NHPA MEMBERSHIP SURVEY 2002

A Summary Report of Findings and Implications

Dr. Bill Tedrick, Volunteer Survey Manager

Preface

As a volunteer organization, NHPA has a unique organizational framework that provides many challenges and opportunities for effective organizational leadership.  The concept of 'state rights' is alive and well. It creates a unique and sometimes difficult situation in developing an adequate organizational management decision-making process at the national level.  The concept of national, state and local autonomy in the decision making process requires unique involvement techniques that are often difficult and time consuming.

Rank-and-file members may view NHPA as an 'enforcer' organization rather than having a much broader role in the development of organized horseshoes as a sport.  Historically, NHPA has demonstrated considerable initiative in promoting horseshoes on a much broader scope than developing and enforcing the competitive elements of organized horseshoes.  NHPA has made major changes to provide a place for about everyone that wants to compete in sponsored tournaments and activities at all levels.  In general, membership fee requirements have been kept low compared to other organized sport organizations.  Provisions for including all skill levels and handicapped individuals have been implemented.   Yet, with all these changes, adult membership has decreased about 16 percent since 1991.  Available data strongly suggests that the average age of NHPA members is approaching 60 years. This pattern of decreasing membership is evident across most, if not all state charters, thus the trend can be viewed as a wide-based issue for NHPA and state charters as well.

Given this situation, it seems critical that NHPA should try to determine what factors are contributing to this general downward trend.  The changes made organizationally have not improved the membership trends, so NHPA should investigate how horseshoes as an organized sport is viewed in today's culture.  Perhaps our methods of communication to the non-NHPA world are outdated and not effective in today's world?  Is there a lack of commitment to the organization by current members?  Is new communication technology being implemented effectively? Is the organizational structure consistent with current societal norms and values? Is the lack of adequate printed materials and training at the state charters and local club level part of the problem?  Are resources being directed to the most important issues within the organization?  Have the critical organizational issues been identified? Are leadership roles adequately defined and communicated at all levels? Are organizational responsibilities so diffused and generalized that they are not implemented?  Are annual goals and objectives developed and communicated? Should NHPA and state charters have a process in place to track and attempt to re-recruit dropouts?  Should NHPA and state charters initiate a more aggressive program to recruit new members at the local club level?

We now have new communication technology that can enhance our ability to involve a larger segment of the membership in the decision making process.  The use of email and Internet access provides the tools for on-going involvement at all levels of the organization at little or no cost other than the time needed to participate. The use of email committees with Internet discussion groups could improve the decision-making processes at all levels of the organization. The concept of using organizational web sites to offer both formal and informal training opportunities is being used effectively by many organizations.

It was with these ideas and concerns in mind that the 2002 NHPA Membership Survey was undertaken.

Survey Goal and Objective

The principle objective of the NHPA Membership Survey was to collect NHPA member input related to selected organizational functions and update selected member demographics. The overall goal was to develop information that could be useful in developing short and long term organizational goals and objectives.

Survey Methods and Procedures

The survey questionnaire was mail to 255 NHPA members from the 2001 membership rolls held by the NHPA Secretary-Treasurer.  Members were randomly drawn from 18 randomly selected state charters. 

The questionnaire was developed by the Survey Manager with input from the NHPA President, Dave Loucks, Second Vice President, Casey Sluys and Secretary/Treasurer, Dick Hansen. Dr. Howard Ladewig, University of Florida, served as a volunteer consultant to the Survey Manager, providing valuable technical support

The questionnaire was pre-tested on a random sample of 10 NHPA members from a state not included in the random sample of states.  Minor revisions including some additional questions were made to the survey form following the pre-test.  The survey was printed in a booklet format (51/2 X 7 inch) and mailed with a cover letter from the survey manager under first class mail on April 1, 2002. The NHPA Secretary/Treasurer had mailed a pre-notification card to the 255 subjects about two week prior to the mail out of the survey. Respondents were also offered five free one-year subscriptions to Newsline to be randomly selected from those responding to the survey. No follow-up request was made to non-respondents.

All survey forms that were returned due to insufficient addresses were replaced in the sample by randomly selected alternative subjects.  A total of 171 completed questionnaires were returned for a return rate of 67% with the replacement procedure.  The estimated sampling error is plus or minus 10%.

The data were summarized by the Survey Manager using Dbase software to construct the basic summary tables.  Melissa Gibson, Texas A&M University, provided additional statistical analyses that are reported here.

Summary Report

The purpose of this report is to identify what the Survey Manager regards as the most relevant results and identify implications for organizational consideration for future management decisions.  A summary of the basic results reported as percentage to the questions can be viewed on the NHPA Internet Site, www.horseshoepitching.com.  The report is found on the Publicity Page under NHPA Survey and titled A Spirit of Friendly Competition.

