Westside Wolves Hockey Club. Strategic Plan

Transcription

1 Westside Wolves Hockey Club Strategic Plan August 2014

2 It s more than hockey

3 Contents Presidents Foreword...4 Introduction...6 Values...10 Principles...11 S.W.O.T...12 Strategic Plan...14 Players, Coaches, Umpires and Development...16 Financial Sustainability and Governance...18 Facilities...20 Advocacy, Relationships and Marketing...22 Implementation and Review...24 Conclusion

4 President s Foreword It is with great pleasure that I present the Westside Wolves Strategic Plan This marks an important step in the Club s development by documenting a unified direction in which to take the club. This strategy is the result of many months of hard work across the club, drawing on the benefit of the experience of many members across all areas of club management. It is the Committee s wish that this strategy will be used by future committees to help guide the direction of the club in line with the main Strategy Areas which are: Players, Coaches, Umpires and Development; Advocacy, Relationship and Marketing; Facilities; and Financial Sustainability and Governance. I earnestly thank the sub-committee involved for their hard work and strategic thinking on this project and I look forward to reflecting on the achievements of the club and its members in the years to come. Jonathon Petterson President - Westside Wolves Hockey Club 4

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6 Introduction Introduction Westside Wolves Hockey Club strives to provide opportunities for everyone to take part in hockey, either as a coach, player, umpire, administrator or supporter. The club has a strong junior development focus offering many opportunities for young people to train and play for fun and competitively. The club also strives to provide it s adult players with a chance to compete at the highest levels possible and offers social hockey for all alongside this. The club also enjoys a very successful minkey competition, which acts as a great introduction to hockey and in addition as a feeder into the junior teams of the club. While the club has experienced success over the years, it is essential for Westside Wolves to continue to focus on the future and how the Club is going to continue to adapt and strive for excellence in all facets of club life. The motto for the strategic plan is it s more than hockey. This identifies the ambition of our membership to view Westside Wolves Hockey Club as a community, that will continue to grow and expand in the future. Statement of purpose To foster a sustainable and successful club with pathways for participation at all stages while belonging to a unified community. The strategic development plan enables the club to: 1. Look into the future and therefore, provides an opportunity to prepare for the future. 2. Provide better awareness of the needs of our membership along with facilities related issues and changing environment. 3. Define the overall mission and vision of the organization and focusses on our objectives. 4. Obtain a sense of direction, continuity, and effective staffing, volunteer basis and leadership. 5. Provides a system of standards with accountability, to our programs, and to allocate resources. 6

7 Development and Strategy Sub- Committee The Westside Wolves Hockey Club Committee resolved to form a sub-committee tasked to produce a strategic development plan to guide the club for the next 5 to 10 years. The sub-committee make up consisted of representatives from the men s and women s seniors teams, Junior Committee members and various other club stalwarts. The Sub-Committee membership is as follows: Chair Jonathon Petterson (President) Committee Members Craig Shepherd (Coordinator) Simon Andrew Neil McKerracher Simon McKirdy Grant Shepherd Chris Mellor Liz Owen Jayde Taylor Fiona Young Development and Strategy Sub- Committee s terms of reference In consultation with the club Committee and members the Sub-Committee shall undertake the following: 1. Review the historic development of Westside Wolves Hockey Club in order to understand the original intentions for the Hockey Club and provide an analysis of the performance against these intentions. 2. Undertake a consultation program with current and past members of the club, and other stakeholders as required, to understand the various opinions for growth available to the Club. 3. Develop an updated Westside Wolves Hockey Club constitution and structure to reflect the current circumstance and the Club s Mission, Goals, Aspirations, Philosophy and Culture with all the appropriate governance requirements. The updated Constitution and Structure shall be referred to it s members (EGM) for adoption by 31 March Prepare a Strategic Plan which outlines proposed short, medium and long term goals for the Club which will be referred to the Committee for adopted by 30 June The Strategic Plan will outline an implementation program which stipulates required resources and timeframes. 5. Prepare a proposed structure and governance model for the implementation, monitoring and review of the Strategic Plan and Club governance. 7

