Growing the ladies class

[Jeff Janes]

I would encourage all of y'all to promote the ladies classes at your tournaments. We were able to get 27 entries at Rabun County Arm Wars last weekend and 35 entries at Appleton's. Since Appleton's we have developed a local group of 6-7 women who are training regularly. Most of the ladies that enter will only enter once but if two or three stick around, it's worth it. More ladies=more men getting involved as well. I would love to have some nationally ranked women or seasoned lady pullers come down to one of our upcoming tournaments and gauge the competition. We have 3 that are dominate in their class and will be competitive on a national level soon.

Do what you've always done, get what you've always got. Think differently again and see what can happen!!

[Nate Gagnon]

Im curious what you did to get so many women to show up and pull?

I went through the Northeast board and sent personal messages and emails to every female puller from ME to PA on the board, inviting them to come and pull at my events, not one showed up. I also offered weight classes so women would feel that they'd have a more "even match" against other women their size--and I was just left with extra trophies, non showed up.

I find alot of complaining goes on, but when push comes to shove, they dont show.

I want nothing more then to help the sport grow and put on badass tournaments so any help/tips/advice would be greatly appreciated.

[James Worke]

These ladies jeffs talking about are NEW pullers. They dont even know what the NEB is. Most dont know theres even organized armwrestling tournaments they can compete in. THOSE are the ones u need to seek out. Promote locally. Local roller derby team, softball teams, mma, gyms, wherever they may be, go out of your way to find them. Jeff indeed did an excellent job pulling them into appletons, but its a contual thing to search for new pullers

[Rob Vigeant Jr.]

That's just the problem... Promoting from within a small community... Even if you get all of them it's still relatively small.
If you want big numbers you have to promote and advertise outside of the AW community and the people that are in the know

[Rob Vigeant Jr.]

James beat me to it... Exactly !!!... Same as men

[James Worke]

Tracy fann was found last yr at the wilson county fair, a very small tournament they had there. Now shes nationally ranked. A few got got brought in by appletons advertising. I snagged nicole morris on FB from chattanooga, knowing our pullers were scarce in that part of tn, i really pour the information to her and she pulled her first tour in Ga last wk end and is ready to practice. Theyre out there, just gotta find em

[Jeff Janes]

They are all correct. I see the seasoned ladies coming out to these big lady events soon enough. I hope at least. I started reaching out to more ladies beacause it was a shame to see Tracy Fann travel to pull and 3-4 ladies had to be talked into by their bf/husbands to pull. Keep the entry fee low or free if you can. Market everywhere women are. Appleton's produced about 6 ladies practicing regularly and most just drove 6 hours to pull in the Rabun County tournament.

[Jeff Janes]

I'm actually going to host a women's only tournament soon after one or two more good female tournaments. (we have two coming up in July that should produce good lady turnout) I'll likely have a couple pro women, and an even mix of experienced novice ladies and the rest first timers. My goal is 50 entries.

[Nate Gagnon]

Hats off to you man, you're doing what I have been wishing I could do--hearing this is going to motivate me to try harder

[Josh McEllrath]

I thought I was losing my damn mind! There was some sort of crap on my ipad screen that made it a little unreadable, because I thought this thread was called "Growing the ladies ass." Thank god! There is a tipping point where it can be too big! Carry on.

[Jeremy Chaudoin]

Jun 12, 2013 23:37:11 GMT -5 Josh McEllrath said:

I thought I was losing my damn mind! There was some sort of crap on my ipad screen that made it a little unreadable, because I thought this thread was called "Growing the ladies ass." Thank god! There is a tipping point where it can be too big! Carry on.

Never laughed that hard at a post on here before haha.

Jeff I recently got a female friend of mine to start training with us, she seems promising. She became interested in pulling after watching some other females on the table. Maybe once we open the door to AW, the flood gates follow? Hopefully

[Jeff Janes]

I think they will. I know we will have +20 lady entries at 4 rivers and the Fisherdale dock. Then I'll have enough local interest for a women's only tournament.

I'll get the roller derby teams in on it too for some friendly competition with each other and the highest placing team will get a 2014 sponsorship. I've got lots of ideas.

[Kelli Nelson]

I'm a big complainer about the lack of participation in ladies classes. I am constantly bugging my roller derby sisters and women at the gym about armwrestling with no luck. Not sure what to do next...

[Sophie Oppenheimer]

I'm in full support of promoting the ladies classes. I try to get women interested and coming to practice every chance I get, hoping that they'll fall in love with it like I did. I look for athletic women who have a competitive streak. As far as deciding which tournaments to go to, I look for where the competition will be and whether there's any sponsorship/prize money, at least to cover travel costs. As a relatively new puller, I'm looking to gain experience and knowledge, without breaking the bank. I love taking time to teach new female pullers at every tourney I go to. Jeff, please keep me posted about your tournies and I'll try to make it to one as soon as I can! Any ideas from you guys on how someone in my position can promote the sport, let me know!

[Jeff Janes]

July 6th in Paducah, KY and July 13th in Decaturville, TN at the Fisherdale dock will be nice laides turnout. I'm showing what little I know to every female puller I come across because it seems like I'm more competitive with them than pro men pullers, lol. I've been bugging my niece to come out for a while and her first tournament she placed 4th right to Krista Prior (now a national champ, Tracy Fann (undefeated until she met Krista's right arm), and Macy Armstrong (SOLID muscle 190lbs puller working with Glenn Brooks). There was 15 in that ladies heavyweight right class at Appleton's and Kayla just placed 2nd to Macy in wars left and right in a class of 10 at RCAW. Kayla has a natural ability and in trying it our because I bugged the crap out of her, she has realized that she's actually really good. She didn't seem to have a competitive bone in her body and is not "fit" but is actually trying cross fit out for the first time this am with another lady puller Brenda Taylor who is super competitive and trying to learn the sport. Kayla has potential to be a national champion within 12 months and will creep in on Tracy if she doesn't start training hard. I have an idea to have an all ladies tournament in a few months offering $250.00 sponsorship to the local sports team with the highest points for their team. Rugby, roller derby, softball, etc. I am for promoting all new pullers but it seems like there has been a gap in reaching the ladies.

At some point I would like to be able to cover expenses at least of one of you awesome top level pullers to come and pull and teach these fired up new female pullers. I'll keep you posted of all upcoming tournaments.