5 Tips For Running A University Sports Club

Running a university sports club whilst balancing your studies, social life and playing your own sport can often be challenging. Here, Susan Graham (2016/17 Edinburgh Hockey Club President), outlines her top tips from experience, for managing your sports club:

1. Fail to Prepare, Prepare to Fail

University clubs have a high turnover with members coming and going each year which can make it difficult to make a lasting impact. Creating a 1, 3 and 5 year development plan is a great way to make sure that the club continues to grow each year and keeps the committee accountable for any progress made.

We've put together a template to help you get started. Check it out here.

2. Grow your club: Get social

Whilst, performance and elite sport is important to club success and development, enticing beginners and new club members is equally as important for club growth.

Growing your club's membership largely depends on the environment you create off the pitch. So get out and have fun: organising socials (with and without booze), updating your social media and getting involved in charity events are all great ways to create a fun, welcoming club atmosphere.

And remember, attracting and keeping volunteers for refereeing and coaching etc is just as important. Make sure you recognise and reward these members - try offering free kit or tickets to your social events.

3. Communication is key

Keeping track of the various teams within your club is often a challenge. Information is communicated through various channels such as WhatsApp, Facebook and email. This can often lead to key information being lost or miscommunicated.

Try using a team management tool like teamo to keep track of your whole club from your phone. Teamo is a custom team app that'll take care of player details & availabilities, team/club communication, tracking club payments and more.

Find out more at: https://teamo.chat/

4. Put Your Committee to Work

Running a successful university sports club is fun and rewarding but it takes time and effort so you can't do it alone. You have a committee for a reason - so delegate!

Here's 3 tips to get the most out of your support network:

• Make sure you have enough committee members and make sure they know what they are responsible for.
• Offer your colleagues guidance but trust them to do their job properly - you can't do it all!
• Reach out to your Athletic/Sports Union. They've done it before and they're there to help. Do them a favour and they'll have your back for the season - they're a real asset when it comes to organising transport, kit and promoting your games so be nice!

5. Money Money Money!

Clubs often struggle with their finances but good sponsors will keep you in the black. Local companies are often keen to use university clubs as a means of advertising, so speak to them!

• Create a Sponsorship Proposal and send it out to as many businesses (big or small) as possible.
• Make sure you are active on all social media channels to show prospective sponsors what a wonderful club you are!
• Get in touch with your AU for an alumni contact list and send out a newsletter each semester, highlighting your successes and big events which have taken place.

You can find endless ways to give value to sponsors: kit logos, pitchside banners, adverts on your website, you can even use their venues to host match teas or socials - get creative!

Once you've secured your sponsorship, check out suppliers such as PlayerLayer, Kukri and Kudos to add sponsor logos to your kit.

Need a sponsor?

Teamo are looking for clubs that can help them make the app awesome for universities. In return they'll put some money in your pocket so you can throw some epic socials.

For a chance to get sponsored:

• Download teamo
• Register your Sports Club
• Start a Chat with the Support team in the app with this message: We want a sponsor!