Struggling to Continue.

[Dagger]

Several months ago, I inherited co-leadership of the Sandspire Enclave as it's founder, Aizen, stepped down. We had about 20 people at each practice, thanks to the support of nearby realms, Blackwater and Andor.

As Sandspire's one year anniversary approaches, the dust is settling, and we're finding ourselves in a slump. We regularly saw new fighters, but they didn't seem to have the maturity or drive to commit to the sport. It just didn't "click" with most of them. They have fun, and they come out, but most will likely never see a national event. Most of them don't even own a personal weapon or their own garb.

The real questions I guess I'm trying to get to, are these...

How do we get serious, committed fighters, and not just the weekend warriors? Is it a shotgun of recruitment, and hope we're hitting something good? Or is there a trick to finding the true Belegrim hidden in the world of the mundanes?

[Sir Anastasia]

I think expectations sink new realms more than anything. Some of the things I will say apply to all realms and many apply to those in California in particular. Please feel free to PM me for whatever.

1) For every 200-300 people you bring to pick up a sword once, 10-20 will consider staying if you do everything right. This is true for most groups and businesses. It means you have to pursue recruitment. We see hundreds of people every year at recruitment fairs or other events and it translates into 40-20 new participants annually.

2) A year is no time at all, and within that year there will be ups and downs that coincide with daylight, school schedules, and availability of vacation. Right now we have less light, are approaching holidays, and just ended many academic schedules. I would predict record low attendance for the year. This is especially true if your majority population is in school. Don't worry about that though, more light and more time brings them back if you bring the fun.

3) Starting a realm is difficult. Be patient and sell your group as best as you can. Keep in mind you compete with many alternative activities for other peoples' time. This is especially true in CA. If your group has interpersonal conflicts, runs things too slowly, adjusts the schedule without enough warning, or doesn't have enough gear, people will sour on it and find something better to do. Make it fun, be professional.

4) Getting good fighters is a function of retaining people long enough that they are willing to invest time and money into the sport. Time to make things or improve their fighting; money to get their own gear and garb. It is a shotgun approach; it is very hard to predict who will stay and be someone you want. I very much doubt if anyone saw me 10 years ago they would have thought that wussy girl would stay with the sport for a year. But, the environment I was in was great, the sport was fun, getting cool stuff took time, but was also fun, and when I made my own group it was a way to make more friends. You need to keep people long enough for them to invest. You need to get them to events that are fun so that they fall in love with Bel. Realms grow their good fighters; that's how you get them.

Lastly, you guys had a great event in Feb? last year that I made it out to. I had a good time there and your people were fun. Don't give up, the community believes in you, and we are here to help in any way we can. If there is a way I can help you, let me know. FYI, we are allowing newer groups to run some battles with some good heralds and advice available at BFRIV. We do this so that new groups can get some hometown pride and get their feet wet in event service. Maybe there is something you guys would want to do that you could get excited about. Send me a message if you are interested.

[Sieglatan]

Did Aizen quit Sandspire?

Man, am I out of all sorts of loops...

[Dagger]

He stepped down as realm leader to pursue other areas of his life. It is admittedly a sizable commitment in time and resources to run a realm, as I've discovered.

Also, thank you Anastasia. We're very glad you could come out last Judgement, and we hope to throw another great event this coming February. Let's hope the coming months bring activity back to a good level.