For smaller clubs, getting access to additional capital can prove to be a difficult task. Staying laser-focused on investing in a few key areas helps you make the most of the resources you have while still supporting growth. Even with a tight budget, clubs can grow effectively by focusing on these key priorities:
Facilities facilities facilities. “First and foremost: you need a home, a place to play,” says Indiana Impact SC Executive Director Fuzzy Steeno, establishing the importance of having access to field space. “I liken it to selling cheeseburgers. If you have a bunch cooked but no place to sell them, what are you going to do with all those cheeseburgers?”
Matt Tunis, Partner & Director of Operations at Chicago Empire FC, takes it a step further, adding: “I think it’s important to have a central, and safe, facility because it’s very difficult to build a culture when everyone is fragmented.”
A reliable tech platform.
Technology underpins efficiency. “I truly believe that having a player software platform that’s communicative is extremely important. There are a lot of bad ones out there, so you need to find one that’s both easy to use and has a mobile side, because 95% of what parents are doing now is mobile-first,” says Tunis.
Christian Hamm, Admin Director of Club Operations at Indy Eleven Academy, echoes this sentiment. “Time is limited. Resources are limited. So what processes can I put in place that will help us be more efficient with both is pretty fundamental. It all comes down to your software.”
Even if your budget is tight, there are creative ways to get access to the technology you need. “Look into getting sponsorships to help support the kids by providing the funding to pay for the platform you need,” says Steeno. “If not that, then look at building it into the registration fees. It’s all about getting creative to deliver the solutions your families need.”
Solid coaches. The quality of your coaching staff sets the tone for the player experience. “Your coaches are often a player’s first touchpoint with your club, and if they don’t have a good coaching experience, it’s going to affect how they feel about the club overall,” says Mark Ryan, Chief Executive Officer at Loudoun Soccer.
Matt Barry, Director of Coaching at Highland FC, likens it to your experience going to a restaurant for the first time. “If your food was good but the service was bad, people will remember that. So you’ve got to train your waiters to provide a good experience, because then, people are going to come back, even if the food was only okay.”
While it may be difficult to attract and even
keep good coaches in the existing competitive landscape, it’s something you should not lose focus on.
Solid staff in general. Beyond coaches, your club must be stacked with dependable people who can be agile and fill in gaps that you have as you continue to expand.
“The one thing you have to invest in first is your people,” says Steve Danbusky, Executive Director at Beach FC. “We tend to focus just on the technical side - coaches, directors, the people on the field. But you also need staff who are adept at the administrative things like operating your registration platform, your operating system, scheduling, and more. Invest in people who check a lot of the boxes versus just a few.”
“Invest in a Director of Coaching if you don’t already have one because you have to have someone who can run your programming, advocate for your coaches, and hire the right people who are going to ultimately work with the kids,” adds Ryan. “But you can’t be a DOC and just be good on the field. You have to be able to do things off the field as well.”
The family experience. It comes down to making the club experience better for the families and players alike. “Anything that makes the families’ lives easier when it comes to keeping track of where they need to be and when is only going to grease the wheels for making your whole program better,” says Shelley Forrest, Head of Administration & Director of Operations at Far Post Soccer Club.
Keystone FC Executive Director Sean Cochran adds: “Focus on parent and player engagement, keeping them happy and captivated with your club. And it doesn’t have to cost you anything. Have a local university host a youth night for your teams. People want to be a part of a club that cares about them for more than what happens on the field.”
Communication. For Munro, it’s transparent communication that will really move the needle for a small club. “If you build your club on transparent, clear, and concise policies and you communicate those well to membership, that allows you to build a strong foundation that you’ll be able to grow off of.”
The path forward doesn’t have to be difficult to navigate. By investing in these key areas up front, small clubs can build a strong foundation that not only supports sustainable growth but ensures they never lose sight of what matters most: the experience they create for every family that walks through their doors.
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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