8 History Club History Westside Wolves Hockey Club was formed in 1987 with the merger of the Grads Womens Hockey Club, Cricketers Hockey Club, Old Scotch Collegians Hockey Club and the Christ Church Hockey Club. The club is one of the largest in Perth, and is based at Cresswell Park in Swanbourne, Western Australia. The club fields senior teams in both men s and women s competitions from First Grade to Veterans. The club has an extensive junior program for boys and girls. The Idea The emergence of the Wolves was the product of a casual conversation between Graeme Walter, then President of Cricketers, and Neil McKerracher, President of Claremont Collegians. Those two clubs were quite different in nature. Cricketers was easily the strongest men s hockey club in Australia at its time, boasting a number of Australian captains and many State and Australian players. Discussions took place in late 1986 and almost immediately the committees of the respective clubs started taking the matter seriously. In the heady days of the 80s corporate mergers, there was an optimistic view about the whole prospective exercise even though a total history of well in excess of 150 years was to be lost. In very early 1987, a mass outdoor meeting attended by members of all of the clubs was held at Creswell Park, Swanbourne - now home of the Wolves. At this meeting the pros and cons were squarely put to the members for their consideration. Perhaps surprisingly, given all the history that had accumulated with the clubs, the vote to proceed with a merger (and formation of a new club) was carried unanimously and with acclaim. An initial committee was put together with Neil McKerracher being appointed President of the new body. The first exercise was to decide the name and colours of the club. Professionals were appointed and subsequently, the name and the colours were recommended and adopted by the club. Claremont Collegians, on the other hand, was then only three years old but was an amalgamation formed of two very old Western Australian hockey clubs, the Old Scotch Collegians Hockey Club and Christ Church Hockey Club (as well as the Mosman Park Hockey Club). The forte of Claremont Collegians was in organisation and administration as well as a secure financial basis. While both Cricketers and Claremont Collegians had women s team, neither had a large pool of players. The logical approach to this was to look for the strongest women s club, which inevitably lead to an approach being made to Grads which flowed to a further amalgamation. 8

9 The Beginning In its first year of operation, 1987, Westside Wolves boasted 55 teams plus hundreds of Minkey players. Since then, it has won numerous premierships, including premierships in the Classic League and First Division for men and women respectively - in a competition which is and has been the best club competition in the world. It has even achieved the remarkable feat of winning both the Byrne and Judge Trophy and the Kyle Rutter Trophy in the one year - for the greatest success overall in both senior and junior male ranks. Fortyeight teams are now fielded each weekend under a sound and sophisticated structure. The current generation of juniors knows only of Wolves. Cricketers, Grads and the Old Boys clubs are something only occasionally mentioned in nostalgic reminiscing by parents and seniors. Every hockey club in Western Australia will have its ups and downs from time to time, but one of the true strengths and style of Wolves is the belief in the development of the home grown product from the juniors onwards. Although players from other clubs have been attracted to play with Wolves, our belief is that the ongoing success of the club can only be guaranteed by developing from within. Importantly, Wolves has developed a profound juniors base which in turn is fed by a Minkey competition in which literally thousands of juniors have participated and have been fed both into Westside Wolves clubs and other clubs within the western suburbs region of Western Australia. Every Saturday morning, numbers in excess of six hundred young Minkey players have been common in the club s first twelve years of operation. 9

10 Values The following values and principles were developed and work-shopped with the Development and Strategy Sub- Committee. Westside Wolves Hockey Club is committed to the following core values and principles as it conducts its day-to-day activities to achieve its statement of purpose and the future direction of the club. We are committed to build and improve our skills to strive for excellence in all aspects of our club. Commitment to excellence Enjoyment Fun, friendship and fair-play. Inspiration We encourage innovation, development and creative thinking to acheive our goals, while being role models and community leaders. Respect We treat each other with fairness, dignity and understanding. Honesty and integrity We act honestly, truthfully and with integrity Teamwork We foster a culture of a shared desire to work together to achieve our goals. 10

