ISI MEMBERSHIP TASK FORCE FEEDBACK ON RETAINING 12&UNDER SWIMMERS April 9, 2017
REGISTRATION & MEMBERSHIP EDUCATION (REGICATION) REGISTERING AND EDUCATING PARENTS FROM POINT OF FIRST CONTACT CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR NEW & VETERAN PARENTS INTRODUCTION TO USA SWIMMING MEETS SOCIAL MEDIA ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION
Best Practices in educating parents among survey participants REGICATION: PARENT EDUCATION COMMUNICATION 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 INTRO TO MEETS
REGICATION: COACH EDUCATION SOCIAL MEDIA ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION RULES AND BEST PRACTICES REINFORCE A POSITIVE BRAND IMAGE WHO IS IT REACHING? USA SWIMMING PRESENTATION: SLIDES / RECORDING SAFE SPORT MODEL ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION POLICY AND BEST PRACTICES
PARENT EDUCATION MOTIVATIONAL FRAMEWORK 90% PARENT MEETINGS 72% SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNICATION TEAM UNIFY, FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, TWITTER 59% PARENT HANDOUTS GROUP PROGRESSION EMAILS/HANDOUTS DISCUSSING INDIVIDUAL SWIMMER PROGRESSION WEBSITE INFORMATION DETAILING PROGRESSION CRITERIA
MOTIVATIONAL FRAMEWORK OTHER MOTIVATIONAL TOOLS TEAM BASED AWARDS 17% SWIMMER OF THE MONTH/WEEK/MEET 6% TIME IMPROVEMENT AWARDS 11% TEAM SWAG TO EARN 70% SOCIAL MEDIA RECOGNITION 78% SOCIAL EVENTS OUTSIDE OF POOL LOCAL HOCKEY/BASEBALL GAMES ICE CREAM SOCIALS/PIZZA PARTIES
PROGRAMMING MANY CLUBS WITH HIGH RETENTION RATES HAVE SIMILAR PROGRAMS IN PLACE FOR BOTH THE PARENTS AND THE SWIMMERS 24% SHARED MENTORING PROGRAM INFORMATION PARENT, SWIMMER, AND FAMILY BUDDIES HOLD OPEN HOUSES, PARENT MEETINGS, PARENT SOCIALS
Programming Parent Education 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
PROGRAMMING EVENTS FOR SWIMMERS DUAL/TRI MEETS THEMES AGE SPECIFIC-SWIM YOUR OWN AGE NOVICE/DEVELOPMENTAL MEETS (SLOW EVERYTHING DOWN AND WALK BOTH SWIMMERS AND PARENTS THROUGH THE PROCESS) INTRASQUAD MEETS (THEMED, TIME TRIALS, ETC.)
Events & Programs 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 mentoring (parent and swimmer buddies) dual/tri meets (themed/age specific) novice/devolopmental meets intrasquad (themed, time trials, etc)
VOLUNTEERING / PARENT INVOLVEMENT RECRUIT VOLUNTEERS DON T WAIT FOR THEM APPROACH W/ SPECIFIC DUTIES TRY TO MATCH INTERESTS WITH CLUB ROLES NEED PARENT OFFICIALS REFEREE, STARTER, TURNS STATICTALLY LITTLE RELATION OF % OFFICIALS TO RETENTION OF 12 & U MORE TEAM OFFICIALS - MORE FREQUENT OFFER FUN/THEMED MEETS CLUB PAYS FOR CERTIFICATIONS & ISI MEMBERSHIP AT A MINIMUM GREATER THE PARENT CONNECTION, THE MORE LOYAL MOMS ARE MOST INFLUENTIAL ON A CHILD S PARTICIPATION EDUCATE THEM ON THEIR ROLE AS PARENT CUSTOMIZE TO THEM NOT IGNORE OR ACCOMODATE FEEL NEEDED FOR SUCCESSFUL CLUB WANT TO HELP THEIR KID
