UROC Support Team

[Samuraiman]

I am starting this post to see how everyone else feels about UROC. Where is there appreciation of there support staff that nearly spends all there own time and money to support an effort to promote the Rock Crawling sport. There are hundreds of people that volunteer at every competition and people that are at every event. UROC needs to stick to the same judges at every event and take care of there judges and officials as these people are the ones that will make UROC fair and consistent. There needs to be more care taken to make the support staff happy and appreciated. As I have heard several people say that they are simply done supporting UROC, from EMT to judges and traffic control and people in every aspect of the support team, they are fed up. Do we all need to get together and tell UROC exactly what we as their most important supporters expect as PROFESSIONAL JUDGES and support group. Let me know where you all stand and what your thoughts are as many people in my area and people in other states are also curious, where we stand.

 

[mbryson]

As a fan and sometimes spotter I sincerely appreciate the UROC staffers. They can take a lot of heat and are a great bunch of people that do this mostly at their own expense. The spirit of UROC IS defined by these VOLUNTEERS and the competitors.

 

[grinch]

As a fan and sometimes spotter I sincerely appreciate the UROC staffers. They can take a lot of heat and are a great bunch of people that do this mostly at their own expense. The spirit of UROC IS defined by these VOLUNTEERS and the competitors.

This goes for me as well.... Im a spotter and Will kiss any of your Judges butts in any way I can to help my scores out.......
Just kidding
But your guys help is always appreciated from us competitors.

 

[Caleb]

coming from a former support staff member I think they (UROC) need to really step it up on how they take care of their support staff. If they want this to be a professional sport, they need to start treating their officials like it is. I was unable to work the events this year due to schooling but I have not really missed using all my vacation time to go get yelled at (by competitors) and stand around in 100+ heat for a free lunch and hotel room, just didn't add up. I don't know if things are better now but if they aren't then they really need to step it up...

 

[Samuraiman]

Exactly

=Supergper]coming from a former support staff member I think they (UROC) need to really step it up on how they take care of their support staff. If they want this to be a professional sport, they need to start treating their officials like it is. I was unable to work the events this year due to schooling but I have not really missed using all my vacation time to go get yelled at (by competitors) and stand around in 100+ heat for a free lunch and hotel room, just didn't add up. I don't know if things are better now but if they aren't then they really need to step it up...[/QUOTE]






That is exactly what I am talking about. It is not the competitors that dont' appreciate us, but UROC. I have never had any problems with competitors. They have to be kiss butt's not to get a poor sportmanship call >< LOL J/K I don't agree that the judges and the support team should have to come up with travel money time off work and what not to support a professional organization that makes grundles of money on the sport. IE Other wise they wouldn't do it. UROC should show the support teams with more respect and support. Not just throw a few peanuts at us and all the water we can drink to get us through the 100 days in Cedar. All travel should be paid for as well as so much a day for being there, hotel rooms and of course the season end bonus for making it to all the events. All judges should be committed to the full season and make it to every event. Who knows maybe I am way off base.

 

[I Lean]

I've watched the number of judges/crowd control/whatever staff dwindle, seems like every event there are less of 'em around. That alone tells me they aren't being taken care of properly.

I also would like to see some consistency in the judges...it's hard to be consistent (as an organization) if the people are different each time.

 

[RockMonkey]

I appreciate all the work the volunteers do. *Most* of the judges are great, and they *all* could be if they were the same throughout the year. There should be plenty of free water available at every course.

 

[teknodestrukto]

Ditto on Supergper's comments. We've judged together before (Cedar '03 obstacle #4) and spent 17 hours on the course busting our a$$. I started judging because Craig was supporting land use issues and organizations and I wanted to contribute to the cause, however, now that it is mostly for profit it doesn't make sense and seems unethical for UROC to ask for volunteers. Name any other for-profit business that has volunteers. The judges should form their own pro organization and be paid a salary plus expenses. Cost, or something close to it, on sponsor's products would be nice too. Just my $0.02 worth.

 

[BlackSheep]

As a guy who has worked each event this year as a judge (except vernal), I can say that UROC has stepped up on what they are giving in return. They have paid my hotels at each event, One free meal a day and have reimbursed me for my fuel (and of course plenty of free water). While this is not as much as some of you are asking for, it is more than was available last year.

