Whether your club is big or small, access to a connected operating system is no longer a “nice to have.” Smart, forward-thinking clubs of all sizes are beginning to realize that good technology makes everything run better.
Here are three key areas where our experts say having access to a solid, connected software system has made all the difference in their clubs’ overall operational health, and why small clubs shouldn’t ignore the value of a good platform.
Field Scheduling. A common challenge most clubs face, and something uncovered in our recent
report
on predictions for the future of youth sports, is getting access to field or court space. This can be exacerbated when you are working on an operating system that requires you to jump through a million hoops just to make a booking - or worse, makes you log out and into a new platform altogether.
“There aren’t that many fields in our area as it is, so we’re competing with every lacrosse team, soccer team, and ultimate frisbee team for time,” says Shelley Forrest, Head of Administration & Director of Operations at Far Post Soccer Club. “It’s a big issue that I think affects a lot of regions and is made worse when you don’t have good technology to help manage scheduling.”
When you’re trying to schedule time on already-crowded playing spaces, it’s also important to have a connected platform that is intuitive because it can help you avoid common issues like double bookings and communication errors.
“We were nomads at the beginning. We were in five different field locations in our first six years,” says Matt Tunis, Partner & Director of Operations at Chicago Empire FC. “For coaches like myself who were coaching multiple teams, we could have practice at one field, then have to drive to another for the next. Communication had to be seamless for both coaches and parents to avoid any mixups, and that was a very big challenge for us with our old platforms.”
Staff Organization. Another area that can be made worse by a lack of good technology tools is keeping the staff efficient and connected. “When I was at a smaller club, we only had three full-time staff, so one person handled administrative stuff like field registrations and managing the website, while the others managed what was happening on the field. We had to find ways to be more connected and organized,” says Mark Ryan, Chief Executive Officer at Loudoun Soccer.
Sean Cochran, Executive Director at Keystone FC, echoes this, stating that for some small club leaders, it’s not their full-time job, so the need to make everything simpler was even greater. “Operationally, it can be a challenge when your time is split between two things that require most of your attention. Having a software system that is easy to navigate and helps cut back on the amount of time you’re spending on any given task becomes a necessity, not a luxury.”
Ryan also stresses the role that good technology plays when you are managing an environment with some increased turnover. “We really relied on volunteer help, which meant constantly having to onboard new members. We needed technology that could help alleviate some of that burden for us.”
Member Experience. Your club’s players and their families are the most important priority, so considering their areas of frustration is crucial to the health of your organization. According to a
2021 survey
of sports parents across the country, 91% mentioned that the technology used by a club to manage operations impacts their overall experience, and an alarming 56% were not satisfied with the current technology their club was using.
“Finding something that could streamline our operations and eliminate the main pain points our families were having was pretty important,” says Barry. “You have to make sure you’re thinking about not only what affects your day-to-day, but your families as well.”
Forrest agrees that the right technology can help eliminate some of the issues communicating with families, like ensuring your messages are actually being read. “Communicating effectively and knowing that you’re reaching people is critical for small clubs,” she says. “We were doing everything through spreadsheets and sending emails manually.”
One thing is abundantly clear: it’s not just having a good software system that matters; it’s having one single source of truth for your entire operations. Says Christian Hamm, Admin Director of Club Operations at Indy Eleven Academy, “I don’t think it matters what size club you are. Having a connected app is beneficial to helping make sure your teams are being managed well and that communications are consistent, regardless of what level a team is playing at.”
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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