SURVEY RESULTS

Results from the 2001 NHPA Membership Survey suggests that the Average NHPA Member Would Demonstrate These Characteristics

Our 'best estimate' NHPA member is most likely to be a white male with a 56% chance he will be about 60 years old.  There is a 21% chance he is under 50 years old. He will probably tell you that pitching horseshoes is an important part of his life. He ranks the most satisfying reasons for pitching horseshoes in this order: First, he enjoys the spirit of friendly competition. Second, because it is a healthy activity to participate in. Third, he likes to belong to a group with common interest. Fourth, he wants to improve a personal skill. Fifth, he enjoys visiting other club's courts. Sixth, he is interested in earning recognition and awards. He has pitched horseshoes for about 24 year of his life. However, he has only pitched 12 years as an NHPA member. There is almost an 86% chance that he belongs to a local horseshoe club. There's about a 36% chance that he is or has been an office or committee member in his local club, and is more likely to have participated in the World Tournament than other members of his club.  The chances are about 50/50 that he has participated in the World Tournament at sometime during his NHPA membership. He will tell you that there is little or no local media coverage of organized horseshoes compared to other organized sports in his community.    There is less than a 30% chance that he subscribes to Newsline.  However, if he does subscribe, he is very likely to read most of or the entire magazine and thinks it is somewhat to very valuable to NHPA members. He is not very likely to be well informed about the NHPA Foundation (NHPF); however, there is a 50% chance he will be somewhat informed about NHPF. He is almost sure to pitch in a horseshoe club sponsored league, and there is about a 65% chance it is a sanctioned league. He is likely to have pitched in just over six sanctioned tournaments and about five non-sanctioned tournaments during 2001.He is nearly 82% likely to tell you that the dollars he spends for NHPA and Charter dues is well worth the money. The chances are about 60% that he has a computer at home and if he has a computer, there is about an 86% chance that he will access the Internet. 

There is about a 64% chance that he accesses the NHPA web site, horseshoepitching.com It is almost certain that he thinks NHPA Naststat System is very adequate, fair and useful to NHPA members based on his own experience. If asked to rate how effective NHPA is in achieving the four objectives as stated in the NHPA By-laws, he is likely to rate each in a 1-7 scale as follows: Effectiveness in giving Direction for Organized Horseshoes   - 4.45 on a 1-7 scale. Effectiveness in Assisting Club and Charter Organizations   - 4.64 on a 1-7 scale. Effectiveness in Producing Published Materials                     - 4.33 on a 1-7 scale. Effectiveness in Approving Equipment  - 5.39 on a 1-7 scale. He will tell you that he is very concerned about the downward trend in NHPA membership during the past several years. He is most likely to have an annual income between $31,000 and $50,000, but about 32% chance his annual income was under $31,000 in 2001.He is very likely to pitch from the full distance mark and has a more than 50% chance of being retired. He is most likely to live in open country or a small village or city.  There is about a 20% chance that he lives in a large city.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Based on the results reported above, the following generalized conclusions and implications for NHPA seem appropriate:

Conclusion #1

╖             The adult respondents in this survey report horseshoe pitching is an important part of their lives.  They are highly committed to organized horseshoes as a sport and rate friendly competition as the most satisfying reason for pitching. The results indicated that as a group, women are significantly more committed to horseshoe pitching as part of their life than men.

Implications for NHPA

NHPA members are highly committed to the basic purpose of NHPA as an organization.  This commitment is a valuable resource to the organization and provides a solid basis for implementing new goals and programs.  NHPA should use this support to review and evaluate current goals, objectives and program activities and make appropriate changes to help ensure the future of the organization

Conclusion #2

╖             If friendly competition is the 'spirit' of NHPA, the local club is its 'heart'.  It appears that local clubs are rated as highly active, but are not maintaining their NHPA membership.  This seems to indicate that club sponsored leagues are the main source of this activity and attract large numbers of participants who choose not to join NHPA.

Implications for NHPA

The organizational status of local horseshoe clubs is critical to NHPA as an organization. Local clubs are reported as being mostly active, but NHPA membership has continued to go down over the past several years.  Even though nearly 53% of the members pitch in sanctioned leagues, some 47% pitch in non-sanctioned leagues. NHPA should request that state charters determine and report how many non-sanctioned leagues are sponsored by local clubs and how many of the participants are NHPA members.

Conclusion #3    

╖             NHPA members not associated with a local club are not a very significant membership segment as they representing only 15% of the total adult NHPA membership in 2001.

Implications for NHPA

The local club is the 'heart' of NHPA membership.  NHPA should determine how it could best serve local club to ensure that they have adequate facilities and effective training in club  organization, management and membership recruitment procedures.  Implications related to this finding are discussed elsewhere in this report.

