We’ve all heard the expression, ‘communication is key’; well it’s true! Here’s the thing, the larger an organization becomes, the more challenging it is to handle communication smoothly and efficiently so that everyone stays on the same page. So how can we manage communication in a way that everyone involved in the club is fully integrated with club ideologies, never misses important updates, and is always in the know of what’s going on? That’s what we’ll take a look at in this article.
When you think about a club, there are a lot of moving parts and pieces. You’ve got the leadership within the club with club directors and so on, you’ve got coaches, administrative personnel, outside sources such as sponsors or collaborators, and of course we’ve got players and parents. Every level within the organization has different communication needs and is involved in different groups within the club.
For example, a club director may want to contact all the coaches within the club at once. On the other hand, a parent for example may just want to communicate with their child and child’s coaches.
Essentially, we can describe all club communication using four categories. Internal upward, internal downward, internal lateral, and external.
Internal upward communication refers to an individual within the club reaching out to a manager or director who is upward on the club hierarchy. Good leadership allows for a flow of upward communication so that people within their organization can gain an understanding of the club’s operations and philosophies.
Internal downward communication flows from a superior to those underneath them in the organization. This could be in the form of one on one communication, or from one person to many. From passing down information regarding playing style, safety procedures, or other notices, it’s important that the leadership can get information out to others quickly and easily. Say for example a coach wants to inform their players and parents that there’s a field change for a match, this would be an example of internal downward communication.
Internal lateral communication is where people on the same level communicate. From coaches sharing exercises with one another, to players having the ability to message one another, this is all lateral communication. Good lateral communication plays a crucial role in coach and player engagement and productivity.
External communication is any communication that happens between the club and external parties such as prospective athletes, sponsors, etc.
The ideal club should be able to handle all these types of communication with ease, and here’s why:
Having strong internal communication not only ensures that everyone in your organization stays on the same page, but it can also help strengthen the club’s identity. With the 360Player app, it’s easy for everyone to stay connected. With the press of a button the club leadership can get information out to everyone involved in their organization from coaches, players, parents, and more. In addition, it’s easy to install club philosophies and methodologies by using tools such as the 360Player training library. By cultivating a unique club library of exercises and sessions, every coach in the club will have access to the methods of training that are preferred within the club. This ensures that all players get the instructions they need and that teams in the club play with a similar brand and style.
In the youth ranks, parents are a huge part of the equation. They’re the ones with busy schedules who do the planning, driving to and from trainings and matches, and much more! Not to mention they’re the ones paying the club fees which allows everything to happen in the first place. Keeping parents in the fold helps everything run smoothly. With 360Player, parents can easily create an account and connect it to their child so that they have access to the team calendar, team wall, notifications, and are always in the know! In addition, they have the ability to send and receive messages directly in the app so that the lines of communication are always open and available when needed.
Having quality communication with players is key to helping them reach their full potential. When players know what their strengths and weaknesses are, have a clear plan in place to improve, and get constant feedback, they are in an excellent environment to succeed. From the beginning, 360Player has always had a strong focus on player development. With tools like assessments, performance reviews, individual development plans, and video analytics, the app has a great foundation in place to ensure every player gets the attention they need to grow. With unique algorithms, it’s possible to reduce the workload of coaches while still providing maximum input to players.
Every coach has their strengths and weaknesses, but by working together everyone can learn and improve. With team and club training libraries coaches can share exercises and training sessions with ease, or even work together to create sessions. In addition, coaches can easily form messaging groups to ensure there is an easy flow of internal lateral communication.
When coaches feel like they can easily communicate with their peers and have great lines of communication with those above and below them, they’re much more likely to be satisfied in their role. They’ll feel as though their wants and needs are heard and they are able to get help when needed. The same goes for the players. When players feel as though they can easily work with their coaches and know exactly what they need to do to improve, they feel empowered rather than frustrated. The bottom line is, when there is great communication everywhere, people are more satisfied and productive and less likely to leave the club.
