Expert Interview: Mr. T
Where: BGCA Gym
Who: Jake, Sarah
Characteristics: Mr. T is an African American male who appeared to be somewhere in his upper 20’s to low 30’s. He has experience in education being a college graduate, and is planning on going back to school to obtain a degree in business, specifically management. He is currently the athletic director at BGCA working part time there, and one other job.
Important Quotes: “One of the things that we could do better with at the BGCA is advertise all the unique things we have to offer. High school kids are big into having wifi so that would be an easy thing to advertise. Along with that advertising the gaming systems and the open gym we have available to do other sports.”
“The kids who come here have a difficult time paying the $50 up-front fee. Especially kids who are in sports after school who wouldn’t be able to take advantage of the membership. Finding a different payment method could attract more people to come.”
Top Takeaways: Mr. T was passionate and believed that BGCA could definitely add more members to it. BGCA is one of the only places for kids to play basketball after school in a gym, so advertising that more could attract more members. Advertising wifi and gaming systems could attract more members too.
Insights: The facilities are very good at BGCA. Letting students be aware of this makes it an easier target to attract teens.
Teen Interview: Dolan Gilbert
Where: Telephone
Characteristics: Dolan is a male who is in high school at St. Josephs in South Bend. He plays hockey and is not a member of BGCA.
Quotes: “None of my friends from school participate in BGCA so I haven’t ever really had an interest in attending.” “ Hockey takes up most of my time in the winter after school, and I am able to spend time at home or at the rink so I would rather do that.”
Takeaways: Dolan did not have much interest in attending BGCA. He didn’t know much about it so raising more awareness could be a possible technique to help out. After school activities dominate his time after school so he wouldn’t have the time to even be a member who could get a lot out of BGCA.
Insights: A way to attract more members to BGCA would be to try and market to teens whose afternoons are free. By making teens who don’t have activities planned after school they could find more members to join by letting them know all the fun activities that they can do.
Teen Interview: Morgan Gacke
Phone Interview
Characteristics: Morgan is a freshman in high school from Minnesota. She participates in soccer and other after school activities.
Quotes: “I enjoy spending my time after school with my family and friends.” “I have not heard of boys and girls club before so I would not have previously had idea of trying to join and become a member.”
Takeaways: Both of Morgan’s parents are school teachers, so they are most of the time back at home after the school day so they feel fine with her going back home when school is finished. Again, she is also actively involved in school activities that take up most of her afternoons when she is not home.
Insights: Morgan would rather spend her time at home with her parents or doing after school activities being involved with that. She doesn’t seem like a teen that would be beneficial to target as a prospective member of joining the BGCA.
Describing our Immersion:
Event: Going to the club and finding teens to interview for some of the questions we had raised. After the interview playing sports with the teens to have a friendlier interaction. We played pick-up basketball for over an hour and a half and the teens seemed to open up more the longer we had been there.
Takeaways: One of the unique things I noticed from being at the BGCA was how awesome the volunteers and employees were there. They had a range of people who could connect with all the different interests of the kids. Especially Mr. T, the kids when we played basketball really looked up to him and I could tell that he was a role model for them. If more teens went to the BGCA they would be in great hands with the people who work there and promote a fun environment. Also the teens there had great relationships with one another. The boys loved to play basketball and would be competitive and had a ton of fun playing. The girls at the club that day had known each other for a long time so you could tell how close they were to each other. It seemed like a family setting where everyone felt very comfortable with one another.
Analogous Immersion:
For my analogous immersion I went over to the YMCA to see what the differences from them and the BGCA were. The fee for the Y for a member under 18 years old was $19 a month. BGCA offers a more competitive rate of $50 a year. The Y does offer more different programs though than the BGCA, some of their extra programs included: Education and leadership, swim, sport and play camps. They also offer group classes at the Y including: Silver sneakers fitness program, group exercise classes, and teen/adult swim lessons. On top of those they offer healthy lifestyle seminars such as safety classes, smart start program, and youth strength training. Another thing that they offer is personal fitness programs such as body fat testing, fitness testing, and personal training. Although it is more expensive this may be some of the reasons that pull away potential teen prospects away from the BGCA. For BGCA they may have to raise prices in order to compete with this, but I think a better way to still attract teens is finding a different demographic who aren’t as interested in all those things. Identifying and promoting BGCA to teens who would want more of a family setting would benefit them better.