Conclusion #4

╖             Participation in the World Tournaments seems to be consistent with the Friendly Competition Spirit of NHPA members and continues to be a valued feature of NHPA programs. NHPA members who assume leadership responsibility in the local club are more likely to have participated in World Tournaments than members not assuming local club leadership roles.

Implications for NHPA

The World Tournament is a focal point for NHPA as an organization.  It provides a significant channel of communication to the non-NHPA world through media and word-of-mouth from participants.  Continued efforts to choose locations to maximizes the level of participation should be given top priority.  It appears that tournament location with  emphases on adequacy of facilities and alternative attractions are important variables effecting participation.

Conclusion #5

╖             NHPA as a national organization does not have effective communication channels to rank-and-file NHPA members.  Newsline  reaches less than approximately 1 in every 3 members. Subscribers rate the magazine as being a valuable resource.  Although the Internet may represent an emerging communications link to rank-and-file membership, it's effectiveness as an organizational communication link has not been evaluated.  How many and how often the Net is accessed by the average member is not known.  The content on the web site may or may not match critical organizational development and maintenance requirements of  state charters and local NHPA clubs. Within the near future, NHPA could expect approximately 90 percent of the members to have Internet access, especially among younger members.

 Implications for NHPA

It is appears that NHPA may not have an effective direct  communication channel to the rank-and-file membership.  It is essential that NHPA should (1) ensure that Newsline  is sent to all members or (2) initiate an alternative or supplemental  print media  based newsletter publication sent to all NHPA members on a continuing basis.  The content of the print based publications should be designed to support local clubs organization, recruitment and program/activity planning and implementation.  Although promotion of NHPA originated programs and activities is important this content is not highly interesting or motivating to the rank-and-file member.  Most members are more interested in local and state content that involves their immediate attention. New initiatives should be implemented to better determine the organizational needs at the state charter and local clubs.

The emerging Internet technology with network systems may provide a supplemental channel to rank-and-file membership.  NHPA should place top priority on developing an up-to-date computer based network to regional directors and state charters including grants for hardware and software.  The NHPA web site should be updated to provide information and training opportunities designed for specific issues and needs at the local club level.  The use of Email and the web site to involve local club members in promotion and recruitment could be implemented by using qualified consultants to determine the  basic needs and recommend a system design.       

Although the role and effectiveness of state charters promoting NHPA through their newsletters, web sites and other methods were not part of the survey, it is an area of concern that should be investigated in detail. Under present NHPA communication channels to the local clubs, the state charter Newsletters and web sites may be the most effective route to local club membership. NHPA should develop an effective networking relationship to existing charter newsletter editors and web site managers. 

NHPA should consider the need to establish a paid position to coordinate, develop and manage the communications networks needed to ensure that adequate communication and training needs are implemented at all levels of the organization.

Conclusion #6.

╖             It appears that NHPA members are not well informed about the NHPA Foundation. This finding may be related to the level of financial support from the membership to NHPF for the development of the Hall of Fame and other facilities at the Joelton, TN location. However, NHPA members responding rate the NHPA Hall of Fame as an important part of NHPA as an organization.

Implications for NHPA

The finding that a relative high percentage of NHPA rank-and-file members feel they do not know much about NHPF and related programs and activities may be contributing to the lack of financial support from members to the foundation.  With few exceptions, communications to the membership has been limited to Newsline that has limited distribution.  The foundation should consider using foundation funds to better inform rank-and-members about NHPF and it's programs and activities. 

Conclusion #7

╖             Participation in local club sponsored leagues is a central focus of NHPA members.  League participants who are not members of NHPA may represent a major target for NHPA recruitment.  The role and function of leagues at the local club level may not be well documented or understood as an organizational function within NHPA. It appears  that some action should be taken to better understand how NHPA resources are being used to support non-NHPA participation without visible contribution to NHPA membership.

Implications for NHPA

Apparently nearly fifty percent of local club league programs are not NHPA sanctioned.  Some clubs believe that NHPA sanctioning places restrictions on their ability to recruit participants and do not want to file the paper work required.  NHPA should address this problem by evaluating the sanctioning requirements and process to see if alternative process could be used to include all league participants as NHPA members.  The idea of an 'Associate Membership' with restricted benefits to NHPA sponsored activities might be a possibility. The NHPA 'Associate Membership' might be extended to other organizations that sponsor organized horseshoes in their activities.

Conclusion #8

╖             The finding that some 25% indicated that they did not know about Natsats is unexpected. One would assume that if a member participated in NHPA sanctioned tournaments, the member would know how their ringer average was determined to placed the member in the appropriate class.  Overall the 75% that rated Natstats gave the system high ratings on Adequacy, Fairness and Usefulness

Implications for NHPA

╖             The Natstats system is an excellent example of where an organization clearly identified a member issue and developed a program to correct it.  The survey results indicate a strong membership approval of Natstats as a useful, fair and adequate tool.

