Club Identity

sarmandrs

Hi all,

First post here. I've recently become PRO of my local Club. There seems to be a negative feeling about the Club as there hasn't been too much success over the last few years. Does anyone have any ideas on how we can help build up Club identity?

I'm open to any suggestions especially anything you've done in your Club.

Boom__Boom

sarmandrs wrote: »

Hi all,

First post here. I've recently become PRO of my local Club. There seems to be a negative feeling about the Club as there hasn't been too much success over the last few years. Does anyone have any ideas on how we can help build up Club identity?

I'm open to any suggestions especially anything you've done in your Club.

Maybe focus on the youngsters in the club. Even if there hasn't been senior success focus on kids enjoyment and fitness and how much the kids are getting out of it. Maybe do a recruitment drive to target kids.

What's the situation like locally for camogie/ladies football ? If there is interest/demand in terms of growing the club you could look at setting up a new sister club. While the organisations might be still separate, a lot of clubs have very close links to ladies team and in a lot of cases they are pretty much de facto the same club.

If there is already a ladies football/camogie team in the area, you could look at closer links - especially in terms of scheduling/locating underage training, which can make it much more attractive for families with girls. If a family can take young kids to training in one place it's much more attractive that having to shuttle kids to different locations.

Is the club involved in Scor - can be another avenue for getting/keeping people involved in clubs.

Also try to make the club more community orientated - get involved in stuff like health initiatives, stuff like having defribrillator training for the entire community, maybe get involved in stuff like tidy towns/some environmental stuff.

Even if results on the field aren't great clubs can do a world of good in terms of the local community and that would surely help people have a positive view of a club's identity.

zetecescort

Just to add on kids, approach the local schools about maybe getting involved in school teams, putting up flyers for summer camps etc.

nice_guy80

Club website - news, photos, fixtures, club calendar.
Notes in local papers
Social Media - with news links back to website.
Club newsletter by email and around the community, schools etc
Club noticeboard - have a noticeboard in a prominent position and regularly update it with news, photos.

Tie all those together with positive news about the club and you'll be going well.

Get a few positive people together on PR sub committee to give a hand and share the load.

Suggest making a well designed club shirt available for purchase from the club. Just seeing that around the area will improve club visibility. Worked wonders in our club.
A few other things like club hats and car stickers also help with identity, suggest a car sticker for each paid up member.
I've seen a few great murals on club grounds - if you've a decent gable wall or the back of a stand you could get someone to do a mural and kids from the club to suggest a theme/content and help out painting it.

Definitely a well run summer camp is a big asset to a club

sabhail

Agree with all above. Get nursery going for under sevens, focus on under age levels. This will get people involved. If your child is involved and enjoying club then parents will be v positive towards it in general.

Also summer camps- great way to get people in who wouldn't normally and if kids enjoy camp then they may come back for trg.

If you've the resources get contacts going with schools... I know some clubs send someone in for say six wks to take PE sessions and do football and hurling

Santa Cruz

sarmandrs wrote: »

Hi all,

First post here. I've recently become PRO of my local Club. There seems to be a negative feeling about the Club as there hasn't been too much success over the last few years. Does anyone have any ideas on how we can help build up Club identity?

I'm open to any suggestions especially anything you've done in your Club.

Some very good ideas mentioned. Raise the profile by having leisure wear available. Polo tops caps t shirts with the club logo and crest. Consider a one day tournament perhaps under 12 and invite five other clubs, maybe w from within the county and three outside. If you can get the support have it for boys and girls either hurling/camogie or boys football/girls football. Make sure you have good contact with the local papers correspondent. They are always looking for a story. While fundraising is always ongoing consider teaming up with a local charity on a joint basis to pull in those not involved in the club

Fatswaldo

As several others have posted, the kids are the key, boys and girls. Our club was as good as dead 20 years ago due to years of festering frustration and petty squabbles between the existing members and an almost non-existent youth section. A small group of parents decided enough was enough and started with the then six/seven year olds and up. These lads are now the core of our successful senior teams and the club is in good shape.

Visibility in the area helps - club colours, tee shirts, hoodies etc. A facebook page and twitter feed keeps all up to date but it still comes down to attracting people to the park and keeping them there while the kids train rather than dropping them off and using the club as a babysitting service.

A walking track - gets great use, a kitchen area, (just a kettle, paper cups and a jar of coffee will do) - a chat over a coffee/tea is popular, especially on cold evenings or mornings really helps.

Choose coaches wisely, training should be fun/interesting. Kids wont continue to come if its a chore.

Club Barbecue after training - burgers and sauages, doesnt have to be fancy.

If your club has a county player, get him/her to help with the U10/12/14s from time to time.

Concentrate on the kids and the rest will look after themselves

nice_guy80

Some more good ideas, that I'm going to steal!

Keep em coming