Seven daily problems for sports club managers
So you’re living the dream and working in sports. You get to do what you love and there aren’t too many people who can say that. Sports is your passion but on a day to day basis, there are some things inside a sports club that are just truly annoying, yet essential for the club to function. We have listed the main glitches in sports club management with ideas how to turn these into assets instead.
1. E-mails. Constant e-mails.
“Hey, Jackie, I’ll come down and talk to you soon. I just have to send this e-mail out to Martin’s parents. Now where can I find their e-mail address?” Sounds familiar?
It’s pretty incredible to think that sports clubs actually functioned before the age of Internet as well. There’s so much communication that needs to be done on a daily basis that a large chunk of your day is spent on emails, phone calls, messaging and such.
It’s absolutely necessary for a healthy club environment to keep everyone in the loop. Coaches, athletes, their parents, your partners and sponsors – they all have a different interest in the club which you as a club manager have to take into account. The key here is to find the right balance. Spending too much time on daily emails will stop you from additional activities, but ignoring the importance of good communication will be even worse.
2. General lack of funds
Most sport club managers say that this should actually be first on the list. The king of all problems. I have yet to see a grassroots sports club that’s swimming in money like Donald Duck’s uncle. “We would, if we had money for it,” is a disheartening sentence utter too often in sports clubs.
There is no magic spell that could cure this perennial issue. However, you can look at it from a different angle. It might be an issue with lack of time. Maybe you need more time for fundraising, for raising your public profile, for finding sponsors? Maybe you’re so overwhelmed by the daily activities that you just don’t have the time to fix these things?
Lack of funds is often a vicious circle that needs to be broken. Many economists have voiced that regarding countries or families, but it can also be applied to sports clubs. Getting that first extra bit of resources can open up more opportunities for further growth. So find the time, break the circle and you might be on to something.
3. Dealing with parents
The problem with sports parents boils down to this – there are as many opinions as there are heads. It can be extremely frustrating to get everyone to agree on a certain topic, whether it be your training schedules and locations or finding a new kit for the next season.
Parents pushing their kids too hard has been well-documented in recent times. However, every sports club manager knows that there’s more to dealing with parents than managing their pitch-side behavior. Good social skills and communication is essential here to ensure that parents stay happy.
Furthermore, a flourishing relationship between the club and parents can make your job easier. Maybe some of them want to participate in the clubs activities even more? Organize some events, volunteer during competitions or provide you with a useful network to expand your activities? Be aware of these opportunities and dealing with parents will be an opportunity rather than a obligation.
4. Expectations of instant success
We have discussed the gap between the long-term approach vs the short-term reality before. People at sports clubs can feel pressured by the outside world to deliver results here and now. Looking at the longer term can mean some difficult decisions must be made now to deliver a sustainable product for the future.
It is easier to explain your approaches to the people you work with daily. Coaches will probably follow your lead and understand your decisions. However, there can be some stakeholders such as sponsors, parents or even the media, who may scrutinize your results and question your decisions. Being confident in the route you have chosen will help them understand the process. Keep your focus and results will come. The success will be even tastier in the end.
Check out how staying true to your approach can bring the best end results in this documentary about Southampton F.C.
5. Managing equipment
This can probably be the most business related thing you do. Supplying and purchasing new kits, new training equipment, new clothing items and so on is a lot like working in a big corporation instead of a sports club, isn’t it?
Yet it needs to be done and it can be a very helpful income source for your sports club. Look into how “real” businesses manage these things. Use software to track your deals and invoices to be more efficient. This can help you save nerves and time. Standardize some processes such as assigning coaches to deliver new gear to athletes or consider allocating a certain amount of your budget to improve your training equipment. You will turn a problem into an efficient income source. How cool is that?
6. The work never really stops
People usually finish their work on Fridays, but you don’t. More often than not, that’s when the business starts for you. Organizing, coordinating and managing competitions, camps, trips and other events is in many ways the essence of your work.
Sometimes it’s overwhelming, for sure, because who wouldn’t like to have their weekend off. At the same time, it’s incredibly rewarding. The events and competitions are the cherry on the top of your cake of a sport club. They are there for everyone to enjoy so be a part of that group. Get most of your administrative work done during the week so you can enjoy the fun part of the week as much as the other spectators.
In the end, this will give you the much needed energy boost for the next week. Don’t feel bad for enjoying the process!
7. People don’t get *your* sport
Whether we want it or not (we don’t!), there will always be a competition between different sports. It can be a competition for resources, competition for new talent, competition for media space or for facilities. Most club managers recognize the importance of having different sports, but when it comes to your own sport, you will fight tooth and nail for its rights.
However, sometimes people just don’t get your sport, am I right? They don’t get the history or they don’t get your role in society. And they definitely don’t get the beauty of your sport. The importance of your sport is dazzlingly lost on a lot of people and you have to fight for your place under the sun.
But hey, don’t worry! We all do that. We all have this tendency to look at things from our own perspective. However, we as sports people should really be the ones to appreciate the value of good competition. That’s how you push the limits!
Competition is the spice of sports; but if you make spice the whole meal you’ll be sick.
