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A successful club is not just about
the players. As some clubs are realising, training the organisers and
volunteers behind the scenes can make a big difference.
Imagine a struggling squash club. One
where committee members are rushed off their feet, constantly fire-fighting
problems and with no time to plan for the future. Where volunteers are hard
to motivate and retain. Where helpers are left with ever-increasing
workloads. Where participation rates gradually decline as the club loses
its profile.
Many clubs are very well run. Most, however, will recognise some of the
issues in the picture we have just painted. While there are plenty of
people organising sports in the
UK - the Sport and Recreation sector
has a professional workforce of 621,000 people and a volunteer workforce of
a staggering 5.8 million people according to recent Sport England research -
the problem is that clubs tend to rely on enthusiasm rather than the
latest skills and management thinking. Enthusiasm is, of course,
invaluable. It is even more powerful, however, when it is pointing in the
right direction and supported by the right tools, tactics and techniques, as
any player knows.
This is where some clubs are beginning
to look to the business world. Businesses and academics have spent decades
amassing a wealth of knowledge on how to work more efficiently and
effectively. The British Library houses over 130,000 books on management
techniques, and now some forward thinking clubs are beginning to recognise
the value in drawing on this expertise. While clubs have traditionally
focussed, quite rightly, on the development of their players and on giving
members the chance to participate, properly training those responsible for
the management of the club can have an even more dramatic impact on a club’s
success.
But
are squash clubs and their volunteers ready for
funding plans, marketing, and strategic planning? Lisa Wainwright, Senior
Development Manager for Volunteers at Sport England, believes so. While
noting that many voluntary clubs are well run, Wainwright believes business
skills have a definite place. “Some clubs may struggle due to a lack of
resources or being distracted by other priorities,” she explains. “Others
may simply lack the type of skills and access to training that’s required.”
Aside from the competitive and tactical
aspects that sport and business have in common, there are several less
obvious parallels. Coping with financial pressures for example, striving
towards stretching goals, and the coaching and training of individuals, are
all areas relevant both on the court and in the office.
“Businesses have a financial incentive
to get the most out of their people,” explains Wainwright, “whereas clubs
may think that they don’t. But clubs can benefit just as much from a
focused approach to management - volunteers become motivated, plans gain
momentum and clubs see themselves develop. Not only that, but this kind of
approach has a positive financial impact on the club too, in relation to
fundraising, increased subscriptions and better management of costs.”
Even the smallest clubs face these kind
of issues – marketing, development, funding, and accessibility, for example
– not to forget attracting, retaining and getting the most out of staff and
volunteers. These challenges are particularly relevant in 2005, the
official Year of the Volunteer. Celebrating the contribution of volunteers
in all sectors, this year will see a nationwide focus on the people behind
the scenes, including - in August - those who make sports clubs happen. As
well as recognising the achievement of volunteers, Sport England will be
continuing its commitment to work at a strategic level with partners to
provide appropriate and effective support to all volunteers in sport and to
help develop sustainable club structures.
So how can local squash clubs tap into
this expertise? Running Sport offers a series of workshops, organised and
run by Sport England. Covering funding, promotion, volunteer management and
club development, they deliver the “need to know” essentials in short but
effective evening workshops across the country. Through a network of
accredited and approved trainers - sport development professionals who
understand the specific needs of people working in sports clubs - Running
Sport equips volunteers with the most effective tools and techniques to
apply in their own clubs.
“A lot of people look at our club and
say, ‘well, we can see you’re a very organised businesslike club’,” says one
attendee, who took part in a Running Sport workshop on Funding and
Promoting Your Club – a workshop that led to a 100% improvement in the
club’s financial situation. “They ask how it’s all come about. Well we go
to people like Sport England who know what they are doing and put on these
valuable workshops.”
Organisers leave the Running Sport
workshops knowing how best to fund their club, how best to promote their
club and how best to grow their club.
To find out about Running Sport
workshops in your area, call 020 7404 2224.
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