1/16/2014 Tonight s Presenters Real Programs that Work! U.S. Figure Skating Club Webinar January 16, 2014 Tonight s Agenda New Club President and Basic Skills Director Forum National Skating Month and Destination Sochi Review of Strategic Planning Survey Results Introductory Membership Fit Skate Classes Jumping Jacks Junior Board Lainie DeMore, Membership Development Group Coordinator, U.S. Figure Skating Brenda Glidewell, Director of Skating Programs, U.S. Figure Skating Peter Tsai, president, Washington FSC Elise Preston, director, Wollman Rink Skating School, Trump Organization Kathryn Jensen, junior board sponsor, Dallas FSC Susi Wehrli-McLaughlin, Senior Director of Membership, U.S. Figure Skating NEW Club Presidents and Basic Skills Director Forum www.usfigureskating.forumatic.com Must register using Club/Program name and password 2014 National Skating Month Record Breaking! 517 kits sent every state is hosting events Resources found on National Skating Month homepage: List of calendar of events by state Administration Manual, Waivers and Releases National Skating Month Media Package Downloadable fliers for registration table Certificates and Bring-a-Buddy coupons Send reports, quotes from participants, number of attendees, news stories or clips and photos for posting Video Contest Go Team USA Winners: Gold: Detroit Skating Club Athletes Committee Silver: Figure Skating in Harlem, Harlem Ice Bronze: Port City Skating Club Promotional Materials: Available free of charge! Posters Postcards Fliers download Certificates - download 1
1/16/2014 Download the informational materials in the Club Toolkit: All free downloads from www.destinationsochi.org Informational pieces for distribution: Getting Started in Ice Skating Athlete Competitive Pipeline New Team Event IJS Simplified Identifying Jumps Olympic Trivia Questions Media Kit - talking points for club use How to Host an Open House Olympic Figure Skating Handbook to Host Club Team Competition Step #2: Check out all of the event materials and resources: Materials and Resources can be found in yellow box on Special Events page Preparing to Host a Team Competition: Step #1: Register! Step #2: Check out all of the materials and resources Step #3: Download and begin utilizing resources Step #4: Establish your event timeline Step #5: Order supplies from U.S. Figure Skating Step #6: Host Team Competition Event Team Competition Handbook Contents: Team Competition Element Charts: 5 elements charts for clubs/programs to choose from Charts were conceptualized to include all types of skaters 5 teams per level / 3 levels per event Each team consists of three to five skaters Each skater performs one or two of the five elements If necessary, one skater can do two elements Charts are just guides You can customize for your needs and varying levels of skaters Team Competition Handbook Contents: Order supplies from U.S. Figure Skating Logo T-Shirts and Ribbons: Judges and Accounting Sheets: Order from Online Store $4.50 / per shirt 2
1/16/2014 Survey Results What programs or activities are your members participating in? Follow-up after the Games: Most importantly: Capture their contact information during all events Send more information, communicate upcoming events and activities, membership benefits Offer special programs/discounts to spark return Remember these are your future members! Survey Results What is the main source of new members by region? Survey Results What are the main challenges your club faces by region? Survey Results Main reason members are leaving by region? What is important in retaining skaters? 1. Know the answer to what are you selling? - promote membership benefits and value 2. Communication encourage participation in all next step programs 3. Create FUN, interesting group classes for skaters of all levels & disciplines. 4. Work to create team / group identities at your rink/club. 5. Support athletes with different goals, abilities and commitment levels. 6. Encourage coaches to be creative in keeping the costs down. 7. Protecting image and reputation within community and facility 8. Cohesive board acts as ambassadors for skating 3
Introductory Membership Washington Figure Skating Club (WFSC) benefits from being located in an area with many rinks, a large suburban area, and a culture where everyone steps through a rink at some point for a birthday party, a hockey game, or to see a local skating show The Washington, DC, area is readily accessible by car, airplane, and train, and offers many hotel/motel options; this makes it relatively easy for us to hold competitions We are a very large Club whose over-1,000 members train at nine different area rinks. We don t offer the same benefits as single-rink clubs, so we can keep our membership fees low (we don t include ice time in our membership fees) Members pay a fee that is not much more than the U.S. Figure Skating membership fee In exchange, they have testing benefits we offer approximately 10 dance tests and up to 12 MIF/FS tests each year We offer three different Club sessions each week (family, freestyle, and dance) that increases the ice available to our members beyond which the local rinks offer We hold four regular competitions each year (New Years Invitational adult competition, Club competition, Picken dance competition, and Potomac Open) We hold send-offs for our qualifying team for both Regionals and Sectionals, and provide all members with a copy of a composite photograph of the members of the team We hold two major social events each year: a winter social and an annual meeting We gift Club jackets to our qualifying skaters who advance We pay stipends to our skaters who advance to a qualifying competition We attract skaters to our Club because of a strong sense of tradition and community WFSC just celebrated its 75 th anniversary; many of the coaches were members when they were new skaters Our members like being a part of a Club with so much history and tradition Our social events are well-attended; it is an opportunity for skaters who frequently compete against each other to socialize without competing and away from the rink We celebrate all of our skaters and nonskating members: elite, other competitors, synchronized team members, artistic, adult, dance, pairs, testers, fans, parents/grandparents, and friends Everyone likes to be included in our team/club; the sense of belonging helps us attract and retain members Four different synchronized skating teams are affiliated with WFSC (Capitol Steps, DC Edge, National Blades, & Team Ashburn) Synchronized skating is an increasingly popular form of skating The growth of these teams has benefited WFSC; many of our new and Introductory members have come to us through synchronized skating 4