The biggest trouble I'm having this year is the number of events. It is very difficult to come up with the time off for the entire event. Having events 10 hours away (barstow) and 7 hours away (Farmington) just make it more difficult. Kind of tough to make a long drive like that after being on the course all day, so that means sunday is shot as well.

The number of volunteers has decreased steadily this year. At Barstow, there was only one marshall (Ranch), which also meant only one recovery vehicle. Additionally, there was barely enough judges to make one per course. During 2003, we consistently had to turn away people who were qualified judges after assigning 2 per course.

Something else I liked last year was the sponsership of a single course. Each course was sponsered by a different company. this meant that all the banners for that course were the same. What a way for a company to get their name out. This year, we get a mismash of banners for our courses. I just thought it was awesome to have all BFG or whatever for a course.

 

[Samuraiman]

Pro Organization

Ditto on Supergper's comments. We've judged together before (Cedar '03 obstacle #4) and spent 17 hours on the course busting our a$$. I started judging because Craig was supporting land use issues and organizations and I wanted to contribute to the cause, however, now that it is mostly for profit it doesn't make sense and seems unethical for UROC to ask for volunteers. Name any other for-profit business that has volunteers. The judges should form their own pro organization and be paid a salary plus expenses. Cost, or something close to it, on sponsor's products would be nice too. Just my $0.02 worth.

Well what we as judges and volunteers need to do is get together and figure out what we can all agree on and write a proposal to UROC and see where they stand. Until they we are just going to have to get hard headed and let them know what we expect. How do you get all the people involved with UROC together????????????? That would be nice

 

[teknodestrukto]

It would probably require lots of free pizza and beverage Do you think there's still enough interest to form a judges union? One judge per course at Barstow and only one Marshall seems indicative of a possible collapse to me. Like I said, they have to start paying if we're going to keep playing.

 

[Caleb]

As a guy who has worked each event this year as a judge (except vernal), I can say that UROC has stepped up on what they are giving in return. They have paid my hotels at each event, One free meal a day and have reimbursed me for my fuel (and of course plenty of free water). While this is not as much as some of you are asking for, it is more than was available last year.

This is the same as has been offered for a while. This year I think they just added the addition of fuel reimbursement

The biggest trouble I'm having this year is the number of events. It is very difficult to come up with the time off for the entire event. Having events 10 hours away (barstow) and 7 hours away (Farmington) just make it more difficult. Kind of tough to make a long drive like that after being on the course all day, so that means sunday is shot as well.

Thats exactly what I'm taking about, my time off is worth something to me.

The number of volunteers has decreased steadily this year. At Barstow, there was only one marshall (Ranch), which also meant only one recovery vehicle. Additionally, there was barely enough judges to make one per course. During 2003, we consistently had to turn away people who were qualified judges after assigning 2 per course.

Thats too bad to hear...for you guys, not for UROC. I know how hard it is to cover some obstacles with two qualified judges, let alone one.

Something else I liked last year was the sponsership of a single course. Each course was sponsered by a different company. this meant that all the banners for that course were the same. What a way for a company to get their name out. This year, we get a mismash of banners for our courses. I just thought it was awesome to have all BFG or whatever for a course.

I agree, it was easy to distinguish what course was what and I think gave a sponsor more visibility. Even though there still be just as many banners for any particular sponsor, having them scattered around I dont think will get them the visibility of having their own obstacle.

I think UROC would laugh in your face if you formed a drivers union...they know they can just get rid of ya and get some slackys that WILL work for peanuts. The only ones that will suffer are going to be the competitors...as a few have pointed out, how can you have consistancey(sp?) if you have inexperienced or different judges for each event?

 

[teknodestrukto]

There's nothing new in reimbursement this year. Hotel, fuel and some food were all available last year and now there're more competitions, further away. The only way to get the same judges at each event is to hire them as employees and pay them accordingly. This allows the judges to justify the time off of their day jobs and makes them accountable to the organization and the competitors for incompetent judging. As an employee of UROC you're going to have to know the rules and make the same calls everyone else does, or get fired. You're right. I don't think a judges union would go anywhere, there's a (UROC volunteer) born every minute...

