The communication though has been terrible.
The nursery uses an app to keep parents informed on little ones daily routine with pictures etc. I couldn’t get on the app for almost two weeks - I was told that there was one person in the office that could help but she only works until 4pm (I pick up a little later).
I left lots of messages with various convenient times listed to call. I never did get a call although I can now get on the app which I guess that is the main thing! For the first two weeks I had no clue what my child had been up to. The silence was deafening.
My eldest attends swimming lessons and has been going for around two years. Again, I am completely on board with the swimming teachers - they’re patient, enthusiastic and highly qualified. I’ve even been known to take some of their motivations and language into my netball coaching sessions!
The communication from the swimming school is absolutely awful though. If there is a cancellation we are not always told - how the actual company ‘stays afloat’ (!) is beyond me (and the other parents who sit pool side and chat about the incompetence!)
The NGB in their ‘Big Netball Conversation’ has always been open that communication is something it’s membership would like to see improve and I do see measures and opportunities addressing it. The fact that the ‘Big Netball Conversation’ takes place at all, is surely a huge plus?
Communication is key when it comes to engaging with and retaining membership. Messages need to be targeted, clear and appropriate. Outcomes need to be realistic, sustainable and long term.
For me, it’s the clubs that need help with communication with its participants and potential players. In this new age of social media and modern technology there really isn’t any excuse for poor communication but I see players leaving the sport, parents disengaging and potential participants put off by miscommunication or worse, no communication by clubs.
For example, if a potential netballer takes time to contact a club through its website it’s important contact details are up to date! A non response might not just put the participant off the club - it might well send them to another sport!
Equally if a parent of a potential young ‘baller leaves a message or voicemail - they’ll want a timely response. Now, we all lead busy lives and ‘balls can be dropped’ when juggling lots of them (!) but if that parent doesn’t hear back, the likelihood is that young potential starlet has been lost.
Regular readers will know I am a strong advocate of volunteers and I am very passionate about our treatment of netball volunteers.
There will be a high chance that that website is managed by and that voicemail has been left for, a volunteer.
Isn’t it about time we offered those time-poor, passion-rich, fabulous people something back? How about up-skilling? Or an awards programme where they can all be nominated (not just affiliated members).
It’s not just about new players either, how are clubs retaining players? Is the communication with their loyal participants appropriate or are they turning them off? Does every club have a social media policy and do all members abide by it?
I’ve recently been leading on a local club’s CAPs application - it’s a blog for another day and may take a while. I try to give a balanced view in all my blogs but I know I will find that one particularly difficult 😬 ! One thing I have noticed throughout CAPs though is there are lots of documents needed - many essential to communication with club members, but not often advice or guidance on how to complete these documents.
Equally, leagues, again often run by volunteers, could do with help with communication. I know of ‘traditional’ leagues that are being decimated or even ceasing to exist in some cases due to incoming ‘corporates’ setting up nearby. To those of us ‘in the know’ these corporate leagues offer a lot less for more money in most instances. But what they are good at, I presume(!) is communication. They have professional, paid staff, whose job is to attract & retain players so communication is key for them. They have the resource, the technology and importantly, the time, to successfully communicate with ‘ballers and potential ‘ballers! There is a lesson to be learnt there!
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I wrote the above blog before the Corona Virus hit (I normally have numerous blogs ‘on the go’ and don’t post them until I’m completely happy - I self edit, re read etc!) Having been in self isolation for the third week in a row I am not short of things to do - having two children helps with that! However I am finding more time for those netball admin jobs I have been putting off. Maybe it’s the same for you and your team mates? Maybe a ‘zoom’ conversation about communication in your club or a review of your website might be just the trick!
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