Sport Club Member Recruitment and Retention Workshop

Sport ClubMember Recruitment and Retention Workshop March 30, 2011

Announcements • Next Workshop: • Marketing and Advertising – April 7 – 6pm-8pm • Final Meeting: • April 27, 2011

Objectives • After the workshops, participants should be able to: • Describe their club’s culture • List at least 5-7 selling points when trying to recruit potential members • Create recruitment goals • Develop a simple recruitment plan • List possible ways to recruit new members • List possible ways to retain all members

Who Are You? • Toss the Ball to someone who hasn’t had it yet. • Share the Following: • Your Name • Club Name • What your club has done for recruitment in the past • Optional: The most successful “recruitment” thing you have done as a club. • Example: • Clint Svatos • Club Sports • This fall we are going to incorporate a club sports showcase at the Student Recreation Center. • Our most successful recruitment tool we have utilized was: • In the fall 2009, over 2,000 students were emailed that were interested in club sports. Every person was notified what clubs we had, and how to contact each one.

Member Recruitment • Club Culture and Attitudes • Recruitment Goals • Create a Plan • Examples of a Recruitment Plan • Selling Your Club • Marketing • Creativity

Club Culture • Why it is important to know your club culture • What is your club’s culture: • By definition: The shared set of beliefs, expectations, values, norms, and routines that influence the ways in which individuals, groups, or teams interact with one another and cooperate to achieve club goals. (Jones & George, 2011) • To put it simply: Who you are, What you do, How you interact with each other, When do you meet, Where do you meet, and lastly WHY does your club exist.

What is your culture? • What is the purpose of your club? (Competition, Recreational, Instructional, Social) • What is the breakdown in your club as pertaining to grade level?(Fresh, Soph, Jr, Sr, Grads, Alumni, Faculty/Staff) • What is the focus of your club? (To compete, To socialize, etc..) • What are typical member donations needed per year to help administer and run a club? (Example: Each player may need to purchase their own jersey) • Does your club have an instructor or coach? • How often do you meet? Practice? • Does your club compete?

What is your culture? Continued… • How often does your club compete? • Is there a competition roster? How many can be on it? • Is there room to move from practice to competitive rosters? • Are there belt tests and competitions? How often? • How often does the leadership change in your club? • Is there leadership opportunities available? (Executive and chair positions) • Is your club social outside of practice, meeting, and competition times? • Does your club do any philanthropic work on campus or in the community? (Example: Adopt a Highway)

What is your culture? Continued… • How many total members are in your club? (Small club = 10-15 members, Large club = 50+ members) • Where do you meet or practice on campus?(Indoors, Outdoors) • How would you describe club leadership/decision making? (club votes on everything, president makes all decisions, or another way) • What are your club’s values? • Any Rites of Passage? (I.E. All new members act as a referee at one tournament game) • What do you look for in potential members? • Any requirements to join? (Example: All Women’s team)

What is your culture? Continued… • The list of questions and statements that were just shared with you do not encompass all of what a culture contains or can contain. • The list was made to help club’s get a very basic idea about what their culture is. • Why do this? • Knowing who you are and what you stand for will help tremendously during the recruitment process. Those who know their club very well will be able to answer questions about their club easily. • IN THE END, IT’S ALL ABOUT SELLING TO STUDENTS!

Recruitment Goals • Before Recruitment can begin, clubs should be thinking about their needs for the upcoming two to three semesters. • Some things to consider before making a goal: • How many members will you have in Fall? Spring? • How many members will graduate? • How many members typically quit per year? • Do you need to have a minimum number of members to compete? To run the club? • What are scheduling conflicts for current and past members? (Only 85% of members attend practices/competitions) • All of these should guide the decision making process for creating a goal for recruitment.

