It’s easy for any club to fall into the trap of defining success as the number of wins in a season. So what do the leaders of top clubs view as the “right” metrics to measure success?
“It’s actually growth,” says Matt Barry, Director of Coaching at Highland FC. “Even if it’s a small amount, adding players to your programs shows you’ve done a good job because people are returning and bringing others with them.”
Growth can encompass everything from gaining net-new players to developing and retaining talent - and retention is just as important (if not more) than new growth. Says Cory Munro, Chief Business Officer at Charlotte Independence, “With so much competition for membership from other clubs, other sports, and with children participating in multiple activities - if families choose to return to your club, it’s a strong sign that you’re doing things right.”
Matt Tunis, Partner & Director of Operations at Chicago Empire FC, agrees. “If the majority of kids on the team are returning, even after having a losing season, that tells me we’re doing something right. Kids love the club, they love the coach, they love the sport.”
Retention - and growth overall - often begins at the grassroots level or with your youngest age groups. “When you’re building your club, start with your rec program,” says Fuzzy Steeno, Executive Director at Indiana Impact SC. “That is where you’re going to see growth quickly. These are players you nurture and build passion for the game, and they eventually become your competitive players.”
But for Shelley Forrest, Head of Administration & Director of Operations at Far Post Soccer Club, it’s about more than retention - it’s about player development too. “Clubs can win in the short term, but you also need to develop players’ love for the game so they want to continue playing for the long term. That’s the recipe for success.”
“I would count player development as a win for sure,” says Steve Danbusky, Executive Director at Beach FC. “Even though you might not necessarily be growing numerically when sending developed players off to a higher level, you’re still growing the game qualitatively, and that’s a good thing.”
Chief Executive Officer at Loudon Soccer Mark Ryan agrees, but also adds that it’s about measuring the overall experience for the players in the club. “Ask yourself: ‘Have the players enjoyed our club’s program? Did families enjoy their experience with us?’” These marks are just as important because word of mouth can sink or swim your club. Happy families are more likely to help sell your club to the next generation of players who want a more intimate, small club experience.
Steeno sums it up succinctly. “Defining success is two-fold. Quantitatively, it means we were able to retain this many players. Qualitatively, it means everybody had a good review at the end of the season. Kids were smiling, coaches were high-fiving - everybody was buzzing about their experience.”
Note: This post is part of a larger series called “Small Clubs, Big Wins” where top youth sports leaders share their wisdom with smaller clubs. For this purpose, smaller clubs are defined as organizations with 100 players or fewer.
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