11 Principles Transparency Act openly and inform all members of aspects of the club at all times. Fairness We treat each other with fairness and respect. All decisions are made in the best interest and values of the club. We continuously look to improve our services to members, to remain financially sustainable and adapt to change where necessary. Continuous improvement 11

12 S.W.O.T A SWOT analysis is a structured planning method used to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats involved in the Westside Wolves Hockey Club. This allows achievable goals or objectives to be set for the organization. Strengths characteristics of the Club that give it an advantage over others. Weaknesses characteristics that place the Club at a disadvantage relative to others. Opportunities elements that the Club could exploit to its advantage. Threats elements in the environment that could cause trouble for the club. Identification of the SWOT is important because they can inform later steps in planning to achieve the objective. 12 Strengths Maturity of the organisation. Tradition of strong member numbers. Access and proximity of facilities (existing and proposed). Good performance of players (junior, senior and elite). Strong juniors and minkey league. Generally strong numbers across all ages and grade. Weaknesses Lack of integration between juniors and seniors including coaching, support and transition. Need for improved diversity of contribution of parents of members. Lack of junior voting how are their votes captured? Women s group is weaker in numbers and performance than the men s. Lack of coaches. Communication with Hockey WA. Member s fees are in the higher quartile compared to other Hockey WA clubs. Lack of elite selection support. Lack of marketing and PR. Out-dated constitution and governance model. Reliance on Minkey and junior funding. Lack of access to Cresswell Clubrooms during the off-season

13 Opportunities Threats Use influence to continue representation at elite level for seniors and juniors. Upgrade and expansion of facilities. Alliances with other sports., Increased liaison with Hockey WA. Sponsorship and community support (grants). Technology for sharing skills (e.g. video coaching for juniors). School capture (Shenton is currently not supported). Continue to be inclusive and welcome all new members. Different types of membership for examples family membership and social membership. Help increase profile of hockey as a sport in the community. Sport isn t a priority for children and teenagers hard to keep interest. Lack of financial diversity (sponsorship is reducing). Growth of other clubs and their influence over our members. Other clubs develop new facilities which have a direct impact on Westside Wolves Hockey Club. Hockey WA influence over regional competition, selection, decision making. Change in people s willingness to commit, volunteer and participate. 13

14 Strategic Plan Strategic Area 1 Players, coaches, umpires and development The performance of our club on the hockey field plays a major part of determining whether Westside Wolves Hockey Club is successful. With this in mind, it is paramount to ensure that players and coaches are provided with the best resources to continue the development of skills. With a strong playing and coaching program, we can ensure that the Club enjoys continued success on and off the hockey field. Strategic Area 2 Financial sustainability and Governance The Strategic Plan aims to ensure that the financial position of the Club is in a strong position moving forward, to allow for capital investments such as new club facilities (including a turf). The governance model and constitution are considered key areas that the Strategic Plan will focus on ensuring that the club s management model is consistent with the future direction of the club. Strategic Area 3 Facilities The ability for a hockey club to own and operate its own home turf provides a great advantage for it s members and supporters. Not only does this provide more flexibility in training programs, it also creates a greater club community through the provisions of social functions, hockey programs and home game events. The Strategic Plan endeavours to explore different avenues with the goal of obtaining a turf for the Club in order to become more community orientated. Strategic Area 4 Advocacy, relationships and marketing This section pertains to the fostering of relations with other external organisations to potentially attract new members to the club. In addition, the Plan acknowledges the struggles in player retention between years but also the transition between Juniors to Seniors. It is recognised that marketing has been a weakness of the club and the ability to obtain sponsorship has limited our financial position. 14