Recruitment Goals • Example: • Men’s Slow Pitch Softball Team (Competes in Fall and Spring) • Needs: 10-12 members to compete at Saturday games • Current Roster: 22 members. • After this Spring, 7 members are graduating, 2 are transferring, 2 members are student teaching ‘back home’ next spring • By that count, we should start the fall with 11 members. • Even though we meet the minimum requirements for a roster, that would mean every member would have to be at every single game. And that is not always “Do-able” for college students. • The Team agrees that by Spring 2012, we should have 22-25 members. • We set our Year Goal to be: 11-14 new members • Fall Goal to be 8-10 new members • Spring Goal to be 4-6 members

Recruitment Plan • Now we have a Goal, how do we reach it? • Create a written plan for recruitment: • Include the following: • # of flyers and planned locations to hang on campus • Friday Fest/ Huskie Bash Involvement • Fall Organizational Expo • Sport Club Showcase • Any outside the box ideas (Men’s Volleyball sets up volleyball nets in central park during the Huskie Bash) • Helping incoming freshman move into dorms • Any Tabling Events • Any other Original Ideas

Examples • Recruitment Plan for Men’s 16 Inch Softball Club • Flyers hung on August 15 and January 15 at Rec, Pool, Barsema, Dusable, Dorms, Student Center, Student Life Building, Health Services, and Anderson Hall • Have a table with brochures at the Organizational Expo in the fall • Have a table with a banner, brochures, pictures, jerseys, and trophies at the Sport Club Showcase • Host our weekly pizza sale at the Student Rec Center – Fundraising + Recruitment • Cut 8 x 10 paper into 1/8’s – Or use notecards – place flyers in freshman mailboxes • Budget for an ad in the Northern Star – Post our schedule and Recruitment Events

Selling Your Club • It’s all about the SELL! • You will have those who join your club just based on interest. • However, there will be many who are on the fence. • A successful recruitment will take time and patience. • Being able to Sell your club to others who know nothing about you is very important.

Selling Your Club • When recruiting individuals: Share your club culture, your activities, your goals and objectives, and your successes in the past. Always allow them to ask questions. • If they are unsure, ask them to come to a practice, see how it is. Getting them there is half the battle. • Ask them personal questions: • Did they play sports in H.S.? • What are they interested in? • (Be able to show how some skills can transfer – I.E. Football skills easily transfer to Rugby)

Who wants to Join my Club? • On a piece of paper, write 5-7 “Selling Points” as to why I or anyone else would want to join your club • Everyone will share with the group.

Marketing • Marketing workshop is next week – April 7 • When recruiting make sure all your marketing materials are pleasing to the eye and have proper grammar. • Students laugh at a poorly designed flyer, so they are laughing at your club • UPDATE YOUR WEBSITES! Potential Members will visit the links on the Sport Club page to your website.

Club Website Examples • Not so great Example: Ultimate Frisbee – University of Illinois Chicago • http://www.funkultimate.com/FunkUltimate/Home.html • Great Example: Paintball Club – SIUC • http://www.paintballclub.rso.siuc.edu/index.html

Other Recruitment Ideas • Club BBQ • Hold a Bags tourney or some other fundraiser on campus • Word of Mouth (The best marketing tool – research proven) • Host a 1 week workshop for beginners – to see if they like it. • Get your veteran players involved • Tabling Events • Flyers • Recruitment video posted to your website - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kaX5TaMUbM • Co-op Recruitment with similar clubs (i.e. Men’s and Women’s clubs or clubs that use the pools) • BE CREATIVE! THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX WILL MAKE YOUR CLUB’S RECRUITMENT A SUCCESS.

Member Retention • Rhonda Hampton’s word of the day: Vest: • to invest or endow (a person, group, committee, etc.) with something, as powers, functions, or rights. The more club members are actively involved and have invested time and resources into the club, the less likely they are to leave. • Get everyone involved – Just playing the game is not enough • You will be surprised how many people would love the opportunity to head up a committee, chair, or other leadership position in the club. • For example, if you have a member who is passionate about philanthropy, vote to have that particular member be in charge of organizing all volunteering efforts.

New Member Retention • Some Ways to Increase Retention: • Introduce new members at practices/meetings • Make it fun and social like atmosphere • The officers should personally greet new members at the beginner and end of practice to make new member feel comfortable • Pair the new person up with a veteran player in practice (give them a positive experience) • Highlight new members on club website

RETENTION OF ALL MEMBERS • Some ways to retain members: • Be friendly, professional, and organized! • Communicate! Information is power! Empower your members! • Delegate! Develop a communication tree (telephone, e-mail) • Offer incentives to the first few members who renew their annual donations. • Get members involved – Give them some responsibilities • Keep the club FUN, but Stay true to your purpose • Socialize with all members – leave no one out-NO CLICKS • Awards

Closing • Rolling Dice Check Up • Any Questions? • Please return all pens, paper, and evaluation forms to the front of the room. • THANK YOU!

Sport Club Member Recruitment and Retention Workshop