 

[BlackSheep]

there's a (UROC volunteer) born every minute...

I have yet to see them come out of the woodwork this year though, so maybe there isn't.

 

[Samuraiman]

Born Every Minute

I have yet to see them come out of the woodwork this year though, so maybe there isn't.

LOL at a volunteer born every minute. I can think of 20 plus people that flat out refuse to have anything to do with UROC, wich includes judging competing, or support as even a fan. Let alone the ones I do not know about. Most people after experiencing UROC just once as a volunteer, refuses to do another competition. How many out there feel this way. So the people that have judged and have participated in UROC as volunteers are changing every minute. As Teknodestrukto mentioned you have a bunch of Newbies being born Every minute. People that have no idea and this leads back to the incosistency of the judging and the competition as a whole. As far as I am concerned UROC will have to seriously step up and show there competitors that they are a professional organization. Instead of ROLLY POLLY Bunch that roll into town a day before the competition and start Calling everyone on there list to round up judges and support staff. Anywho I think I will shut up or they won't want me for anything. LOL

 

[SuperRanger]

I support UROC. They are the biggest series and forging the future of the sport. It is a lot easier to be the second or third biggest series and follow in their footsteps. I also think that they are coming the closest to being a "professional" sport.

While our input is valid, they have other factors to consider as well - numbers of spectators, TV, sponsors, etc. We teams are a cog in the wheel. Other series may make us a bigger cog but the wheel is always the same size so the other cogs must be smaller. What I mean is if we want "the big show" we all need to realize that we are only a part of it, we are not all of it.

I appreciate all the volunteer help. I don't think the sky is falling. I wish UROC the best and will continue to support them. I realize it is not for everybody and think that those that don't like should put positive energy into what they do enjoy rather than detract from UROC.

 

[BCGPER]

I'm out of UROC for the very reasons Caleb mentioned. I started judging ARCA, then moved to UROC. I was at every UROC event, either as a judge, marshall, or competitor. Before the merger, the man in charge then (not gonna mention names) would call weeks in advance to ask about my status for the next event, if I was competing, judging, or whatever. I had no problem at all burning all my vacation, and thousands of dollars to help get UROC where it was, in fact I was very proud to see how far it had come knowing I had a little something to do with it.

It started out, purses were small but still a good chunk of change. We were getting the word out about this wacky "hobby" back then, and a lot of money was going to land use issues.

It's all changed now, the purses are still small even though entrance fees, ticket prices, spectator numbers, and sponsor help have increased substantially. Where's it all going now? Not to land use issues!

The biggest reason I'm out though is, I've never been asked to participate. Maybe I stepped on a toe? Dunno, and don't really give a crap. I'm not about to give up my time and money to line someone elses pockets (think about that next time you're paying that entrance fee). The competitors are getting bitchier (is that a word?) then ever, mainly out of frustration I think. Getting through tech is a pain due to individual interpretations of poorly written rules. Bad calls are being made by inexpierenced judges, and let's face it, the courses just aint what they used to be.

All in all, I'm sad watching the slow death of UROC, but that's the way I see it headed.

I am starting this post to see how everyone else feels about UROC. Where is there appreciation of there support staff that nearly spends all there own time and money to support an effort to promote the Rock Crawling sport. There are hundreds of people that volunteer at every competition and people that are at every event. UROC needs to stick to the same judges at every event and take care of there judges and officials as these people are the ones that will make UROC fair and consistent. There needs to be more care taken to make the support staff happy and appreciated. As I have heard several people say that they are simply done supporting UROC, from EMT to judges and traffic control and people in every aspect of the support team, they are fed up. Do we all need to get together and tell UROC exactly what we as their most important supporters expect as PROFESSIONAL JUDGES and support group. Let me know where you all stand and what your thoughts are as many people in my area and people in other states are also curious, where we stand.

 

[sukaB]

Ditto on Supergper's comments. We've judged together before (Cedar '03 obstacle #4) and spent 17 hours on the course busting our a$$. I started judging because Craig was supporting land use issues and organizations and I wanted to contribute to the cause, however, now that it is mostly for profit it doesn't make sense and seems unethical for UROC to ask for volunteers. Name any other for-profit business that has volunteers. The judges should form their own pro organization and be paid a salary plus expenses. Cost, or something close to it, on sponsor's products would be nice too. Just my $0.02 worth.

