Coaching 3-5 teams is not good for anyone. Coaches and their families are stretched thin. Clubs are asking players to pay $k's and they get a tired coach who has two/three/four other teams on their mind. And we wonder why the pay-to-play model is getting a bad rap...
We also want to pay our staff more and be as loyal to them as possible, whilst also helping them with coach education and general quality of life.
However, a typical 'budget' and standard way of generating income just isn't there, unless we're asking families to now pay more and give our coaches more teams.
So, how can we pay our staff more?
In the podcast, I talked through ideas for two sections. They are budget roles and non-budget roles.
The simple budget roles are director roles within a club. Though they are typically roles fraught with nonsense like constant email communication and dealing with disgruntled parents (due in part to the make-up of the club or the lack of communication from their coach) and nobody really wants to take on those roles. However, if you do take on this role, get very strict about communication chains and how to handle the constant barrage of emails.
Tournaments - Either, become a tournament director. Or make money by soliciting teams to fill brackets and earn a % of their registration fee (of course, predetermined with the tournament director/doc).
Fields - Does someone get paid to line/cut/set up fields? Could you do that instead? What about assigning a training or game schedule. There is
What about behind the scenes a little more - Administration and registration? You know, the person you go to for expenses, or for requests' and is always miserable. Likely not a soccer person anyway or hates everyone because they assume everyone is out to cheat/lie/demand too much? Why don't you take that role
You might also find yourself interested in an area that the club doesn't yet offer, so it might be a non-budget role, that becomes a budget role. For example:
Position-specific training, like GK or striker. Did you play a position at college and have some expertise to share? This might be your niche.
Camps and clinics are excellent ways to expose your club to the community. My favorite:
Black Friday Soccer Camp.
9am - 1pm. $xx.
"Drop off the kids for an 8.45 am check-in with a ball, then hit the Black Friday sales. Be back to watch them scrimmaging at 12.30 pm."
Director of a program that doesn't exist yet. Do you notice when the 9/10-year-olds are playing, they have younger siblings kicking around too? Likely 4/5/6-years-old? Do you have a program for them? This might be your niche.
Home training programs are popular now and your organization likely pays another company to be that resource. Could you be that resource? Host a weekly 'club' IG takeover and demonstrate a move/skill/practice pattern etc. Set club-wide/age group homework/challenges. Get creative. Have fun. Use the Black Friday camp as the space to showcase the winners...
Even better - subscribe (pay) to our club challenge and receive access to our 3 special clinics each year (Black Friday, Boxing Day, New Years Day).
If you take any of the three ideas (Position-specific, clinics, new program) to your director they'll tell you there is no budget. Or maybe carve $100 per month for you. Not quite the pay-day we were thinking. However, the proof will always be in the pudding, right?
Maybe a program like that will require a separate fee from the participants. Those are easy to ask for, and you take a % from the club. 50/50, for example. The club provides field and marketing avenues. You do the rest.
Then, as it grows, and it will, if you're really paying attention and providing a great experience you can begin to discuss factoring in clinics/camps/training/directorship into budgets that people pay as a member for.
Non-budget hustle ideas.
Does your club film games? Or do some teams have a camera? Could you take the game film and analyze it for the coach? You learn more and they pay you to do so.
Example.
$50. Tell me what phase you're working on in training (or even, go and watch*) so that I can break it down in the film for you. I'll get you x amount of moments to share with your players.
I'll also clip the goals for you. etc etc
*I star this because the reality is, what most coaches are working on is irrelevant to a game model and likely reactive to the game from the weekend. It might also be 'technical training' and no-one needs to watch that.
Referee
Yep. Referee the game before and the game after yours. $100? Easy and you're helping out. You would be there early anyway, and now you're seeing more soccer, connecting with more coaches, and you're helping the game.
Most clubs have an awful social media presence. It's all about teams that have won tournaments or players that have made it to the next level. That's it. Why don't you take that over and grow it? It's all about presence and what a great way to get more involved with the club:
Player interviews.
Coach interviews.
Parent interviews.
Action shots.
Training shots.
Training plans.
Game experience comments.
etc
etc
If you're a director reading this, and you've got staff you want to pay more, or encourage more, or they come to you and ask for more. Run through this with them.
Ultimately, all of this is going to improve what an organization offers. Most coaches want more, but are not sure how to get more. Use this as a template.
Final note. Don't want to ask parents for more money? Have you explored fundraising/sponsorships? I'll be happy to help if you need it.
Tell me what you think @leedunnesoccer