Youth Sports Administration 101: Proper Planning

Dec 8

Tips for smoother operations and recreation programs

By Jason Schaitz

Proper planning is the cornerstone of any well-run, community-recreation program. In coordinating any high-level program, planning is customizable in how an organization chooses to operate. Below are some guidelines to have in place for these programs.

Scheduling: Schedule program dates at least a year in advance. Organizers who run multiple types of programs should put dates in a program calendar. Those who coordinate programs year-round also should have a solid programming plan in place. Once the schedules are set for the year, inform program officials and parents.
Program documents: No matter what types of documents are used, make sure templates are ready to go well before the next session. These include parent packets, handbooks, rule books, forms, flyers, administrative spreadsheets, etc. Keep all of the documents accessible and organized in one area.

Marketing: Marketing plans can be in several forms, but there should be at least a calendar or outline as to when to begin marketing programs and which channels will be used. Narrow each target for more effective marketing and communication. Appeal to past participants as well as to the local community.

Budget: A budget is a planning tool for finances. Sound budgeting ensures that an organization spends only what it is able to, based on forecasted revenue and expenses. Once a budget is created, stick to it as closely as possible and track every expense.

Staffing: Falling short on staff will directly affect a program and may leave some activities unsupervised or cancelled altogether. Know optimal staffing levels and have a plan to recruit and retain personnel.
Staff training: Training and education is part of an ongoing process and should be taken seriously. It is not necessary to do all of the training in-house because tons of resources are out there. Regardless of the approach, an annual training program will get the most out of a valuable investment—staff members.
Volunteer management: Some programs, such as youth sports, cannot be run without volunteers. There must be a plan to recruit, retain, educate, and train volunteers.
Parent management: Managing parents includes education, expectations, and communication.
Fundraising: Some recreation programs may rely on fundraising to subsidize registration fees and provide enough revenue to keep programs running. A plan is necessary to keep goals on track.

Maintenance: If an organization maintains its own facilities, a sound preventative maintenance plan will keep facilities aesthetically pleasing, increase the lifespan of the assets, and help identify the time period when assets need to be replaced.
Risk management: Holding regular inspections, having proper insurance, and creating emergency-action plans are all part of a risk-management plan. Limiting liability prevents a catastrophic incident from possibly ending a program.
Equipment inventory: A plan for managing equipment inventory is necessary to know how much is on hand and when more needs to be ordered.

All of the above guidelines can be part of an organization’s business plan and comprehensive strategic plan. Short-term planning can can be done annually, with long-term plans lasting 5 to 10 years. Plans should be reviewed and adjusted regularly. Lack of planning will be apparent, so put in the extra work upfront to make the job easier, operations smoother, and overall programs better in the long run.

Jason Schaitz is a Parks and Recreation Director with 15 years’ experience managing youth sports and recreation programs. He also created and manages www.leaguesource.com, with the goal of providing free resources for any type of youth-sports program. Take your league to the next level by visiting League Source to check out our League Management App, League Resources, Youth Sports News, and Youth Sports Administration 101 educational series.