How Many People on Competition Team?

Dale in GA · 05-09-2011, 12:32 PM

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 · 05-09-2011, 12:36 PM

Optimal Number: 1

smalls65 · 05-09-2011, 12:40 PM

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

Podge · 05-09-2011, 12:43 PM

2, no more, no less.

Smokedelic · 05-09-2011, 12:43 PM

2 works real good for us.

Bentley · 05-09-2011, 01:01 PM

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 · 05-09-2011, 01:03 PM

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 · 05-09-2011, 01:04 PM

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 · 05-09-2011, 01:21 PM

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 · 05-09-2011, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich Parker

Optimal Number: 1

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

Southern Home Boy · 05-09-2011, 02:04 PM

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 · 05-09-2011, 02:06 PM

2 and a runner/boy friday

JD McGee · 05-09-2011, 02:14 PM

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 · 05-09-2011, 02:16 PM

KCBS = 3, 2 main folks and 1 runner

crd26a · 05-09-2011, 02:24 PM

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.

05-09-2011, 12:32 PM	#1
Dale in GA On the road to being a farker Join Date: 01-01-10 Location: Atlanta, GA	How Many People on Competition Team? 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. __________________ Large BGE (with DigiQ II), Weber: Kettle (2nd OTG in rehab), Spirit, & Q, Green Thermapen

05-09-2011, 12:36 PM	#2
Rich Parker Babbling Farker Join Date: 06-20-09 Location: Grand Rapids, MI	Optimal Number: 1 __________________ Outlaw BBQ Smoker - TheBBQSuperstore.com

05-09-2011, 12:40 PM	#3
smalls65 Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 04-27-09 Location: Durham, NC	Optimal number: 2.... It works for our team!!! some of the best teams out there are small 2 man/woman teams... __________________ Ron (The SmokeHouse Bandits BBQ Cookin Team) BWS Chubby, WSM x 3

05-09-2011, 12:43 PM	#5
Smokedelic Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 09-24-06 Location: Tulsa, OK	2 works real good for us. __________________ Mike - Formerly Known as Team Enoserv

05-09-2011, 01:01 PM	#6
Bentley Babbling Farker Join Date: 03-14-07 Location: Culpeper, Virginia	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. __________________ Certified Master Judge #5382 What is best in life? "To crush your BBQ opponents, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women."

05-09-2011, 12:43 PM	#4
Podge is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 09-25-06 Location: Elk Creek, Ky.	2, no more, no less.

05-09-2011, 01:03 PM	#7
Full Draw BBQ Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 03-22-11 Location: Frisco, TX	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 #. __________________ [B]Full Draw BBQ[/B] [B]Frisco, TX[/B] Lang 60D trailer [COLOR=darkorange][B]Orange[/B][/COLOR] Thermapen 22.5 Weber Kettle - retired Gateway 55 gallon Clone X2

05-09-2011, 01:04 PM	#8
Ron_L Moderator Join Date: 12-09-04 Location: Wandering, but not lost Name/Nickname : Captain Ron	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 :) __________________ "Ron Rico, Boss. You can call me Captain Ron..." Naked Fatties Rock! PKGo X 2/PK360/Weber Q1000/Blackstone Camping Griddle/Pit Boss Pro Series 850

05-09-2011, 01:21 PM	#9
riblette On the road to being a farker Join Date: 09-20-10 Location: folsom, ca	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! __________________ David

05-09-2011, 02:04 PM	#11
Southern Home Boy is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 01-14-10 Location: St. Louis, MO	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. __________________ Pro Q Frontier, UDS (Little Red), "Turtle Drum" UDS, CG Gasser KCBS CBJ#61160

05-09-2011, 02:06 PM	#12
Yakfishingfool Babbling Farker Join Date: 10-01-05 Location: Shokan, New York	2 and a runner/boy friday __________________ Oh It'z BBQ! 1 Weber Gold Series Grill 1 WSM 18,1 WSM 22 1 Weber performer, 1 Smokey Joe Platinum 1 XL Big Green Egg 1 FEC 100 Team BBQ-Brethren.com KCBS Certified Judge #9079

05-09-2011, 02:14 PM	#13
JD McGee somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 06-28-07 Location: Duvall, WA	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.

05-09-2011, 02:16 PM	#14
Lake Dogs Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 07-14-09 Location: Lake Sinclair, GA Name/Nickname : Hance	KCBS = 3, 2 main folks and 1 runner __________________ Hance - MiM/MBN/GBA CBJ and comp cook Lake Sinclair, GA (strategically about an hour from darn near anywhere) My competition daze are probably behind me now; I pretty much cook for family, friends, and frankly the peace and solitude I get from smokin' on an offset... Was Lang 84DX, now Bubba Grills 250R and many Weber grills

05-09-2011, 02:24 PM	#15
crd26a Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 04-16-09 Location: Maple Valley, WA	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. __________________ Border War Smokers - "BBQ worth killin' your neighbor for"

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