Leaders of sport organizations face all the complex challenges of leading in small organizations – limited resources, small teams doing multiple roles, expectations to perform as an organization plus the added complexity of unpredictable funding resources and expectations around athlete performance. While the choices and decisions are the same as larger organizations, the levers and dials to adjust in a small organization are limited. Sport organizations must be finely tuned to respond and shift quickly to changing conditions; they must count on the small team to be pulling on the rope with the same effort and direction all of the time. A key challenge is building amazing teams.

Building amazing teams in small organizations

So you have an urgent need for a new hire. Maybe your star employee has taken another job offer, or a period of growth has resulted in the need for more bench strength. Where do you start?

Small and mid-size enterprises (SMEs) have limited opportunities to get it right when building a team. Overstaffing and poor hiring decisions can lead to distraction at best, and completely unravel a team or organization at their worst. Each new hire is critical, and so is spending the time and attention needed to find and select the right candidate.

Unfortunately, small organizations have minimal time to recruit new team members. If turnover happens, it may temporarily place the company in crisis mode to fill a key gap, with the focus often on hiring quickly rather than well. The typical response is to hand over the recruitment to an expensive recruitment agency, who will be motivated to put a bum in a seat quickly rather than find the very best fit for the organization.

There’s a better way. When you have an urgent opportunity to add a new team member, consider the following:

• Slow down. Think carefully about the opportunity (vs. the crisis) of hiring someone new. Is there a different way to think about what needs to be done? Is there someone on your team who could take on new opportunities? Think about the future state of your organization and what types of skills might be needed. Use this opportunity to build capacity and not just replace the tasks that are being performed today.
• What are you looking for? Make sure to properly define and describe what you are looking for, and avoid vanilla job postings. Think about what the organization needs, the purpose of the role, and the type of person who will fit well, both for the role and with your team in terms of skills, experience, character and competency. Spend time on this – the thoughtfulness you put into the description will speak to the top caliber candidate you are looking for.
• Build internal recruitment capacity. Identify a team who will be part of the process to define, source and select candidates. Build a talent pool from your own job board and postings on popular job boards like LinkedIn and Indeed.  If your internal team is tapped out, consider enlisting  the support of experienced part-time recruiters to join your internal recruitment team and take care of the heavy lifting of sourcing and screening candidates.
• Be Patient. Your next great hire won’t necessarily be available or show up right when you are ready. It may take 2-3 months to find the right fit, and rushing the process may provide temporary relief, but is ultimately can be the wrong move. If possible see if internal team members who can cover off on critical tasks in the meantime to give you some time, and let the process run its course.
• Onboard well. Once you do find that awesome new hire, plan out a comprehensive onboarding plan. Don’t think in terms of the first day or week – rather think about the first 90 days. What do they need to know? Who do they need to meet? What are near term wins that will build confidence and allow them to become successful?  This near term investment in time to focus on your critical new hire will pay off dividends and allow them to hit their stride.

If you have an urgent need, now isn’t the time to wish you had done some long-term sourcing ahead of time. But, to make your next turnover easier, it’s a good time to start. Here are some tips:

• Create a future vision of the workforce for your organization over the long-term. This should be aligned with your long-term strategy and should consider the business realities you face, both now and in the future. This will help define the critical leadership and operational roles that will be needed. It can also foster career growth opportunities for your existing team as they see opportunities to develop new skills and grow as experiences present themselves. Make sure to also consider opportunities that emerging technologies might offer in supporting key activities.
• Always be in scouting mode. With the vision of your future state in mind, develop a long-term radar screen and use every opportunity to meet new people and future potential candidates to place on your radar. When you see talent that you may want now or in the future, keep these relationships alive, even if they never come to fruition. When you do decide to build up your A-team, you will have a list of potential candidates in the wings.

The two biggest problems which most sport organizations encounter with their employees relate to: (i) not understanding what entitlements terminated employees have; and (ii) not having proper employment contracts or termination letters in place. While it’s not possible to address these issues in depth in an article such as this, potential employer liability can be significantly reduced if the following general guidelines are taken into account:

