This weekend in Adelaide government & industry (of the sport kind) held a conference
with topics on how recreation & sport organisations line up to 21st century public expectations.
I represented the parallel 'sailplaning' path amongst several hundred delegates from sports across the spectrum and hierarchies (local to national).
(I doubt there will be a spot available for me to talk on this at the gliding symposium in Adelaide this September).
Of interest was a presentation by a number of SLS clubs, who got together 10 years ago to successively each get improved facilities in turn; thereby increasing membership at each site several fold since.
They talked about taking the long view, getting governments at each level and sponsors on board (they only had to meet 11% of cost compared to 33% for most of us)
They also noted that their peak bodies had in their mission statement to -
- ensure volunteering at local club level remained strong
- and that national peak body monies therefore flowed down to the clubs
(& the peak bodies probably got it back in the 4 times increased member numbers.)
Like other workshops on the day, the emphasis was -
- go beyond identifying your weaknesses and do something about it
- every sport suffers from the decline in volunteering, greater competition from other activities, people being more discriminating about what and how much time they put in, etc.
- success sports help their member clubs find each individual one's point of differentiation, and what adapted (ie limited) range of activities each offers which is in line with public definition of value to the intending participant.
I spent the day with fencing, sailing, weightlifting, etc. peers (ie sport administrators) and the same conversations as happen around the club bar; with the difference that the undertone was one of readiness for change and positive outcomes.
(I need a day like that every 2 years or so).
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