I been Spewing this for 5-6-7 year's now.........
Land issue's? PHEW! 100 bucks a year covers that cop out!!!!!!
All the people on this board give 100,000 & year in clean up and restoration of our actual trails.....BULLSHIT......

What's the deal......When you Folks gonna wake up!!!!!

Who works for free to watch their boss get an 18 wheeler with OUR money and HIS logo plastered on the side.....
BUT THEY CANT PAY YOU RIGHT!
YEAH..... They have money l K at the house's, cars and truck's and 18 wheeler's and business's owned....WTF ever....

I did Once......
Tired of that,,
I have no ski boat, they do! I don't drive an Escalade, they do! I don't live in a million dollar home, they do! I don't fly planes and have Circus air show's ,
they do!
I didnt screw the founder of UROC out of his own company, They did!
I didn't make a deal to NASCRAWL(Copyright),
(UROC CRAIG) and BULLSHIT HIM out of their dream child of the new NASCRAWL(Copyright) they DID....

This is bullshit, And as long as people keep giving their hard earned dollars up They'll keep buying new un-propane burning shacks,,, Like they came from..(FLIPOFFx20)

lteknodestrukto,
Bye the way:
I feel so hurt that yourself and other's participation in judging has brought you to such DESTRUCT....I agree judge's should get paid and should be having fun instead of being in the middle of mismanagment/ running from the Po-lice..and having to deal with sald issue's (get me) but it's gonna keep going until you quit helpin.....
If you really care that much toward land use and abuse ,,,
donate those hard earned hours toward keepin your trails open....If you don't like the sound of that then come over here and scrub my toilets for 4 hours and I'll write a letter to the BLM about how you keep skids off the trail.....
Were even...


But this is what will happen when you allow yourself to be involved with shady type's of character's:

Suka says:::::::No one can help yourself,,,,,,,,, except yourself......
Look around,,,,,,,, I chose!!!!
Also remember to ask yourself to remember this:

The people who helped build this sport, Lost a boat, Other house, got divorced, lost a job, sold some earnings for cash, sold a cat, found a dog, lost a jeep, built a jeep, so on and so forth........We all lost somethin on this one......
But we can make a difference and change things, especially as a whole....

Take a stand.....?
Decide!

 

[sukaB]

I'm out of UROC for the very reasons Caleb mentioned. I started judging ARCA, then moved to UROC. I was at every UROC event, either as a judge, marshall, or competitor. Before the merger, the man in charge then (not gonna mention names) would call weeks in advance to ask about my status for the next event, if I was competing, judging, or whatever. I had no problem at all burning all my vacation, and thousands of dollars to help get UROC where it was, in fact I was very proud to see how far it had come knowing I had a little something to do with it.

It started out, purses were small but still a good chunk of change. We were getting the word out about this wacky "hobby" back then, and a lot of money was going to land use issues.

It's all changed now, the purses are still small even though entrance fees, ticket prices, spectator numbers, and sponsor help have increased substantially. Where's it all going now? Not to land use issues!

The biggest reason I'm out though is, I've never been asked to participate. Maybe I stepped on a toe? Dunno, and don't really give a crap. I'm not about to give up my time and money to line someone elses pockets (think about that next time you're paying that entrance fee). The competitors are getting bitchier (is that a word?) then ever, mainly out of frustration I think. Getting through tech is a pain due to individual interpretations of poorly written rules. Bad calls are being made by inexpierenced judges, and let's face it, the courses just aint what they used to be.

All in all, I'm sad watching the slow death of UROC, but that's the way I see it headed.

Damn should have Read yours before typing mine.......
You are a donater/builder of the sport/like myself....
I think people that have been their for the duration could comment on this.....

WE have spent alot of our hours here on earth promoting rockcrawling and our sport/Love of it,,,, not supporting someone else's business our name on the side of their 18 wheeler... :sick:

This is our sport and it should be ran by us--all of us....
.....Until then I guess I'll sit on the back burner like the rest of my friends...(FLIPOFFX86)