▶ If You Can Dream It…
Over the past couple decades I have helped out at a local little league in southern Wisconsin. The goal was to improve their overall facilities, and together we have greatly strengthened the health of the league in the process. Much of what we have done are things that can easily be replicated by any organization. But it all comes down to having a board of directors that is interested in making the league — and its facility — the best it can be. It requires people with good organizational skills, good operational skills, and at least one person who is a dreamer. Someone to look into the future and imagine what is possible to achieve.
Don’t be afraid to lead. It really starts with leadership. Too often, leagues are run by boards that are pretty transient. Board members come and go frequently as their kids become involved but then grow out of the league. Many times, some of these members are only serving on the board for their own personal reasons, i.e., their own child. But a board must serve the common good for the entire league. What I have found to be most successful is having the majority of the board made up of people who no longer have kids in the program. They provide stability in the organization, and they serve more for the community’s interests than for their own child. They tend to stay involved for longer periods of time making it easier to stay the course with long term planning. It is okay to have a percentage of your board made up of current parents of players but, if possible, I would recommend trying to keep your mix with at least half being non-current parents.
Get the organization itself, organized. A league must be run like a business. And a good business knows where its money is coming from and where it is going to. If your league doesn’t have a budget yet, then it is time to get busy and make one. Without a budget, it is pretty hard to plan for future upgrades to the league and its facility. The more detailed the budget, the easier it is to plan for the future. Our league was not operating under a budget when I joined them. Now we have full control of our costs and can clearly plan our expenses. A couple of budget lines we find useful are emergency funds and facility upgrades. We can put defined revenue into the proper budget category thereby helping it to become reality.
Have a long-range plan. It will set the tone for the organization. A long-range plan creates targets to which the organization can aim for. As you achieve each target, it gives the organization a sense of accomplishment. It proves to the membership that the organization is moving forward. And, as you achieve each target, a project is crossed off the list and you begin to set your sights for the next target. The long-range plan should be a 3- to 5-year living document that is revisited once a year to insure that the priorities are in proper alignment. These targets can be moved as priorities or needs change. This is a crucial steering document for an organization. No more flying from the seat of your pants.