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16 Players, Coaches, Umpires and Development Players Short term goals (<3 years) 1. Continue to enter grades of hockey suitable for members new to the sport with pathways to develop. 2. Provide fair and inclusive opportunities and resources for people of all ages, gender and abilities, to be involved from Minkey to the Vets. 3. Preparing and supporting junior players to transition into playing senior hockey. Medium term goals (3-6 years) 1. Allocate resources to identify and attract new members. 2. Limit expenses that result in fee increases where possible - ongoing. 3. Explore strategic alliances with regional and domestic hockey associations for players relocating to Perth - ongoing. 4. Maintaining an emphasis on developing life skills, as well as hockey skills, for young people. 5. To deliver a quality minkey and junior development program that is attractive to current and potential participants. 6. The Men s and Women s premier league teams to win a premiership in the next 3-5 years. Long term goals (6-10 years) 1. To continue the general success that Westside Wolves Hockey Club has experienced over all grades and age groups. 16 Coaches Short term goals (<3 years) 1. Improve the coordination to provide direction to all coaches within the club. 2. Create a coaching manual, to be distributed to all coaches, that will offer clear direction and advice into the strategies and processes that are key to coaching at Westside Wolves Hockey Club. Medium term goals (3-6 years) 1. Greater investment in attracting and retaining coaches, particularly those in development roles. 2. Identify and create pathways for individuals within the club through training opportunities and mentoring. 3. Explore new opportunities for training times and venues to maximise resources available. 4. Encourage members to become qualified coaches and umpires and offer support of experienced mentors. 5. Develop a mentoring system to assist new coaches and umpires. Long term goals (6-10 years) 1. Allocate resources to identify and attract new talent. 2. Explore funding opportunities for individual skill development. 3. Encourage and remunerate long-term contracts (2 to 3 year periods).

17 Umpires Short term goals (<3 years) 1. Ensure an umpire training program is available for both Junior & Senior players & parents of junior players. 2. Raise the profile and recognition for the role of the umpire within Club, including hosting umpire workshops with guest elite umpire role models. 3. Encourage and support umpires to become accredited, from the Community Umpire qualification and continuing on to Level 1 and beyond. Medium term goals (3-6 years) 1. Identify and create individualised pathways for umpires within the Club, from social club games to elite state and national umpire programs. 2. Assist in the transitioning of umpires from juniors to senior games. 3. Develop a mentoring and support program for Senior umpire members. Long term goals (6-10 years) 1. To establish a nationally accredited Wolves Umpire Program. 2. To become recognised as the Club of choice for those people aspiring to broaden their hockey life experience and become hockey umpires. Development Short term goals (<3 years) 1. Advancing the pursuit of excellence through access to high quality facilities and coaching of the highest standard 2. Identify and encourage key players for future regional and state teams. 3. Facilitate the transition between the juniors and seniors whatever grade Medium term goals (3-6 years) 1. Members will be encouraged to become involved in all aspects of sport and liaison with schools, local authorities, leagues, sports associations and other clubs will be strengthened. 2. Promoting Hockey at all levels through the provision of an infrastructure which facilitates performance 3. Establish programs that offer assistance for greatest possible advancement for players, coaches, officials and managers. 4. Provide acknowledgment of current players inclusion in state teams with letter of congratulations and financial assistance when able. Long term goals (6-10 years) 1. Create a successful talent Identification and player development model/program 17

18 Financial Sustainability & Governance Short term goals (<3 years) 1. Review and establish new constitution for Wolves Hockey Club by 30 June The club to procure professional financial management and accountability. 3. Annual reporting for calendar year to be delivered by 31 December 2014 and continued thereafter. 4. Establish governance model with administrative support by 31 December Establish fundraising regime to facilitate sponsorship and donations by 1 July Transition of the Committee to a Board of Directors by 1 January Medium term goals (3-6 years) 1. Adequate funding for a proposed turf and clubrooms to be obtained by 31 December Long term goals (6-10 years) 1. Review constitution every ten years. 2. Prepare a forward financial strategy. 18

