Maintaining a sports club

Game Plan is a free online platform, by the Australian Sports Commission, that allows sporting clubs of all sizes to get insights into their current capability in key areas of club administration, then supports ongoing club development with a suite of tools.

The platform is designed to:

• assess a club’s capability and performance at a time relevant to them
• identify areas for improvement
• provide access to relevant resources to support club development and
• inform the direction and priority of activities and investment to build capability.

Resource link: Game Plan | Australian Sports Commission (sportaus.gov.au)

Sport is an opportunity for the community to come together and enjoy organised exercise. There are many reasons why people get involved, but a common trend is because it’s fun!

The ASC (Australian Sports Commission) has a free online course that anyone can complete about how to create fun, sage and inclusive environments in sport and we recommend all coaches and club volunteers give it a go. Community Coaching Essential Skills | Australian Sports Commission (ausport.gov.au)

Tips

Juniors –

Fun is the number one motivator for young children in sport and in life.

• Forget winning and focus on fun. If they're having fun, you can teach them just about anything.
• Help them to develop broad physical skills like balance, agility and coordination.
• Incorporate some sport-specific activities, but only if they're fun and they maximise participation.
• Plan a variety of activities to keep them engaged and give them plenty of time to learn new skills.
• Don't talk too much! Children are much better at doing than listening. Keep instructions short and simple.

Teenagers –

• Don’t forget to be inclusive for newcomers! Teenagers face a lot of new emotions and joining a new sport could cause some anxiety. Ensure that you are able to adapt to newcomers joining in at training to make sure they become comfortable with the basics.
• Encourage team mates to look out for one another to create a sense of comfort and community. If teenagers can’t find it in their sporting team, they’ll look for it somewhere else and could drop out of sports to spend more time with their friends.
• Consider offering additional training for teenagers who take the sport more seriously, to ensure that there is a social/fun main session for all to be involved as a team.
• Celebrate the little wins. Not just the overall game outcome, but the little wins like successfully playing out a structure or a player’s good decision that led to an assisted score.
• Stamp out bullying or negative behaviours immediately.

Seniors –

• Mix up training with fun activities. Many adults participate in sport for social activity and physical exercise. Not everyone is trying to be an elite athlete.
• Be flexible - remember everyone is busy and has a life outside of the club.
• Organise team bonding/social events.
• Organise for the team to participate in a fitness challenge. E.g. Colour run or park run in pre-season/off-season.

Overall, be fair and inclusive

Give everyone a go, regardless of their skill level or ability. The key is participation.

• Be a role model. By displaying a sense of fair play, you are teaching them the same valuable lesson.
• Modify activities and games to make sure you are catering to everyone.
• Be supportive; praise them for the things they do well.
• Give all everyone time and attention, not just the most talented ones.

Participating in sport no doubt has risks, however clubs can do their best to create a safe space both physically and mentally.

Play by the rules offers a free online course called Safeguarding Children and Young People in Sport Induction. It could be beneficial to circulate this course to anyone involved in the club, especially volunteers. You can find the course here: Safeguarding Children and Young People in Sport Induction course - Play by the Rules - Making Sport inclusive, safe and fair

Each National Sporting Organisation is required to have an Australian Government approved Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy, which applies to all participants in their sport at all levels (Source: Playbytherules.net.au). It’s recommended that your club is familiar with your sport specific Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy.

Make it safe

Safeguarding for Children.

We all have a responsibility to keep children safe. Ensuring your club acts appropriately to safeguard children is necessary. Parents want to know that their child is going to be as protected as possible.

In saying that, we may think they are made of rubber, but young children do hurt themselves and others when playing sport. Clubs should:

• Use proper equipment and safety gear that is the correct size and fits well
• Make sure all equipment is properly maintained
• Ensure playing fields and tracks are in good condition so kids are less likely to fall or trip
• Avoid over-use injuries by ensuring that coaching programs are appropriate for the age, maturity and skill level of the athletes
• Match children with activities according to their age, size, skill level, physical and emotional maturity
• Include supervised warm-up and cool-down periods and make sure they drink plenty of fluids and
• Make sure only qualified personnel attend to injuries.

Set boundaries

Every child who takes part in sport must be able to do so in a fun and safe environment, protected from physical, sexual and emotional abuse. Coaches should:

• maintain appropriate physical boundaries
• stay in control and don't lose your temper
• avoid transporting athletes and make sure parents are clear about collecting their children
• have clear guidelines for photographing children and
• ensure parents are staying behind the spectator line.

