Every junior club program offers something a little bit different. It is important to think about what will make your club unique and different from other clubs within Badger Region. While it might seem silly to talk about branding when it comes to junior volleyball, we’d argue it is pretty darn important. And your brand will guide you as your create your club mission statement (side note: you should make a club mission statement!).
Think about it this way. Every club is an independently run business. Emphasis on the word business. Players are essentially your customers, since you won’t have a club without athletes. That means that business concepts, like branding, should be kept in mind as you start your club. And one of those key business concepts to focus on is branding, or figuring out your clubs competitive differentiation from other club programs. The questions below are intended to get your brain wheels turning about what your club will stand for and what your policies, procedures and goals will be guided by.
1. Will you cater to multi-sport athletes, or be a club for volleyball-focused athletes?
2. What is your policy on coaching styles?
3. Will your club travel far for tournaments, or try to play locally?
4. Will your club compete at nationals?
5. Will you have both boys and girls teams?
6. Will you have training/developmental teams?
7. What is your policy on playing time?
8. How will you handle player/coach issues or parent/coach issues?
9. Will you allow parents to coach their children?
10. What is your overall goal as a club?
11. What steps will you take to meet this goal?
12. How do you want the volleyball community to view your program?
These are just some of the questions you should think about before starting your club. Use these questions to create a mission statement for your club. Brainstorm and figure out what your clubs brand will be, then create policies, procedures and guidelines for your club to make that brand a reality! Good luck.
