Sport clubs are firmly established and play an important role in the development of athletes. However, few resources are available for those responsible for organizing, developing, and managing club sports. Sport Club Management provides administrators, managers, and coaches with the background and examples necessary for running a sport club by considering its unique demands. With this outstanding guide, leaders have the tools to develop and sustain organizations that are viable and financially successful and that satisfy the needs of athletes and those who support them.
This resource breaks down the complex fundamentals of management for all club sports—whether a multi-age-level program with an extensive budget or a local club with limited resources. Those who manage and lead clubs will find that they can develop a successful business plan without sacrificing their player development program or their club mission. In addition, they’ll gain the latest information on creating a distinctive club culture, organize their procedures, and encourage profitability by running the organization using a business mentality.
Unlike most books written for sport club managers, this resource recognizes the responsibilities of leaders and administrators by extending beyond the coaching level. In addition to player development, the content focuses on successful business tactics as they relate to sport clubs, including how to meet the management, marketing, retention, communication, and administrative needs of the organization. The book also provides advice on determining the organizational structure of the club, hiring effective leaders, understanding parental relationships, and facing legal and ethical issues. Every chapter in the book includes reader-friendly features that aid in comprehension:
Thought-provoking opening scenarios, revisited at the chapter’s end, draw readers in and invite them to consider how they would respond to similar situations.
Successful Strategies sidebars discuss real-world examples of issues a club manager might face and how those issues were resolved.
Numerous reproducible sample forms make it easy for readers to implement new strategies based on the administrative needs of their own clubs.
Sport Club Management expertly shows readers how to run a club in today’s demanding, high-tech environment. With this guide, leaders will be able to communicate their club’s mission, establish its brand, and bring in the revenue required to ensure long-term success.
Chapter 1. The Club
Richard Butler
The Club Plan
Scope of Club Services
Single-Sport Club Versus Multisport Clubs
Goals
Policies and Procedures
The Club Entity
Club Governance
Summary
Chapter 2. Leading a Sport Club
Organizational and Management Theory
Functions of Management
Levels of Management
Leadership Styles
Power
Understanding the Environment
Summary
Chapter 3. Human Resources Management and Development
Human Resources Management
Job Description
Hiring Process
New Employee Orientation
Enriching the Employee Experience
Individual and Program Performance Evaluation
Job Satisfaction of Employees
Summary
Chapter 4. Effective Coach–Parent Relationships
Dena Deglau
Embracing Collaboration
Developing a Shared Understanding
Being Transparent About One’s Coaching Philosophy
Engaging in Appropriate and Ongoing Communication
Collecting Data to Guide Decisions and Assess Progress
Providing Social Opportunities Outside of the Coaching Context
Summary
Chapter 5. Legal Aspects of Club Management
Legal Principles
Defenses
Contracts
Summary
Chapter 6. Business Aspects of Club Management
Budgeting and Accounting
Marketing
Summary
Chapter 7. Sponsorship and Fund-Raising
Sponsorship Versus Fund-Raising
Creating the Corporate Partnership
Fund-Raising
Capital Campaigns
Grant Writing
Summary
Chapter 8. Club Facilities
Matt Robinson and Christopher A. Sgarzi
Rent or Own
Finance Partners
Planning the Facility
Facility Management
Summary
Chapter 9. Long-Term Athlete Development
Richard Way and Istvan Balvi
A Cooperative Sport Environment
Club Programming Based on Existing Models
Long-Term Athlete Development Model
Summary
Chapter 10. Ethical Issues in Club Management
Why Discuss Ethics?
Basic Ethical Concepts in Sport Club Management
Ethical Theories
Applied Ethics in Sport Clubs
Codes of Ethics
Summary
Matthew Robinson, EdD, is associate professor and director of the sport management program at the University of Delaware. He also is a member of the legal studies faculty, has a secondary appointment with the School of Education, and serves as director of the International Coaching Enrichment Certificate Program funded by the United States Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Solidarity fund. Robinson also serves as director of management education for the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and developed the organization’s director of coaching course.
Robinson earned his EdD in athletic administration from Temple University. He is the author of another successful sport management text,has written over 25 articles, and has delivered over 100 national and international scholarly and professional presentations. He is president of CPTM Sport Enterprise, a sport consulting firm.