing vs just attending.

The biggest thing is your confidence in your self, and your ability to buckle down and do the work, which isn't even that much if you give your self enough time.

How hard was it to organize your first competition? Did you have a sponsor? And if so, how hard was it to get one?

 

[biscuit]

How hard was it to organize your first competition? Did you have a sponsor? And if so, how hard was it to get one?

There's a bit to learn, but if you have a good delegate and a mind for this kinda thing it's not to bad. As far as a sponsor, email a store and they'll get you gift cards. I know that the cubicle will give you cube covers

 

[AidanNoogie]

There's a bit to learn, but if you have a good delegate and a mind for this kinda thing it's not to bad. As far as a sponsor, email a store and they'll get you gift cards. I know that the cubicle will give you cube covers

Ok, thanks! I was wondering about cube covers because there kinda pricey at $4.99.

 

[AidanNoogie]

There's a bit to learn, but if you have a good delegate and a mind for this kinda thing it's not to bad. As far as a sponsor, email a store and they'll get you gift cards. I know that the cubicle will give you cube covers

Did you need to design the registration and score sheets?

 

[biscuit]

Just use the WCA site for registration and cube comps for scorecards. I think most stores will give you free cube covers. I know the cubicle does.

 

[AidanNoogie]

Just use the WCA site for registration and cube comps for scorecards. I think most stores will give you free cube covers. I know the cubicle does.

Where can I find them on the wca site?