I first started powerbocking in 2008. I was reading gizmodo.com and stumbled upon an article that mentioned these stilts. I spent some times watching videos of truck flipping, and overall awesomeness. So I bought a pair online. I of course never tried them before and was the only one in my town to get a pair.
I started out in Cookeville, TN. I got my stilts, and taught myself how to use them. Reading guides, posting on this forum, and just general common sense that comes with experience of doing things. I had a bunch of friends watch me use them. But no one else took the plunge to purchase a pair. They were pretty expensive afterall. But I never really offered and just focused on getting existing bockers to roadtrip to my state. Never worked!
Fast forward some time and I moved to Iowa to be near my parents. My father was going through a major heart surgery and we didn't know if he'd make it. After the weather got nice I started bocking again. We always used to grumble about there not being anyone to bock with in the states, and each other being to far away. So I figured I'd try the next best thing. I'd teach and help new people get into the sport!
I got my old best friend from high school on my old set. He took to them quick. I taught my brother, and I started offering free lessons to anyone and everyone that acted interested. This got me into the idea of forming a group or a club.
We ended up getting about 4 of us on stilts in Iowa/Illinois before I moved again.
Moving again meant I wasn't going to have any bockers around me. But knowing what I knew now it wasn't a worry. I got into town and used my social connections through my girlfriend to meet some local college students and started demonstrating and offering lessons.
I built a website and formed a facebook group. If we were going out for 30 minutes you bet there was an event about it on facebook, the sites calendar, and more. I started handing out business cards to advertise the club. If someone wanted a try out. I'd bring them my stilts after work and let them walk around for a while. A lot just tries out once and never comes back. But a few stays and eventually buys there own pair.
I turned this town from 0 powerbockers to 6 total who own stilts, and about 4 who want some but can't afford them yet.
That's just from using social connections, the internet, and word of mouth. I'm proof that anyone can turn one bocker into a bunch. You just need to take the effort in telling your friends about it. Showing what you can do and then letting them try it.
Right now my club is getting ready to be interviewed by a fairly large magazine in the South. So we're pretty excited about the publicity and the possible future members we could gain from it.