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20 Facilities Short term goals (<3 years) 1. Create Hiring Policy with the Claremont- Nedlands Cricket Club over Cresswell Clubrooms to manage use of the facility outside of core business (e.g. parties and social functions). Hiring Policy to be implemented by 1 July 2015 and enforced thereafter. 2. On-going maintenance and/or refurbishment of Cresswell Clubrooms until full upgrade occurs or new clubroom facilities obtained with an associated turf. 3. Turf and Spectator Facilities: Identify possible turf/clubroom location by 31 December Medium term goals (3-6 years) 1. Obtain land tenure arrangements by 1 July Transition Westside Wolves to new home base with adequate facilities by 1 January Long term goals (6-10 years) 1. Establish forward maintenance program for Westside Wolves Hockey Club facilities by 1 July 2017 which will coordinate repairs and ongoing upkeep of facilities establishment of maintenance trust account may be required. 20

21 Source: Reid Smith,

22 Advocacy, Relationships and Marketing Short term goals (<3 years) 1. Continue relationships with the Claremont- Nedlands Cricket Club. 2. Westside Wolves Hockey Club to have a presence in the male and female elite Hockey WA (all levels) selections with at least one member as a selector in each gender group. 3. Westside Wolves Hockey Club to have at least one board position on Hockey WA board and maintain representation for at least 5 years. 8. Undertake re-branding of club to coincide with Marketing Plan to facilitate name change to Wolves Hockey Club to remove geographic reference and therefore increase capture area and recruitment abilities. 9. Fostering a vibrant social atmosphere for all members and guests 4. Junior s recruitment program in non-prominent schools (including but not limited to Shenton College, St Hilda s Girls School, Methodists Ladies College, Perth College and John XXIII College). 5. The Director of Hockey position to attend Junior and Senior committees in order to facilitate the distribution of information throughout the club to players and team coaches. 6. Marketing plan to be established by 31 December 2014 which shall be reviewed annually thereafter. Marketing plan to address the following (at a minimum): - Strategic purpose; - Awareness of club s purpose; - Advertising and focused marketing for club recruitment; and - Fundraising and sponsorship abilities. 7. Marketing Plan to be adaptable to the following mediums at a minimum: web/ /socialmedia/traditional-media. 22

23 Medium term goals (3-6 years) 1. Create relationships with local, state and federal government levels. 2. Monitor member satisfaction and ensure that 75% of all club members are satisfied by 2016 and thereafter maintained at that level. Long term goals (6-10 years) 1. Player fall-out or drop off rate for junior members to be decreased over time as per the following: Player group Measurement year Juniors % % % % Drop-off decrease target 2. Player retention from Juniors to Seniors to be increased over time as per the following: Player group Juniors to Seniors Measurement year % % Player retention target % % 23

24 Implementation and Review Implementation The Strategic Plan shall be supported by annual Business Plans which aim to implement the applicable strategic goals for the associated year. The Business Plans will include key performance indicators for the Committee to manage and ensure that the Strategic Goals are being achieved. The Business Plans will be prepared at the start of each calendar year and will the performance of the year will be reported on through the Annual Report. Review As this Strategic Plan has a 10 year horizon, a review after 5 years is recommended so to ensure that changes can be made depending on the external environment at that time. The review should include an assessment of performance against the first 5 year period and adapt the timeframes of strategic goals according to realistic levels of achievement. 24

25 Conclusion With the continued efforts of this Strategic Plan we would like to grow hockey for Westside Wolves Hockey Club and the wider community as a whole. This is a good foundation for moving forward and increasing participation and will help the youth and older members. Westside Wolves Hockey Club embraces a think outside the square policy. We are in challenging environmental and economic times. Sports clubs as a whole are facing higher costs and lower participation levels across the country and we are striving to reverse this trend. There are few organisations which have the opportunity to offer sport to individuals playing and developing to the highest possible levels of achievement, while also providing a lively and friendly social set up for friends and family members of all ages. These are exciting times for the Club and we hope to attract the support of more members and sponsors as our progress continues. 25

26 It s more than hockey Cresswell Park Mitford Street SWANBOURNE W.A. 6010