Top 10 Strategies for Boosting Sports Club Capacity: A Comprehensive Guide
“We’ve seen after each World Cup that the number of people who register in the host country … is immediately multiplied by three.”
Previous FIFA World Cups have led to surges in host countries’ football participation, a trend consistent across many other sports as well. With numerous national sports organizations and clubs driving the desire to increase participation across all levels, we must be prepared to ensure that our clubs, facilities, and staff are ready to meet this growing need, both now and in the future.
Key events in our region, such as multiple high-profile World Cups, along with an increase in the profile of local events and competitions such as the National Basketball League (NBL), ASB Classic, UFC, National Rugby League (NRL), and A-Leagues, have all made community sports an attractive choice, consequently funnelling people into grassroots sports clubs across the country.
But are you ready to handle the demand? Do you have enough staff? Are there sufficient fields and courts? Do you possess the technological resources to manage this significant uptick in interest? How are you addressing this surge in participation?
While many argue that planning to handle this surge in interest should have occurred long ago, many clubs still need to create their action plans.
In my next Sport Management article, I will delve into recommended action points for dealing with an increase in demand, breaking it down into 10 essential steps that clubs should consider
Step 1: Establish Current Data-Driven Reality
Understanding your current reality is the optimal starting point for planning the future of your club. This analysis should encompass quantitative data such as current player numbers, staff, types of facilities available, and a comprehensive understanding of all stakeholders involved.
Furthermore, statistical information including player retention rate, membership growth or decline, and local general population figures are essential for grasping the club’s position within the local ecosystem.
Step 2: Streamline and Maximise Activity Time
Club committees should collaborate with the respective coordinators of each club segment to ensure a well-organized weekly plan for training, games, and facility access.
Efficient coordination will lead to smoother transitions between training sessions, minimizing field and court use wastage. Clubs can also strategize the duration of club activities, such as training sessions, to maximize access for as many club members as possible.
An insight into the daily turf allocations of Western Springs AFC will show you the detail required to ensure appropriate scheduling of training times.
Step 3: Increase Seasonal Volunteerism Drives
An increase in club membership will necessitate a larger volunteer workforce to ensure the club can consistently deliver a positive sporting experience throughout the season.
Clubs should leverage key periods like preseason to implement promotional activities that encourage community members to volunteer at their local sports club.
Moreover, additional events hosted by the club throughout the year may require further assistance and commitment from connections with the local community.
Resources and portals are available to clubs to help attract much needed volunteers, such as Volunteering New Zealand and Sport New Zealand.
Step 4: Increase Paid Administration Roles
With a significant increase in club membership, investing in dedicated paid staff may become necessary to meet the rising demand. Roles such as Volunteer Management, Coaching Coordinator, Facilities Manager, or General Manager play crucial roles in the club’s capacity to handle a larger number of registered members.
Some of these positions may be eligible for funding from local sports trusts, thereby alleviating the burden on existing club operational expenditure
Step 5: Flexible Locations for Training and Games
Recognizing that all members will desire to train and play at the club’s home ground, increased club growth may necessitate the utilisation of other local sports facilities. Many local councils can provide alternative venues for training and games.
Clubs may opt to allocate these grounds to specific age groups or teams or implement a rotation system to ensure all members have fair access to these additional facilities throughout the year.
Step 6: Flexible Training and Games Schedules
Traditionally, game days are set on the same day each week. However, due to facility constraints, clubs should consider alternative days and times for games, both on weekends and weekdays.
Many clubs have found success in moving games to midweek, which not only creates additional connection opportunities for the club but also offers the chance to generate income from supporters, among other benefits.
Similarly, for training sessions, exploring alternative times, including early mornings, may be an option for individuals with flexibility in their schedules.
Step 7: Seek Beneficial Community Collaborations
Many local communities have multiple sports clubs with access to various facilities like fields, courts, or indoor areas. Furthermore, local schools may offer infrastructure that can be utilized for programs such as Holiday Programs or after-school training sessions.
Exploring these options is crucial not only to enhance community relationships but also to unlock opportunities for resource-sharing, facilities, and other associated services that may be available.
Examples of facility sharing include centres such as Kolmar in Papatoetoe, which is home to 13 different sports clubs.
West Auckland-based football club Waitemata FC have established a fruitful relationship with Rutherford College, in a partnership to make the best use of training and playing facilities between the two venues.
Step 8: Increase Quality of Communications
With more members, the club must communicate messages efficiently and effectively. The margin for error decreases as the number of members increases, amplifying the consequences of miscommunication.
Utilizing instant messaging services, club apps, and other communication tools becomes essential to ensure members are informed about events, locations, and necessary items.
Communication should be clear, instructive, and concise to prevent confusion.
Step 9: Predict Future Growth Demand
Based on previous club growth data, club management needs to envision the club’s future trajectory.
Data such as local population demographics, planned residential developments, or migration predictions should guide where efforts are directed in the upcoming years.
This information should guide Club Boards and Committees to prioritize planning in areas such as infrastructure, workforce needs, or financial commitments required to maintain current capacity and support any future growth.
Step 10: Regularly Review, Reflect and React
Your club’s capacity and growth plans should be continually reviewed by the Club Committee and any senior management involved. Sports can be a transient industry, and the club may need to repeat this process frequently.
A nimble and fluid process will assist the Club Committee in its review and allow for refinements when this process is undertaken again, either before the start of the next season or whenever club growth and membership influx are expected.
What would your recommendations be? Have you dealt with an influx of members in recent times? Comment below with your suggestions. You never know who you might help!
Want to see more of these posts? Check out my other articles on LinkedIn or on Medium using the links below. Thanks for reading!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenleedillon/
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