The Board of Governors of Washington Figure Skating Club has 15 members, including the President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary WFSC makes an effort to have its Board represent all of the disciplines that comprise the membership of WFSC: individual youth and adult skaters, synchronized skating, and dance We try to hold our test sessions and competitions at different rinks, so that the convenience factor is evenly distributed among our members this maximizes our skater participation and volunteer base We frequently engage in outreach to involve members in our tests, competitions, and other events Where are the boys? When we lose them very early on. Identifying Challenges Challenges Friends all play hockey Classes are full of girls Lack of role models Stigma Figure Skates vshockey Skates Goals Create programming that encourages boys to make friends Class for boys only Create class environment more appealing to boys Get coaching staff on board Create excitement about sport Educate parents 5
Grass roots planning: year one Jumping Jacks Grass roots developmental skating program for boys. Goal Immediate goal Get enrollment Keep end goal covert Create excitement Encourage accelerated rate of skill progression through Basic Skills Encourage use of figure skates Plan Letter to all boys parents enrolled previous season Handle all phone calls from parents of boys personally Male coaches help design lesson plans and tweak curriculum Bring in Men s Olympic skater for boys to meet Jumping Jacks group number at show unique & cool, show off strength Open vs 1/week attendance Full hour vs 30 min class Full season skating pass for practice Discuss skate purchase options with parents in terms of blade, not skate type Mixed Levels, One Team Focus by level, blade type Basic 2 & 3 Basic 4-6 6
Basic 4-6 Basic 4-6 Goals and Plan: Future Season 2 Goals Gradually introduce sport of figure skating to skaters Basic 8 and above Create Jumping Jacks badges Create Jumping Jacks Academy Matching warm up jackets, possibly also pants Long term: Season 3 & Beyond Eventually a new Beyond Basics all boys program for skaters in standard USFS test stream Jumping Jacks Elite or New Name? No longer a covert agenda Creation of Ice Dance and/or Pairs Skating Academy Admission by tryout Equal # of boys and girls admitted 7
Identifying target market Tailoring class to multiple skating and fitness levels Scheduling would change in schedule draw more or fewer skaters? Copy link below to watch clip and promo video of Fit Skate http://www.youtube.c om/watch?v=cojvc at08i8 Growing your club from within! Any skater who is 13 years through a Senior in High School. Skaters membership must be in good standing with the skating club. Minimum participation requirements for meetings, events and competitions. Officers must be an at a large member for one year before holding office. Community service projects. Volunteering at local competitions. Learning the responsibilities and functions of the Board of Directors. Hosting parties for the skating club to encourage younger skaters to continue skating and retain membership. Representing the skating club in the community. A Board member is assigned to guide members in activities and leadership training. Officers are elected by all eligible members. President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Volunteer Coordinator, Public Relations and Historian/ Social Media. Fundraising through sales of items at competitions to pay for T-shirts identifying members as part of the Jr. Board. Presents a unified representation of your club at out of town competitions. Creates a sense of team between skaters who train with different coaches. Increases retention of basic or beginning members to full membership. Trains and prepares a new generation of volunteers for future competitions. 8
Club Education and NARCE Community Service Hours. Being an active role model for younger skaters. Leadership training and responsibility in preparation for their future. Learning the process and function of a Skating Club Board of Directors for future participation. Understanding of a team in a very individualized sport. March 22 nd, Oak Brook, IL April 30 th, Seattle, WA, prior to Governing Council May 19 th 21 st, NARCE, Columbus, OH, www.narce.com to register NARCE Sample Topics: All About U.S. Figure Skating Ideas for keeping skating FUN and affordable- from Basic Skills to Elite Adding unique Specialty Classes for increased retention of members Best practices of successful Figure Skating Clubs New SafeSport Program resources, awareness, necessary policies and procedures to implement Learn how to develop an off-ice fitness program at your facility New Improvements to Basic Skills Opportunity to hear and share Real Programs that Work! Ways to educate the skating parent Strategic planning and setting goals for your overall program Comparison of structure and fees Networking and roundtable discussions with other Directors in the United States Industry Trade Show 9