What is a District Laser Association?
District Association boundaries are usually national boundaries, although occasionally small countries either amalgamate with other small countries or get looked after by larger countries. In North America and Australia only, Districts are single states or an amalgamation of states.
District Associations are usually run by volunteers who have been elected at the District's Annual General Meeting.
What are its aims and objectives?
The main objective of District Associations is to serve Laser sailors in their area by organizing and co-ordinating events, communicating with the sailors about local, regional and international events and by promoting Laser sailing.
How can these objectives be achieved?
1) Organizing and co-ordinating events:
- For the majority of sailors, club racing, regional regattas and the national championship are the most important events throughout the year. The District Association’s task is to co-ordinate the annual racing calendar, liaise with the individual clubs about their racing and regatta schedules and organize an annual district championship. Maintaining regular contact with the clubs in your district makes regatta scheduling easier. Once the calendar for the year is finalised, make sure to communicate it to your members as soon as possible so sailors can arrange their personal sailing schedule for the season. Once the regattas are over, results should be published for sailor's information.
- A qualification scheme should be set up for sailors who wish to qualify for ILCA world championships.
2) Communicating with sailors: Spread the word!
- Communication with the sailors is paramount to running a successful District Association. Sailors need to be kept up-to-date with the racing calendar you produce, as well as international events and other news relating to the Laser class. How you communicate with your sailors really depends on which method you find most effective and reaches most sailors. Most districts have a website which contains important information such as calendar activities, international events, qualification criteria, contact details etc. In addition, you may want to send out either emails and/or printed newsletters to your sailors with the most important news.
- In addition, ILCA publishes the LaserWorld magazine quarterly and the Laser Handbook annually which will send this to you for distribution to all your members.
- Communication is a two-way process - sailors will want to speak to you about regattas, racing rules or other matters related to Laser, so it is important to let your sailors know the best way to contact the District Association and who is responsible for which area (see section 'How should the District Laser Association be run?' for guidance).
3) Promoting Laser sailing
- Running a District Association is as much about serving the existing Laser sailors as about attracting newcomers to the Laser class. A strong membership base will result in bigger regatta attendance and therefore enhance racing quality. It also means that prices for boats and spares with local dealers should remain stable.
- Actively promoting the Laser can take many forms. You may want to promote Laser to a certain group of sailors like women, masters or youth in your district and may organize events, training camps or prizes that will target these groups. Or you may want to promote a specific rig like the 4.7 and get in touch with the Optimist class in your district to organize joint events or advertise the 4.7 rig at Optimist regattas. Please see the section 'Useful Hints and Tips' for feedback and ideas from other Districts who have successfully promoted the Laser.
For full contact details of all District Laser Associations, please click here.