1. Terminations for cause are rarely upheld by Canadian courts and should only be considered in extreme circumstances. More often than not, employees who are being terminated, whether for performance, restructuring or lack of fit, will need to be terminated “without cause” and provided with notice of termination or pay in lieu of notice.
2. Unless an employee has entered into an employment agreement with a valid termination provision, the employee will probably be owed what is called “common law notice” on termination. Common law notice is a discretionary amount determined by the courts with reference to things like an employee’s age, length of service, position, seniority, and ability to mitigate damages by finding comparable employment.  Common law notice is usually significantly more than the statutory amounts owed under applicable provincial employment standards legislation and although there’s no rule of thumb for calculating common law notice, it is not unusual for it to approximate 1 month of notice or pay in lieu of notice for each year of employment.
3. The best way to minimize the risk of a common law notice award is for sport organizations to ensure that their employees have all signed employment agreements with valid termination provisions that minimize liability. The issue of what is or isn’t a valid termination provision is constantly changing and accordingly, it is critically important to have an employment lawyer assist with the drafting of template employment agreements.
4. Even if your sport organization’s employees have signed an employment agreement which restricts their entitlements on termination to statutory minimums under applicable provincial legislation or some other greater amount, it’s important to know that things like incentive bonuses and commissions will also need to be paid through the statutory notice period unless the employment agreement, bonus plan and/or commission plan have also been very carefully drafted.
5. For sport organizations in Ontario, termination provisions must specify that any insured benefits coverage will continue through the statutory notice period, failing which the courts will set the employment agreement aside and instead award the employee common law notice.
6. If a sport organization wants to ensure that it will not be subjected to a claim for wrongful dismissal or discrimination post-termination, it is best to try to obtain a release from the terminated employee. Note that a release may not be sought in exchange for statutory minimums under applicable provincial legislation or for amounts which have been promised under contract, and that some additional amount or benefit must be offered to the employee in exchange for the signing of the release.
7. Sport organizations must ensure that employees sign their employment agreements prior to their start date in order for them to be valid. If an employee works for even just 1 hour before signing his or her employment agreement, the agreement may well be set aside and common law notice awarded.  Accordingly, if sport organizations want their existing employees to sign an employment agreement after having commenced work, they must offer up some sort of consideration for signing such as a promotion and salary increase and/or a signing bonus.
8. The nature of funding for sport organizations is such that many organizations enter into a series of short-term contracts with their employees. It is important to know that the courts will usually treat a series of short-term contracts as an indefinite term employment contract, which can increase the amount of notice owing to a terminated employee.
9. The above complexities sometimes lead sport organizations to hire individuals as independent contractors rather than employees. A future column will deal with this issue in more detail but it is important to note that: (i) incorrectly classifying a worker as an independent contractor can potentially lead to tax liabilities and larger notice of termination packages; and (ii) Canadian courts are beginning to recognize a new category of workers called “dependent contractors”, who look a lot like independent contractors but are entitled to notice of termination packages in line with employees.
10. Many sport organizations hire unpaid interns to provide services. While each province has legislation that is somewhat different, it is important to know that most interns must be paid at least minimum wage and that the test for defining an individual as an unpaid intern can be quite stringent.

In short, employment agreements are the most important piece of paperwork which sport organizations will enter into with their employees, and they should be carefully trained by an expert in employment law.  Although it is not possible to provide SIRCuit’s readers with a template form of employment agreement due to the fact that each such agreement should be unique to the organization, employee and circumstances of hire, a template form of termination letter has been included which may be of assistance in the event of employee terminations on a without cause basis.

Resource

Template – Termination Letter and Release

When you have a message to share, the first question that comes to mind is ‘How do I present this to make it memorable?’ According to social science research 65% of people are visual learners and visual information is processed 60,000 times faster than text. This means that most people will be more attracted and more likely to retain information if it presented with some sort of visual component like a photo, graphic or video. So it makes sense that in order to communicate our messages in sport effectively we should be taking advantage of visual components of design in coordination with the text/information we are trying to share. In this context more and more people are using infographics to take advantage of a mixed style of learning. The following are some simple things we should keep in mind when we embark on creating infographics.

Keep it Simple

• Be clear and concise.
• Plan carefully to keep the main point as the focus.
• Keep it specific, relevant and targeted.
• Make it easy to share by keeping it a manageable size. If it has to be resized, then its readability may be lost (600 pixels wide is recommended). If it is too long, you’ll lose people (length no more than 8,000 pixels). If the file size is too big it inhibits sharing (no more than 1.5MB).

Tell a story

• Have a clearly defined purpose.
• It is not the time to assemble all the information/data you know on a topic, select the specific point you are trying to make.
• Know who your target audience is.
• Create a knockout headline (70 characters is a good length) that will both describe the purpose and catch audience attention.
• Use information that will evoke an emotional response in your audience.
• Answer a compelling question.
• Make sure there is a flow to your infographic both visually and cognitively.

A picture is worth a thousand words

• It must be visual to be effective but the visual must convey the message and the key information.
• Your graphic’s primary purpose is to make your data comprehensible to a wide audience.
• Be creative, but be careful not to complicate the story with complex images.
• Make sure the images reflect your organization’s brand or style.
• Use white space to drive the visual story.
• Have a good balance between visual and text/information.

It’s all in the numbers

• Do your research, data is powerful.
• Use numbers to convey key points and to evoke a response.
• Fact-check to make sure your numbers are reliable and credible.
• Cite any sources used or provide a link.
• Use sources that are timely and up-to-date as possible.

Learn to Share

• Format the graphics to fit social media.
• Keep it short or design a series of posts if the information longer.
• Promote your infographic by reaching out to your network.
• Include an action that you wish the audience to take.
• Invite your audience to share.
• Invite comments and feedback.

Visual storytelling has been around for thousands of years, the infographic is merely a modern twist on an old concept. By following some simple steps and combining the use of visual flow with data presentation we can effectively convey a message that is both pleasing to the eye and informative and memorable for the audience.

