The youth sports industry thrives on connection. Just like in other fields, networking and sharing ideas are essential for growth. Still, many small club leaders fall into the trap of thinking that competition means keeping their cards too close to the vest.
“A lot of clubs here don’t talk to other clubs because it’s highly competitive - and not by choice,” says Matt Tunis, Partner & Director of Operations at Chicago Empire FC. “It’s a very difficult industry because of the saturation of clubs out there. You have to have points of differentiation to survive because we are all fighting over the same players.”
Sean Cochran, Executive Director at Keystone FC in Pennsylvania, agrees. “Many times, it’s a balancing act for some smaller clubs, because they’re concerned about their players coming and going. So those relationships with other clubs can be very touch-and-go.”
Matt Barry, Director of Coaching at Highland FC, adds: “Whether that’s because they see others as competition, I’m not sure. I do believe, though, it must be hard to find leaders with a more altruistic view who are just trying to grow the sport as a whole.”
But that mindset is starting to change. Many small club leaders are realizing that collaboration is not only possible, but essential. “With clubs in our area, we’re competitors maybe two or three days out of the year. Other than that, we should be collaborators,” says Danbusky.
Mark Ryan, Chief Executive Officer at Loudoun Soccer, echoes the sentiment. “My team and I have pretty good relationships with the other clubs in our area. We’re constantly communicating, checking in, and sharing advice. Even club alumni who have moved on to other regions and are now coaching will call me from time to time for advice.”
For collaboration to truly flourish, larger clubs need to set the tone. “We make it clear to the smaller clubs in our area that we are open to help them however we can,” says Chris "Fuzzy" Steeno, Executive Director at Indiana Impact SC. “In fact, our state organization sends clubs to us all the time to talk shop, which is a testament to our people because they really genuinely care about just growing the sport.”
At the end of the day, it’s important to remember that youth sports aren’t just about competition; they’re about community as well. Clubs that embrace collaboration with their peers may find that by sharing ideas and experiences, and supporting one another in small ways, they can ultimately grow the sport as a whole.
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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