IMPROVING THE CLUB EXPERIENCE

WEEK 3 : THE CLUB EXPERIENCE

You want people to join your grassroots sports club. What makes them want to stay?

We spend a lot of time recruiting new players, members, coaches and volunteers.

But how much time do we spend understanding their experience once they arrive and why some decide to leave?

Being a welcoming club takes more than a friendly greeting on someone’s first day. It means helping people feel included, valued and supported throughout their involvement.

Think about the experience your club provides:

  • Joining: Is it easy to find information, register and know who to contact in the club?
  • The welcome: Does someone greet new members, introduce them to others and explain the clubs background, structure, values & policies?
  • Coaching: Are sessions enjoyable, well organised and appropriate to players’ ages and abilities?
  • Communication: Do players and parents know what is happening, what is expected and where to raise questions?
  • Facilities: Is your clubhouse, toilets and changing areas clean, accessible and well maintained?
  • Volunteering: Have you created a clear role for each volunteer? Do you spread the clubs workload amongst your volunteers? Do volunteers receive support and training? How do you thank or appreciate volunteers?
  • Matchday: What is your match day experience like (from arrival to pre match, during the match and post match) Have you conducted an audit of the matchday experience? How can you improve the overall matchday experience?
  • Belonging: Does everyone feel included, whether they are a regular starter, a beginner or someone who has just joined?

People experience your club through every message, conversation, interaction, training session and matchday experience.

Small details add up. A coach remembering someone’s name. A clear message about a fixture change. A thank-you to a volunteer. Someone noticing when a member stops attending.

A practical action for this week: Ask a player, a parent and a volunteer two questions:

  • What makes you feel welcome here?
  • What is one thing we could improve?

Then choose one improvement, give someone responsibility for it and tell members what you have changed.

You cannot address every reason people leave. But you can listen, act and improve the experience you provide.

Chapter 3 of Leading a Grassroots Sports Club explores how to offer the best possible club experience.

Find out more about the book here.

If you’re a sports league or federation, send me a DM to explore a club development or knowledge-sharing programme that gives your grassroots clubs practical tools, skills and confidence to thrive.

Next week: Coaching culture in grassroots clubs.

#GrassrootsSport #ClubDevelopment #MemberExperience #SportsBusiness

About Geoff Wilson

Geoff runs his own consultancy business, with a focus primarily on sport.  Previously Head of Marketing and Communications at the Irish FA, Geoff now consults to a wide range of global sports organisations on areas such as strategic planning, marketing and communications, digital, fan engagement, public affairs, women’s football, league development, club development and knowledge sharing / capacity building programmes.  Geoff has created numerous academic models for the sports industry.  Geoff is on the Advisory Panel at the English Football League and Chair of the Sports Council Trust Company (Sport England organisation).

Geoff has written a book which focuses on ‘developing grassroots sports clubs’ to order a copy check out https://www.routledge.com/Leading-a-Grassroots-Sports-Club-A-Practical-Guide-to-Managing-and-Developing-Your-Club/Wilson/p/book/9781041094883?srsltid=AfmBOooMPgFpXYSGYwNBOLxrR6mYShU8mWeM_rbVCGlipdpjnsfqlqVD

1.  Check out Geoff’s online course in strategic planning at https://geoffwilson.teachable.com/

2.  The other sports models created or co created by Geoff can be found below:

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