Develop effective policies

All sporting clubs should develop clear, comprehensive policies aimed at protecting children and ensuring their sporting experience is positive. You can find guides and templates on the Play By The Rules website.

www.playbytherules.net.au

To help the club prepare for the upcoming season, hosting a ‘Come and Try / Sign on” day can be productive. It gives the club an opportunity to the community to come along and see what it’s all about in a relaxed environment. It gives kids and opportunity to have some fun and meet their coach.

Some suggested steps to take to organise a ‘Come and Try / Sign On’ day:

Preparation for the day

• Hold an initial meeting to discuss and plan for the day. Plan activities and draft a run sheet for the day. Define roles required to make the day happen. Roles could include:
  • Organising equipment required such as chairs, marquees, playing equipment etc.
  • Organising try on uniforms and uniforms to purchase on the day
  • Organising Stock for canteen/BBQ
  • Organising raffle prizes
  • Organising advertisement materials
  • Registration assistants on the day
  • Etc…
• Appoint one key sign-on contact person for all advertising and enquiries.
• Order a portable EFTPOS machine for payment, prepare change money and receipt book.
• Update advertising material: banners, logos, website.
• Advertise sign on day. Through channels such as:
  • Local school newsletters
  • Newspaper
  • Social media e.g. Facebook
  • Community Noticeboards
  • Community Radio
  • Flyer drop (get your members involved in this one!)
  • Display or sign-on at local shopping centre
  • Through your local Council
• Contact previous members to inform of sign-on day and activity schedule and ask for volunteers to fill roles for the day.
• Update website with registration process

On the day

• Ensure club representatives are recognisable e.g. club shirt, name tags.
• Set up an attractive display on your sign-on e.g. photos, banners, shade tables and chairs.
• Set up an information desk with welcoming volunteers and forms to record names/contact details.
• Ensure all appropriate forms are available e.g. medical, photo consent.
• Uniforms ready and if possible, a change room available for try-ons.
• Have merchandise available for purchase if applicable.
• Organise a fundraising BBQ / raffle draw on the day.
• Conduct a sign-on competition to encourage fees to be paid by a certain date.
• Conduct come and try activities and introduce the coaches to attendees.
• Additional options:
  • Introductory package organised e.g. Player Handbook, Member Rules.
  • Have a 'Volunteers Skills Register' for parent to complete.

Membership databases and websites can make collecting information and communications with your members very accessible and effective. Up-to-date information can be generated quickly to all members through the following resources:

• email (individual, group, club)
• e-newsletters
• reports (financial, membership, club)
• calendar of events (club, state, national, international)
• meetings (dates, distribution of agendas and minutes)
• surveys and questionnaires
• coaching clinics, official's clinics, selection clinics
• competition results (club, state, national)
• release of policies, such as selection policies, member protection policies, constitutional, policies
• alerts to any special offers, deals and opportunities on offer to your members

One of the goals of a membership database is to help you get to know your members and to identify any changes or trends in your membership base so that your club can respond accordingly. For example, if there is a decline in your membership you need to be able to work out whether it is men, women, juniors or particular age groups that are leaving your club so that you can address this. The database could also help you keep record of the following:

• fee register
• contact list for sponsors of the club
• breakdown of club member details: age, gender, skills, occupation, emergency details
• past players and history
• list of suppliers and government contacts

If you were to embark upon a membership drive, the database can help you identify gaps so that you can target particular categories of members. The bottom line with any information gathering system is the ability to answer the question "What do we know and how do we know it?

Tasks before the AGM

• Read the constitution
• Follow up with accountant for financial information & ensure the final report is accepted at a committee meeting
• Arrange meeting location & time
• Send out notification of the meeting according to your rules
• Send out notification of resolutions & agenda
• If necessary, send out proxies
• Update your membership list & ensure you know who is entitled to a vote
• Organise complimentary activities to attract attendees e.g. a free BBQ or nibbles, activities for kids, an awards ceremony to recognise volunteers, a guest speaker or workshop.

