Running a club takes vision and drive and having the right people in decision-making positions is fundamental to the future success of your club.
Great leaders will have the good of the whole club in mind, they will:
Actively balance and manage the short-term priorities with longer-term objectives
- Create a vision, values, safe environment and culture that is embedded throughout the club, and everyone buys into
- Commit to providing a safe, inclusive environment for young people
- Be accountable for the governance of the club, for example, finances, policies, structures, development plans
- Manage and respond to the ambitions and concerns of different parties involved in the club
- Positively listen and engage with club and it’s members
- Help facilitate the recruitment of the right people into the right roles on the committee
- Ensure the day-to-day running of the club is smooth
Club Development: A Long-Term Vision
Building a successful and sustainable club requires more than just focusing on the current season. It's about creating a strong foundation for the future.
Read on to challenge your current approach with our thought-provoking questions, and then explore a range of resources designed to help you strengthen the leadership and long-term strategy of your club.
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- What is your club culture? How do you listen to your members’ voices? How do their experiences shape your plans?
- What is the governance structure of your club? (Community Sports Club, CASC, Charity)
- Does your club have a Development Plan setting out, objectives, priorities accountabilities, and success criteria for both the short and long term? How are actions identified, updated, and communicated?
- What resources and skills do you need to adopt to achieve your development plan and run the club successfully on a day-to-day basis – people, budget, facilities, partnerships, marketing?
- Does your club regularly review and ensure they are planning, delivering, and encouraging a safe hockey environment for all members – including appropriate insurance cover, risk assessments (facility & sessions), policies and procedures and safeguarding requirements?
- How does your club aim to be more sustainable and contribute positively to the environment?
- Is the leadership within your club as effective as it could be? How could it be improved? How long have your leaders had their roles?
- How do you communicate about what matters to your members? Do you actively talk to the members about the committee and planning who may want to join in the future?
- Do you have a succession plan?
- How do you identify and recruit future leaders? Are any roles paid?
- Do you set a culture where meetings are valued and respected? Do you hold effective meetings?
- Do you have good financial controls, including an annual budget and a medium-term plan? Does the club offer value for money?
- How does your club collect membership data and is it stored correctly?
- Do you network with other clubs to share good practice or attend local forums? Does your club engage with your County / Sub Area and Area?
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Click on the links below to access our toolkit of resources and support to help your club:
- England Hockey Club Portal
- England Hockey Clubmark page
- England Hockey Safe Hockey page
- England Hockey Insurance page
- England Hockey Membership page
- England Hockey Equality, Diversity and Inclusion pages
- England Hockey Game Management System (GMS)
- England Hockey 8 Areas
Don’t forget to also access Sport England’s Buddle for more generic help and support running your club.
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Our club support programme is designed to help you achieve your goals. It includes resources for all clubs, specialist advice for specific projects, targeted support for clubs with high potential in junior growth and increasing diversity and inclusion, and tailored services for bespoke needs. Find out more.
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Sport England’s Buddle is a fantastic free resource, that provides access to a host of workshops, webinars and supporting information to help the running and development of your club.
There are several workshops available to support the Great Leadership strand. Please click on the links below to find out more information and book your place.
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An opportunity to meet your Club Development Manager and other clubs in your area and discuss common issues, development opportunities and share ideas and best practice. Dates can be found on our monthly calendar on the Club Support page and invites will be sent directly from England Hockey Clubs team.