RETAINING VOLUNTEERS COMMUNICATION IS KEY FACTOR WELL INFORMED VOLUNTEERS HELP CLUBS FUNCTION MORE EFFICIENTLY DELEGATE RESPONSIBILITIES EVENLY - PREVENTS OVERBURDEN & BURN OUT BE QUICK TO PRAISE AND PROVIDE DIRECTION FOR INCREASED EFFICIENCY SIMPLE THANK YOU = GOLD MEDAL HELP THEM FEEL A SENCE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT SO THEY REALIZE THEIR CONTIBUTIONS ARE WORTHWHILE AND NECESSARY FOR CLUB S SUCCESS SHARE GLORY GIVE THEM LIMELIGHT, RECOGNIZE & REWARD BE POSITIVE AND ENTHUSIASTIC MAKE PROJECTS A TEAM EFFORT
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS Parent Education: Perceived Value PERCEIVED VALUE: THE WORTH A PRODUCT OR SERVICE HAS IN THE MIND OF A CONSUMER 64 56 48 40 32 24 16 8 0 Mentor Families/Parent Liasons Parent Meetings Handouts (weekly or otherwise) Social Outings Social Media
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS Coach Education: Affects of Retention on Club Solvency BUDGETING COACHES MUST BE INVOLVED IN THE BUDGET PROCESS WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO ACCOMPLISH? HOW MUCH DO WE NEED TO REACH OUR GOALS? NOT: HOW MUCH DO WE HAVE? PEOPLE WILL SACRIFICE TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS HARD MONEY VS PROGRAM ENRICHMENT UP TO 80-90% OF INCOME COMES FROM DUES
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS (CONT.) Coach Education: Affects of Retention on Club Solvency FINANCIAL SUGGESTIONS MULTI-FAMILY MEMBER DISCOUNTS NO ANNUAL COMMITMENT SMALL % INCREASE IN DUES PER YEAR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
AREA OF DEVELOPMENT CRITICAL TO KEEP ALL COACHES EDUCATED NOT JUST THE HEAD COACH ESPECIALLY COACHES OF DEVELOPING & AGE GROUP SWIMMERS/PARENTS AWARENESS OF USA SWIMMING PROGRAMS IMX/IMR/POWER POINTS ATHLETE PROGRESSION MODEL (AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT MODEL) DECK PASS WEBINARS FOR COACHING EDUCATION
AREA OF DEVELOPMENT AWARENESS OF CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS/RESOURCES ASCA HOME-STUDY/ONLINE COACHING LEVEL COURSES LOCAL CLINICS (HELD BY LSC, REGION, USA SWIM, ASCA, ETC.) TED TALKS / ATHLETE BEHAVIOR GO SWIM / DARTFISH / COACHES EYE MEET MOBILE
AREA OF DEVELOPMENT SOCIAL MEDIA HOW TO SAFELY USE, PROMOTE, AND CONNECT TWITTER - @USASWIMMING FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM - @USASWIMMING YOUTUBE PINTEREST TWITTER - @SWIMTODAY: THE #FUNNESTSPORT THERE IS TWITTER - @USASWIMSTATS: FACTS AND FIGURES FROM THE USA SWIMMING STATS TEAM TWITTER - @USA_SWIMCLUBS: CONNECT WITH USA SWIMMING'S CLUB DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TWITTER - @SWIMSAFESPORT: UPDATES FROM THE USA SWIMMING SAFE SPORT STAFF FACEBOOK - USA SWIMMING FOUNDATION FACEBOOK - USA SWIMMING CLUBS FACEBOOK - SWIMTODAY
AREA OF DEVELOPMENT CREATE A NETWORK OF PEERS & MENTORS OUTSIDE OF TEAM JOIN FACEBOOK S SWIM COACHES IDEA EXCHANGE GROUP GET INVOLVED IN LSC, ZONE & USA SWIM NETWORK WITH SPEAKERS & PARTICIPANTS AT CLINICS NETWORK WITH LOCAL LEARN TO SWIM PROGRAMS, SUMMER REC SWIM TEAMS, & HS SWIM PROGRAMS RESEARCH & CONNECT WITH LOCAL PHYSICAL THERAPISTS & SPORTS MEDICINE PHYSICIANS
WHAT GOES INTO RETENTION? EVERYTHING!! If you d like to be connected with a team who is executing one of these best practices. Contact Dustin Thompson at ddt1326@yahoo.com