How Many People on Competition Team?

Dale in GA · May 9, 2011

I’d like to get thoughts from the Brethren for putting together a team for entry into an upcoming KCBS competition. We’ll likely enter the Backyard competition due to costs and level of experience. What are your thoughts on:

Optimal number of team members. In the past we’ve seen one person teams and teams with a dozen or more (usually “selling product” as well as competing).
Division of labor – who does what, what works best? Are there standard team “roles” that the best teams use?

Last time we competed in Backyard we had three team members plus an uninvited girlfriend who was annoying as heck. Three seemed to be a good number but not everyone contributed equally or had the experience to pitch in anywhere needed. We came in 6th overall, with a nice 3rd in ribs but feel we could do better with a little better team effort.

Appreciate any thoughts that you may have.

Rich Parker · May 9, 2011

Optimal Number: 1

smalls65 · May 9, 2011

Optimal number: 2.... It works for our team!!! some of the best teams out there are small 2 man/woman teams...

Podge · May 9, 2011

2, no more, no less.

Smokedelic · May 9, 2011

2 works real good for us.

Bentley · May 9, 2011

We are a family team of 3. I guess it depends on who will cook what. If you have a team that is larger and each person has a touch for a meat it would work. I have always found it hard to let others cook the meat, I want to know that I am turning in the meats. My sister now does chicken, and does well, but it would be hard for me to rely on others unless I had great confidence in their cooking ability.

Full Draw BBQ · May 9, 2011

We have me and another guy that do 95% of the heavy lifting, with me being 80% the decision making. We have 3 other guys on the official team, but they are there for moral support and having fun! So I agree with the others......2 is the magic #.

Ron_L · May 9, 2011

It's my wife and me. We had a helper once and the extra set of hands was nice at setup and teardown, but for the rest of the time we have a system and it works for us, and the extra person was in the way. Not his fault, but we just know what we have to do and do it

riblette · May 9, 2011

Good question – It depends on who the people are, and how you want to split the responsibilities. We have a 4 person team made up of two couples, and it took us a season to learn to work well together. For us, 4 is the max.; usually it’s just right, other times it feels like 3 too many ;-)

I think the most important thing you can do is set the expectations…make it clear to whoever may join:
· One person is in charge
· What your goals are
· Their goals need to align with yours – for example – if your goal is to do as well as you can in the completion, and their goal is to come out and party like there’s no tomorrow, then it may not be a good fit.

In other words, don’t feel bad about telling folks that no matter how much fun it looks it’s hard, demanding, and can be serious business. Good luck!

Fatback Joe · May 9, 2011

Rich Parker said:
Optimal Number: 1

One man team here also..........and still get in arguments over what to do. :crazy:

Southern Home Boy · May 9, 2011

Two IF you have two people who can both cook and both know the cookers. Three if the others are just there to prep or be Sherpas.

Yakfishingfool · May 9, 2011

2 and a runner/boy friday

JD McGee · May 9, 2011

My wife and I are our team...I do all the meat preps and cooking...she does the rubs, sauces, boxes, and turn-ins. We both share all the load-in and load-out duties.

Lake Dogs · May 9, 2011

KCBS = 3, 2 main folks and 1 runner

crd26a · May 9, 2011

The real answer is who do you want to trust and blame. At the end of the contest when your ribs tank, can you look at your friend Bill or Sue and trust them that they honestly did the best they can or will you be going "if only Bill / Sue had done this then it would have been okay" To me that's the real test. If you only do a couple a year and its really for the fun of it, then bring on as many as you want. But if at the end you want to truly be able to shoulder all the blame and in ways take all the credit, keep it a one man show.

bigjonsBBQ · May 9, 2011

There are 2 of us who know what we are doing, and a 3rd who is there to run and helpout whenever he can. Still trying to get him to learn the new pit, so that I might be able to catch a few hours of sleep.

early mornin' smokin' · May 9, 2011

2 people you can really depend on to assist with setting up and keeping things moving, another 2 or 3 who can come and eat and drink and can help clean and breakdown.

Shotgun · May 9, 2011

We are a team of 4 and everybody has their job to do. Seems to work well most of the time. My bother and myself are the cheif cooks and oversee the other aspects.

BearCat · May 9, 2011

We have 4 basically one cook preps and monitors food, one is mainly cooker temp control. one is there to party but keeps everything clean and helps set up tear down.
The most important is the box/runner lady. Noone touches boxes except her

HBMTN · May 9, 2011

1 to 3, watch out or you will end up with 20 people going and wanting to take 5 rv's and all their friends.

How Many People on Competition Team?

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