Conclusion #9

╖             The results suggest rather strongly that rank-and-file members believe that NHPA has not been highly effective in achieving the four organization purposes as stated in the By-laws.  The data suggests that respondents judged NHPA being more effective in achieving the purpose of Approving Horseshoe Equipment than the other three purposes.  The three purposes:  (1) Giving Direction for Organized Horseshoes, (2) Club and Charter Organization and (3) Developing Printed Materials were all rated at about the middle point on the 1-7 rating scale.  This rating is an indication that the respondents viewed NHPA as somewhat effective in achieving these purposes. Over 30% said that they were not well enough informed to rate the four purposes.

Implications for NHPA

NHPA, as an organization, should view these results as highly important to developing future program and goals.   The data may suggest that NHPA has not allocated enough resources to these stated purposes or the programs and activities designed to implement the purposes have not been effective as viewed by rank-and-file members.  Results clearly indicate that NHPA should take steps to evaluate all program activities and events in relation to each purpose to determine more adequately how resources are being expended on each purpose and whether or not current programs and activities are relevant and effective.  An alternative interpretation might be that the stated organizational purposes are not view as very relevant from the membership point of view. If the latter interpretation is valid, current organizational purposes should be validated and revised accordingly.   

Conclusion #10

╖             Over 95% of the respondents are concerned about the recent downward trend in NHPA membership, with some 60% reporting that they are Very Concerned.  This finding is consistent with the fact that respondents are highly committed to organized horseshoes as a sport may indicate that current members would support a major member recruitment drive if properly involved in the process. 

Implications for NHPA

NHPA should view the current membership that is highly committed, very concerned about the downward trend in membership as well as having a favorable view of the dues structure as the time to plans and implement a major membership recruitment drive.  Given the organizational structure of NHPA, it is important that the member recruitment effort is planned and conducted with rank-and-file members involvement in the Process. Special effort should be placed on new club organization and retaining current members. A major media program in support of specific membership goals to be achieved over a specific time frame should support the involvement process. Email and web site technology provides the tools for involving a large segment of current membership in the membership drive process.

Conclusion # 11

╖             It appears that the average age of NHPA adult members is approaching 60 years.  The indication that perhaps only 10 percent are under age 40 years is a critical issue if the organization is concerned about the future. 

Implications for NHPA

Several aspects of the age issue have been addressed in the implications given earlier in this report.  If NHPA fails to address this issue in some manner, the long-term future of the organizations is in question.

ON A PERSONAL NOTE

 As I reflect back on my 20 plus years as a 'rank-and-file' NHPA member, many fond memories come to mind.  Although the 'The Spirit of Friendly Competition' is a motivating theme, it is being part of an organization that conveyed  human values to promoting an organized sport that I most treasured. Our willingness to accommodate the frailties of human-kind seem to guide our decision making processes at all levels of the organization. Yes, we have some black and white rules that allow little room for making exceptions, but even these were generally administered in a fair handed  and friendly manner. It seems to me that organizationally we devoted most of our resources and abilities  to improve  internal aspects of NHPA.  Our goal, and rightly so, seem to be one of making NHPA a member friendly place to be after one gained membership. We provided options for shorter pitching distances for older members and those with handicaps.  New programs to recognize outstanding achievement and member contributions evolved.  Better organized published materials and new communication channels were developed.  Local clubs labored to improve their pitching facilities. The World Tournament became better organized and promoted as a focal point under the theme of Friendly Competition to include a place for about everyone that wanted to participate. Yes, the last decade were good year for NHPA, except for one problem, our membership continued to drop.  No, we are not alone in this downward trend in membership, but in the end it does not matter if the trend continues. Membership is the true measure of  organizational viability over the long haul.

As we enter the 21th Century, let's dedicate the next decade  to organizational renewal and expansion.  Let's set specific goal and objectives to be achieved in new club organization and and membership.  We have the resources, abilities  and tools to turn our membership trend around and regain the numbers we enjoyed in 1991 when we enrolled nearly 15,000 adult members.  Between 1979 and 1991 our NHPA adult membership increased an average of 740 new members per year.  Since 1991 our membership had dropped an average of 243 per year through 2000.  It is difficult to explain why with all the dedicated effort and internal organizational advances and expanded media programs we have not been able to stem this downward membership trend. New approaches and expanded allocation of resources and talents should be devoted to this critical issue. 

Survey  evidence seem to indicate that rank-and-file members will support new organization renewal and expansion efforts if presented in a member friendly process. I believe that the NHPA Executive Council can provide the essential leadership and motivation to meet this challenge.  

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