The success of most organizations often depends on their leadership. Quality leaders can motivate their staff to produce results, get buy-in from needed supporters and stakeholders, and elevate the organization.
The same is true for youth sports clubs. A youth sports organization’s success is the responsibility of its president. The club’s leader is tasked with creating a vision for the organization and growing participation while staying on budget and keeping the club compliant. This is no small feat, and it takes a series of tasks and responsibilities to allow the president to achieve these larger goals.
Take a look at what duties a great youth sports club president must fulfill.
Provide Direction for the Organization
Perhaps a youth sports club president’s most important role is to provide the overall direction for the club. The president is tasked with creating goals and vision for the organization to ensure it is successful, now and into the future. Knowing where the club needs to go long-term will decide the current goals and strategies for how to get there. The president is also responsible for aligning the Board of Directors to ensure the club’s priorities are followed.
Grow and Develop the Club
Youth sports clubs can’t be successful if they are stagnant. Presidents need to develop plans to continue to grow the club’s participation levels, keep programs fresh and competitive with other organizations’ offerings, attract top talent, and create a plan for how to ensure athletes are developing their skills.
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Manage the Budget and Finances
To keep the organization running smoothly, the president needs to make sure the club has a budget in place, and that the club is sticking to it. While other board members, like a treasurer, might be accountable for the daily finances and tracking the club’s expenses, the club’s financial status ultimately falls on the president. Because of this, the president should get regular financial reports from the treasurer and be abreast of all financial decisions.
Run Board Meetings
Part of a youth sports club president’s responsibility is running all Board of Directors meetings. This can include scheduling the meetings and presiding over them, creating the agendas, calling for votes on specific topics, assigning tasks, and holding board members accountable for completing them.
Ensure the Club is Compliant
While it might not be the most exciting part of a club president’s job, ensuring the club is compliant with all league rules and regulations is an important part of the role. The organization’s reputation can be tarnished if the club isn’t compliant, which can have immediate and long-term effects on the club’s success. It can also put the club’s youth athletes in danger, especially if any safety regulations are not followed. If you’re a club president, check out these risk mitigation tips.
Represent the Club in the Community
Youth sports clubs are part of the local community, and from time-to-time, an organization’s president might be asked to attend a local meeting. This can be especially important if the club is using community facilities. The president should be aware of any proposed changes to the facilities or the usage fees. Occasionally the president might also be asked to attend other community events such as activity fairs, parades, community outreach events, or others that would help promote the club and potentially attract new participants.
Serve as the Organization’s League Representative
The president is also the youth sports organization’s representative at league meetings and functions. Leagues might hold gatherings annually or throughout the year to discuss rules changes, participation, tournaments, safety requirements, facilities, and more. The president should attend to represent the club and ensure he or she is there to provide feedback and cast a vote on important issues.
Work with the Board Members to Achieve Club Goals
While the president is responsible for the club’s overall success, they cannot do it alone. The president is tasked with delegating responsibilities as needed or form sub-committees to ensure the team can complete its goals and larger initiatives. These might include forming smaller committees for fundraisers, sponsorships, tournaments, and tryouts.
Evaluate Products and Technology
The president is responsible for ensuring the club remains competitive, and while that can mean success in games, it also includes staying current with technology, equipment, and other offerings that can improve athletes’ experiences and develop their talent. Some of these products can include a player evaluation app, which can ease the tryouts process for both players and staff members. They might also evaluate new digital devices to provide better game film and new equipment to ensure the players have the latest safety features.