Tasks at the AGM

• Ensure proxies or voting rights are established when people enter the room (better to ask them to be sent before the meeting)
• Make sure everyone signs the attendance register & keep a copy
• Address the agenda & notified resolutions only (if you allow proxies, you can’t change anything even if no proxies come back)
• Ensure “handover” takes place properly e.g. someone is there to chair the meeting during elections
• Don’t forget you may need a 75% majority of eligible voters for a SPECIAL resolution to be passed
• Allow enough time for questions on the audit or financial reports
• For ordinary resolutions (everything other than Special) use the rules.

Tasks after the AGM

• Prepare the minutes as soon as possible
• Make sure you know where the attendance list is and keep it with the minutes for next year
• Notify Fair Trading about any changes in the committee
• Submit your annual report
• Advise your insurance company or Association of new committee members
• Safely store the attendee book if you use one
• Arrange for some training between outgoing committee and incoming.

Three essential tips

1. Give plenty of notice.
2. Be organised.
3. Make it appealing.

A typical agenda for the AGM might include

• Welcome by chairperson
• Apologies
• Confirmation of minutes of the previous AGM
• Business arising from the minutes
• Correspondence
• Chairperson's report
• Treasurer's report and presentation of audited financial statement
• Chairperson stands aside if required
• Election of Office Bearers
• Appointment of an auditor
• General business
• Guest speaker
• Date of next meeting.

Most volunteer turnover occurs at the end of the season or at the time of the annual general meeting (AGM). A succession plan is necessary to provide opportunities for potential leaders within organisations to be identified and developed in readiness to move up into leadership positions. Organisations that plan for smooth transitions of leadership positions are less likely to experience disruptions to their operations and can better position themselves to replace volunteers who vacate their current positions. Remember, the main indicator of good practice in volunteer management is volunteers that feel valued and part of the organisation. If this is the case, those volunteers will be more likely to want to contribute to that organisation again.

The aim of good volunteer management practices is to enhance the performance of volunteers because volunteers who feel they are achieving their goals are more likely to feel satisfied about their involvement with the organisation. The cycle of need fulfilment, positive reinforcement and satisfaction is what good volunteer management practice is all about.

• Smile, say hello and thank you to your volunteers on a regular basis
• Send welcome letters when volunteers are first recruited- Include volunteers in organisational charts
• Write letters and post cards of thanks to volunteers
• Write letters of reference and include details of service
• Provide identification pins, badges, shirts or caps
• Provide discounted memberships to volunteers
• Acknowledge and profile volunteers in newsletters
• Present volunteer awards at annual general meetings or awards ceremonies
• Feature your volunteers at special events throughout the year (eg: state championships; national league games; family days)
• Provide complimentary tickets to volunteers for special events functions
• Send get well, birthday and Christmas cards to your volunteers
• Arrange discounts at local sport stores or restaurants for your volunteers
• Have a volunteer of the month award
• Name events or facilities after long serving volunteers
• Award life memberships for long serving volunteers
• Reimburse out-of pocket expenses for volunteers
• Acknowledge the efforts of volunteers during committee meetings
• Hold special "thank you" or social functions in honour of volunteers-
• Present volunteers with a special memento recognising their service to the organisation
• Farewell volunteers when they move away from the area or leave the organisation
• Provide meal and petrol vouchers to volunteers- Arrange for free or discounted use of facilities
• Present special awards for 1, 3, 5, 10, 15 and more years of service

Source: Recognising Volunteers – Active Australia Volunteer Management Program; Australian Sports Commission

(The following information is sourced from the Australian Sports Commission)

Succession planning is vital to the continuity of your club. It ensures your club can continue to be successful and provide members with what they need. While some turnover of jobs is normal, high turnover rates can be a problem. If the workload falls to only one or two people, the quality and fortunes of the club can quickly decline when those people leave. A succession plan will ensure that if someone steps down, someone can step into their shoes and pick up where they left off. Organisations that plan for smooth transitions of leadership positions are less likely to experience disruptions to their activities.

Keys to a good succession plan

Many of the components of a good succession plan will also help other areas of the club. These will usually cover how things are done in the club, such as:

• having job descriptions so that current volunteers know what they should be doing, and what might be expected of new volunteers
• having a business or strategic plan so that anyone who is new to a committee can find out exactly what the future priorities are
• having a policies and procedures manual so that volunteers know how everything should be done.

The ideal succession plan will allow existing volunteers to walk away without being missed.

For help with the development of your club's succession plan contact our Sport and Recreation team on 131 872.