Running a youth sports organization is a diversified process. People, coaches, and others can expect too much from you. More than you have planned. So, what’s most important is that you build and demonstrate your vision and mission to manage expectations. When people expect too much and don’t know what the objectives are, it can be demanding. Therefore, getting everyone on the same page is important so expectations don’t deviate to create disappointment and confusion.

You have to create a process that provides clear objectives, goals, and how your organization will function. Here are some tips and ways to provide structure, so expectations stay in check.

Clear Communication

Clear communication is essential to avoid the illusion of expectation. If communication is not clear, people will start to have other thoughts and ideas, leading them to assume. Good communication puts everyone on the same page.

Set Goals

Goals are essential to any organizational structure and process. First, make sure everyone understands your plans. This will avoid assumptions and prevent confusion by setting and stating realistic and achievable goals. When goals are not set or explained, it leads emotions and thoughts astray. Make sure your goals pertain to and include the parents, the team, and the players. Set goals for different categories to make it easy to understand so each group knows what is expected from you.

Hire Good Passionate People

In youth sports programs, look for people who work with children. Make sure to do background checks as well to protect the safety of the kids. Furthermore, you need to surround yourself with people who have the same vision and frame of mind as you. When you work with the right people, it makes the job fun and easier. You can place trust in your hires because they have a passion for the work. And people with passion will have more motivation and influence in your program with players, coaches and parents. They will be representing your organization and vision, so you want this kind of energy. Attitudes and behaviors are the foundation for good communication and accomplishing goals.

Stay Prepared and Updated

With all that has happened in the past years, it’s critical to stay informed about health or environmental issues. Your organization needs to provide safety guidelines and rules to staff, players, and families. For example, with Covid-19 guidelines and flu outbreaks, what are the best and latest ways to stay protected and limit infection and transmission. Or, implementing new first aid response and injury prevention techniques. Ensure your staff knows how to implement, use, and apply them. You never know when a situation will occur or when you will have to save a life. Preparedness is critical. So, make sure all are trained with CPR and emergency methods. Know the phone numbers for rapid response if needed from the ambulance or police.

Managing Rosters

Phone numbers and addresses change, so your rosters need to be updated. Contact info needs to be accurate for people to contact each other instantly. Sports Connect is a technology that keeps everyone up to date in your system and leagues. It stores, displays, and builds rosters to manage teams, assign players and coaches to teams, allowing them to communicate instantly. It enables coaches to pull up rosters and have contact information for all their players. And can contact everyone instantly for any announcements or issues.

Use A Sports Management Program

A great way to improve communication is by using a sports technology provider like Sports Connect. A company like Sports Connect simplifies and organizes everything mentioned above. You can communicate and share everything from registrations, rosters, promotions, results, and schedule changes all from your mobile device at the click of a button. Notifications, updates, messages, etc., have never been made easier.

Using this platform connects the administrators, coaches, parents, players, teams, leagues, etc. It updates information and responses in real-time, so it is simple, easy, and effective to communicate. All the leagues can easily access contact information from the system to reach out to everyone. Like Ben Wineski says from Sports Connect, “Our tools and capabilities make it easy to send mass communications to specific players, teams and entire leagues from all age groups to individuals.”

If technology is not your forte, make sure you have a solid plan in place to communicate and update everyone quickly.

Be transparent and make yourself available to answer questions from parents, coaches, staff, or administrators. This will allow them to understand your intentions, fulfill their concerns, and develop honest expectations.