Setting up a new club

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Blaise Holt
6 years ago
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1 Setting up a new club can be daunting although it need not be and can actually be fairly straightforward. Here are 10 steps which you might find help you get started Step 1 Are there any existing clubs in your local area? It is important that you research beforehand as this will allow you to see whether there are any existing clubs in your town or neighborhood. Some places you can start include: Local library and other information centres which are likely to maintain directories of local clubs Local newspapers to see if there are any reports from established clubs Your National Governing Body will have details of all affiliated clubs in your area Your Local Authority Sports Development Department may have details of clubs at either senior or junior level and/or university/college which are located in your area Step 2 Is there a demand for a new club? You will probably know individuals who share your interest in forming a new club. Therefore, now is the time to build a list of potential members. Do not worry about asking for subscriptions or playing commitments as of yet; you will firstly want to put together a potential membership list of people who wish to be involved in a new club. There are many ways of doing this: Talk to the local Badminton Development Officers (NGB/Local Authority) and get in touch with sports coordinators in your Local Authority Organise an open meeting and publicise through local papers, sport centres and other outlets Publish your ideas in local papers Produce leaflets to distribute in shops, community centres and primary and secondary schools Importantly, you will also need to consider the availability of facilities. Are there suitable facilities nearby and available at a reasonable cost?

2 Step 3 Ask for help from either Badminton Wales or your Local Authority We are here to guide you through the process of starting your new club. You can contact us, your Local Authority or other sport organisations and find out what practical help we can offer. Badminton Wales We may have a development officer in your area who can support local clubs Local Authority (Sports or Leisure Department) - they may be able to help you with the hiring or letting of sports facilities, have small grants for new clubs, bursaries for new coaches and their officers may be able to give you practical advice Local Sports Council (who bring together many local sports clubs) - there is a great deal of knowledge that you can draw on here to help you get off to a good start Speak to these organisations in the early stages of forming your club as they will prove to be highly useful. Step 4 Secure the initial funding and facilities A new club will initially begin with funds subscribed by members; if your club wishes to develop further they may need additional monies and resources. This is not something to worry about as there are a large amount of sources that will be able to help. Highlighted below are some of the sources available to you: Sport Wales offers funding programmes include sports clubs, voluntary or community organisations, local authorities, schools, colleges and universities Finding the right facilities can sometimes be challenging, so as a new club we recommend: Consider number of courts to cater for the number of players Is the facility open to a wide range of organisations? Do these satisfy your requirements? Look for a facility that offers the best value and resource Contact your Local Authority and Schools. They will have invaluable advice to help you get started.

3 Step 5 Laying the Foundations The following areas highlight the basics all clubs need to consider when laying down the foundations of a new club. The Constitution The constitution is a set of rules that set out how the club is governed and how it will be run. This will include information about the officers required to run the club, including when and how they will be elected. The club should be accessible to everyone and so it is important that the right culture is promoted. The club s policies, practices and ethos should encourage all members to adopt an inclusive and child-friendly approach to Badminton. The Committee Clubs need some people to take on roles related to running the club. These people will form your club committee and should include as a minimum a Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and Welfare Officer. There are many other roles that people can take on, such as helping to organise fixtures or social events. In your constitution you will set out how your club committee members are selected, this is normally done by voting for nominated people at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). The Finances You will need to set your club fees to cover your running costs. The club fee should include any affiliation fees that you will need to pay and will probably be less for junior members. You may want to offer a variety of payment options to meet different players needs. You will need to set up a club bank account where fees can be paid in and bills can be paid out of! Your treasurer will manage the finances but it is important that the club accounts are available to club members. It is advisable for a minimum of two committee members to be assigned as signatories for the account. Members You will already know who your members are when you start up (identified in step 2); however it is important to have a method of recording their details. You might consider producing a welcome pack for new members; this could include useful information about the club, for example training times, membership forms, competition programme, useful contacts. For junior members this will include parental consent forms and emergency contact details. This information should be stored securely and confidentially.

4 For more information on affiliating your club to BADMINTON Wales go to Step 6 Providing an attractive Badminton programme Developing an interesting and enjoyable programme will help attract and retain people to your club. The first thing you will need to focus on is putting the right programme together. This will depend on your members; you ll need to decide whether to pitch your activities at new participants, juniors, seniors, social, competitive or performance. As your club grows, you may wish to develop a more coherent player pathway to encourage progression from recreational or new players to more competitive levels of play. But do not forget that many of your members may still enjoy the social side of the club and the opportunity to make new friends. Starting an after-school club and forging a link with the school is an ideal opportunity to encourage young people to play Badminton. Providing regular weekly sessions will allow children to have fun playing Badminton whilst developing their skills and maintaining an interest in the sport. Government research has found that after-school clubs help boost young people s self-confidence and attitudes to learning and in some cases even improve attendances, punctuality and behaviour. This experience may encourage young people to transfer to the community club environment. Safeguarding Young People Badminton Wales is committed to creating and maintaining a safe and positive environment for all young people to play Badminton. This responsibility to safeguard the welfare of young people is shared with all affiliated organisations. If your club has players under the age of 18 you should take some time to read and understand the Badminton Wales Safeguarding and Protecting Young People Policy. This can be found on the Badminton Wales website along with guidelines and a toolkit to help you to implement it. There is training available for the welfare officer in your club and guidance can be sought from the Badminton Wales Safeguarding team. Click here to view the Badminton Wales Safeguarding and Protecting Young People Policy.

5 Coaching Lots of clubs like to offer coaching to help their players to improve their game. There are a numbers of ways you can go about offering this facility: Advertise for a coach to come along to your club (depending on your needs this could be for every club session or could be for occasional coaching sessions) Use someone in your club who is already qualified as a coach (UKCC Level 2 or higher to work independently) Identify someone who has the appropriate knowledge and skills, and arrange for them to receive coach education in order to become qualified. Step 7 Local competitions and leagues Some of your players may like the chance to get involved in more competitive activities and for this opportunity you will need to look outside your own club. You can of course organise your own internal club leagues, ladders and competitions. However, in most areas there are also inter-club leagues and competitions where you can play against other teams and individuals. If you are interested in finding out what local leagues there are in your area then check Step 8 Develop policies and procedures that will support your club As a member you will not want to spend too much time on club administration. However, to ensure your club is running along smoothly there is a certain level of routine work to be completed. Questions you may be faced with will include: How do we attract new members? How do we safeguard our children and young people How do we develop and involve young players? What are the health and safety considerations that affect our sport, equipment and facilities?

6 Step 9 Start to plan for the longer term success of the club Here are a few tips to ensure a healthy club and maintain sustainability: Promote and attract new members Encourage juniors to the club, they will be the future members for years to come Ensure a regular turnover of new volunteers and officials Try and have a mix of recreational, competitive and social activities Think about the future and how you can improve your club Look to expand facilities as your members grow Start new competitions or join new leagues Provide more training and coaching for members These are some of the options for growing your club you decide! Step 10 The most important thing of all - have fun and celebrate your successes! Becoming involved in the establishment and running of a Badminton club can be highly rewarding. So make sure you don t forget to take the time out to enjoy it and celebrate all your successes: Create your own club competitions and award medals and trophies to the winners Keep photographic records of your activities, and publish details in the local newspapers and in your member newsletters Organise some social events that bring members together across all abilities Host an annual dinner or awards ceremony to provide a focal point for recognising the achievements of your members and your club

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