Team Affiliation in Online Rankings.

Citroen · Post by **Citroen** » March 28th, 2006, 3:29 pm

At the moment we have a few members of our virtual team that have arrived, logged a few metres, then disappeared again.

I suspect it's the same for all the virtual teams.

The problem they create is that it pulls the average metres per member down lower.

So what I'd like to propose is a change to the online ranking profile so that team members have to positively confirm their team membership. I suspect the sensible time to implement a change like that is at the switch from the 2005/6 season to the the 2006/7 season at the end of April.

It just needs to be a check box (or some other html form widget) that reminds the user which team they've affiliated to and gets the user to confirm that they want to stay as a member of that team. Process it once on the first logon after 1st May. If they don't check the box don't include them in the team. If they don't logon don't include them in the team.

The other solution would be to appoint a team manager [and a deputy] (like the January challenge team manager) who could remove member. The current method of adding yourself to a virtual team seems to work OK so probably doesn't need to change.

If you go with a team manager role it would be handy for him/her to be able to send an e-mail to all team members as a one-shot process.

Daren · Post by **Daren** » March 28th, 2006, 4:34 pm

Why wasn't the team challenge run again for March, that's what I'd like to know. At least, the only one that was ever open for me was the first one, and I haven't seen any others listed.

As for the team rankings, I rank by total metres anyway, not meters/member. Removing the low average members would still drag down the overall score.

Birkyboy · Post by **Birkyboy** » March 28th, 2006, 6:28 pm

Citreon.

Think this idea HAS MERIT.

But I thought I HAD to type in Sub7IRC (My Team) in my profile to have my metres linked to Sub7?

Is that not the same as electing.. As I say.. I only thought that is what I was doing.

That the Team Captain can 'review' and 'delete' non active members has my vote.. The team is best served by active members.. and perhaps there could be a base level for (effective) contributions..

All metres should be welcome.. if they are being done regularly.. but if they indicate a 'lapsed' interest.. no erging for over 2 months.. well.

Or.. What about being able to discount your teams lowest 3 performers.. Does not stop anyone contributing.. and if you are 3rd bottom.. even an incentive to go up the table to be a 'Counted' member.

whp4 · Post by **whp4** » March 28th, 2006, 8:19 pm

Birkyboy wrote:Citreon.

Think this idea HAS MERIT.

But I thought I HAD to type in Sub7IRC (My Team) in my profile to have my metres linked to Sub7?

Is that not the same as electing.. As I say.. I only thought that is what I was doing.

My take is that Dougie is talking about people who sign up in one season, but in a subsequent season lose interest in rowing. Yes, they might contribute some meters, but they also bump up the number of team members, and some might value having the highest average meters/member as possible (or being in a smaller "size class"). Those "slacker" members are with you forever, in the current system, although if they don't contribute ANY meters in a season, they don't appear to count.

Given that your meters "shift" with you immediately, there's no real harm that I can see in making everyone join up again at the start of a new season; if you forget and row some meters that don't get credited to your old team, they will be as soon as you realize you're no longer listed as part of the team and re-up. Still leaves you with the "deadwood" on the team the season they lose interest, however. Hard to see how you fix that without giving someone the ability to remove team members, which is a bit of a change from how it has worked in the past.

I wish that switching affiliations didn't change past history - if you switch teams in the 2006 season, your new team gets your 2005 meters in the 2005 university/club standings. Makes the ability to look at past years university/club standings rather pointless.

Bill

Ben Rea · Post by **Ben Rea** » March 28th, 2006, 8:23 pm

I think that is a great idea, no one wants some person with 500m logged who has only gotten on once, i think that would be very anoying and pointless. especially if you want high average meters for the team.

Citroen · Post by **Citroen** » March 28th, 2006, 8:28 pm

whp4 wrote: I wish that switching affiliations didn't change past history - if you switch teams in the 2006 season, your new team gets your 2005 meters in the 2005 university/club standings. Makes the ability to look at past years university/club standings rather pointless.

Bill

That's a good point. Your metres should shift for the current season but not for past seasons. So if I row for Taff Attack in 2005/6 then switch to Iron Oarsmen for 2006/7 my Taff metres should stick with the Taff team.

I guess they need to add an extra column to their database at the end/start or each new season. It would hold the team affiliation for that year just gone.

seat5 · Post by **seat5** » March 28th, 2006, 8:38 pm

I think this is a good idea, too. I'm more interested in the meters/member than the total meters per team, and it does seem a shame to have flash-in-the pans pulling the average down.

Kinley · Post by **Kinley** » March 28th, 2006, 10:27 pm

Birkyboy wrote: All metres should be welcome.. if they are being done regularly.. but if they indicate a 'lapsed' interest.. no erging for over 2 months.. well.

Teams (or team captains) would have to clarify expectations in this regard. Many people ---- OTW rowers, runners, cyclists ---- erg only in their off season. In these cases 2 months without meters indicates warm weather, not lapsed interest. Maybe C2 could tweak the team page format so that above the listing of members there was a header where each group could lay out a mission statement, or goal.

Birkyboy · Post by **Birkyboy** » March 31st, 2006, 9:01 am

Kinley.

Fair point.. about the Water babes.. They are not likely to be chasing big TEAM Metres on the erg..

But then that does not stop participation in All the other Team Aspects.. or representing the Team.. in C2 Monthly Challenges.. etc.. The do carry the name and pride of their team at Comps.. etc, for example.

The Team Metres event.. subject to minimum numbers being involved.. is a competition... not suited to all of a Team.. for example in the Water Babes (Good Team Members.. but low on Average Metres/year)..

Perhaps each team should be restricted.. and have no less than 25 members.. no more than 50 ?

But the 'bottom' dropped off the Map, don't ergs.. should be capable of being expunged by a Team Captain.. even if by 'request' to C2 Moderator.. Though may be getting a little political.

That said.. anyone.. Can put metres on for themselves and compare to any other erger.. worldwide..

little weed · Post by **little weed** » March 31st, 2006, 9:13 am

seat5 wrote:I think this is a good idea, too. I'm more interested in the meters/member than the total meters per team.

me too. it's more meaningful. but the default setting seems to be total metres.
jane

Citroen · Post by **Citroen** » March 31st, 2006, 9:13 am

Kinley wrote: Many people ---- OTW rowers, runners, cyclists ---- erg only in their off season.

The wet rowers can log their OTW metres and stay active that way.