Sports Starting a new sporting club in a rural town

[Frederico_WA]

I've recently started researching into start a new junior sports club in the regional town where I live. The sport (Athletics) is currently not offered in town, and there are 6 families (14 kids) that drive the 30+ minutes for training twice a week and half-day comp each Saturday. I also know of two other families that drive up from the next town past mine.

I'm a lvl 1 accredited juniors coach, so the kid's athletic development will be taken care of. And I'm also comfortable with developing the by-laws and other governance documents needed to run the club.

With this post, I am hoping for some ideas/advice regarding:

1. becoming Incorporated,
2. effective ways to approach local council,
3. effective ways to discuss the clubs needs with other sporting clubs in the town,
4. finding and applying to government/business grants to buy equipment,
5. Obtaining Sponsorship from local business, schools etc

If anyone has gone through this, or is involved in a Committee at a club, please drop me your thoughts.

Much appreciated, Fred

 

[blueboy25]

I've recently started researching into start a new junior sports club in the regional town where I live. The sport (Athletics) is currently not offered in town, and there are 6 families (14 kids) that drive the 30+ minutes for training twice a week and half-day comp each Saturday. I also know of two other families that drive up from the next town past mine.

I'm a lvl 1 accredited juniors coach, so the kid's athletic development will be taken care of. And I'm also comfortable with developing the by-laws and other governance documents needed to run the club.

With this post, I am hoping for some ideas/advice regarding:

1. becoming Incorporated,
2. effective ways to approach local council,
3. effective ways to discuss the clubs needs with other sporting clubs in the town,
4. finding and applying to government/business grants to buy equipment,
5. Obtaining Sponsorship from local business, schools etc

If anyone has gone through this, or is involved in a Committee at a club, please drop me your thoughts.

Much appreciated, Fred

In regards to setting up the club and by laws etc the State Government have a lot of draft documents and information to help you get started.

Have you spoken to the 6 families about whether they would be happy to join? Can a few of them help set up a committee. I would also speak to your local footy club or cricket club for some guidance.

 

[Frederico_WA]

In regards to setting up the club and by laws etc the State Government have a lot of draft documents and information to help you get started.

Have you spoken to the 6 families about whether they would be happy to join? Can a few of them help set up a committee. I would also speak to your local footy club or cricket club for some guidance.

Yep, the 6 families in town are keen for it.
My lovely wife casually mentioned my coaching course and now a few of them have asked (jokingly, but not really) me to start up a training group.

Agree with your suggestion about linking up with the other clubs. Good idea to get on that early. Realistically, we're already 3 weeks into the 2023/24 season so the new club would look to commence 2024/25.

 

[blueboy25]

Yep, the 6 families in town are keen for it.
My lovely wife casually mentioned my coaching course and now a few of them have asked (jokingly, but not really) me to start up a training group.

Agree with your suggestion about linking up with the other clubs. Good idea to get on that early. Realistically, we're already 3 weeks into the 2023/24 season so the new club would look to commence 2024/25.

Being regional check with Bendigo Bank they like to sponsor regional clubs also your local member of parliament. They will have a budget for this sort of stuff and they would love a photo opportunity.

I would also send a cheeky email to WAIS and mentioned you are a fledging club based in a small regional town and do they have any used equipment they may want to donate.

 

[Frederico_WA]

Being regional check with Bendigo Bank they like to sponsor regional clubs also your local member of parliament. They will have a budget for this sort of stuff and they would love a photo opportunity.

I would also send a cheeky email to WAIS and mentioned you are a fledging club based in a small regional town and do they have any used equipment they may want to donate.

Haha I like that WAIS one! ️
We have a Bendigo in town so that would be a fair shot too

 

[Bostonian]

Have you read this?

Starting a new club

Publications

www.dlgsc.wa.gov.au

 

[Bostonian]

Have been involved in running a small sports club, having it fold and then part of the process of reforming the club again several years later.

The one thing you'll need is everyone being on board to help with all the jobs and tasks involved.

If you only get one or two other people willing to put in a decent amount of time with the behind the scenes stuff then it will become a tiring time consuming slog once the novelty wears off.

Almost need for every position created a second person to be their helper to make the work load shared and less time consuming.

I'm using the word time a bit because forming a new club can take up quite a bit of time.

 

[Bostonian]

In regards to grants push the inclusivity angle when applying for anything( if present). Such are the systems that lower socio economic, remoteness, girls, kids from non-white backgrounds etc should be noted as there are often grants available outside the general grants for those groups.

Sport and recreation funding

Funding the department provides for sport and recreation.

www.dlgsc.wa.gov.au

 

[Bostonian]

You'll eventually need an ABN too.

 

[Tandy]

Any updates mate?

 

[Eagle Of Destiny]

I've recently started researching into start a new junior sports club in the regional town where I live. The sport (Athletics) is currently not offered in town, and there are 6 families (14 kids) that drive the 30+ minutes for training twice a week and half-day comp each Saturday. I also know of two other families that drive up from the next town past mine.

I'm a lvl 1 accredited juniors coach, so the kid's athletic development will be taken care of. And I'm also comfortable with developing the by-laws and other governance documents needed to run the club.

With this post, I am hoping for some ideas/advice regarding:

1. becoming Incorporated,
2. effective ways to approach local council,
3. effective ways to discuss the clubs needs with other sporting clubs in the town,
4. finding and applying to government/business grants to buy equipment,
5. Obtaining Sponsorship from local business, schools etc

If anyone has gone through this, or is involved in a Committee at a club, please drop me your thoughts.

Much appreciated, Fred

How's it going. Had any luck mate

 

[Frederico_WA]

Any updates mate?

Missed this, apologies Tandy

How's it going. Had any luck mate

I flagged with the local council, but most importantly I've had more chats with the local families and have decided to go a bit of a half-in half-out model.

I'll start up a training hub in my town for next season. Let me get my feet wet in the coaching realm without having the added pressure of administrative tasks.

If that goes swimmingly, I'll go ahead with the full plan to start the club. Can use the training hub season to vet which families in town I can rope into committee with me