References

10 steps to creating the perfect infographic. Creative Bloq. March 2014. Retrieved from the Internet October 3, 2016.

12 Infographic Tips That You Wish You Knew Years Ago. Retrieved from the Internet October 3, 2016.

How to create effective infographics. Yeomans Marketing and Fundraising Specialists. Retrieved from the Internet October 3, 2016.

It is well documented that moderate exercise prevents many infections and greatly improves immune system function. In contrast, among elite athletes who train at a faster pace and at a higher intensity, the risk of illness increases significantly and the effectiveness of the immune system to fight infections is reduced. Other factors, including exposure to pathogens, lifestyle, sleep and recovery, the overall nutrition of the athlete and the psychosocial aspects should be considered in addition to volume and intensity of training. Each episode of acute prolonged exercise performed at high intensity causes a significant physiological stress on immunity and host-pathogen defense, in addition to having an effect on the level of stress hormones, cytokines, pro- and anti-inflammatories and increased oxidative stress.

From these facts, many researchers have examined the nutritional strategies to implement before, during and after workouts and travel to major competitions to better understand how it is possible to prevent infections in athletes and maintain a strong and healthy immune system. We briefly present solutions for minimizing these concerns as they can greatly affect the performance of your athletes.

Key Points:

• The high intensity training of elite sport significantly increases the risk of illness and reduces the effectiveness of the immune system to fight infection is reduced.
• Nutritional strategies in relation to sleep, stress, recovery, and supplements, implemented before, during and after workouts and travel can help to prevent infections in athletes and maintain a strong and healthy immune system.
• Recommendations include – Isolating athletes who are ill, working with a nutritionist to address the specific needs of the athlete, reducing outside stressors and getting adequate sleep.

1. Food and sleep

The most important aspect in terms of the prevention of diseases and infections among athletes are two main factors that go together: food and sleep. Elite athletes may have an advantage when they pay attention to their diet, ensuring adequate energy intake, intake of carbohydrates and protein to meet their needs and avoiding any restrictions that would lead to a micronutrient deficiency. It is clearly demonstrated that by meeting their nutritional needs, athletes can better maintain their immune function. Athletes must be able to eat three meals a day, including snacks as needed and pay attention to their recovery after each workout to give their body what it needs to be ready for the next workout.

Several studies have shown significant results between the total amount of sleep (number of hours per night) and sleep quality (number of times a person wakes up during the night) as the protective effect of preventing infections in healthy adults. A recent study showed that when 143 healthy adults were exposed to a virus for 14 days, all subjects with poorer sleep quality (who woke up more often during the night) were five times more likely to get sick than those who had a higher quality of sleep. While there is little information on the link between sleep and the rate of infection in athletes, it is still important to put forth this factor to maximize the recovery and performance in athletes and thus reduce their risk of infections.

2. Carbohydrate stress and stress hormones

A nutritional strategy that has shown very successful results through the study is carbohydrate intake during prolonged exercise. From 1995 until the present, a number of studies have shown that ingestion of carbohydrate (~ 60g of carbs per hour) during prolonged exercise (> 2 hours) significantly reduces the increase in neutrophil and monocytes (white blood cells) count, stress hormones such as cortisol and epinephrine, and cytokines such as IL-6, IL-10 recognized for their pro-inflammatory effect. In the negative, carbohydrate intake does not seem to have any effect on immune function or on the oxidative stress caused by prolonged stress. Other studies are looking at nutritional strategies to better maintain these functions and to see if it is possible to add something before exercise or to increase carbohydrates consumed during effort.

3. Recovery after exercise

It is well established that following an endurance exercise > 2 hours, there is a window of opportunity where immune system defence against pathogens is reduced, thereby dramatically increasing the risk of infections. This period may last from 3 to 72 hours after prolonged and intense effort. Studies with marathoners and ultra-endurance athletes have shown that these athletes had more URTI (upper respiratory infections) due to their endurance event than athletes training in shorter distances and for shorter times. It is recommended to eat within 30 minutes of high intensity physical exercise to properly rebuild energy reserves (glycogen) and repair muscle fibers broken during the exercise. This post-workout time allows the athlete to maximize the absorption of nutrients, but also to seize the opportunity of the metabolic and hormonal response to the effort. The body is ready! If the athlete waits too long before eating (1 hour or more) the recovery is compromised and it increases his chances in the long run, to frequently catch infections.

4. Supplements to diminish respiratory tract infections

There is more and more evidence that certain supplements can have a big impact. Supplements such as flavonoids, quercetin and some strains of probiotics (Lactobacillus) may increase some aspects of immune function and thus reduce the incidence of disease in athletes and those who have a weaker immune system . Limited, conflicting or insufficient data, limits interest in supplements such as omega-3, B-glucans, bovine colostrum, ginseng, echinacea or the use of large doses of some vitamins, such as vitamin C and vitamin E. There is also not enough evidence that glutamine and amino acids somehow help to prevent infections. The body has a large storage pool of these nutrients, and studies show that exercise alone cannot significantly reduce these reserves.

A recent hypothesis has been propogated over the latest studies. Because the immune system is so complex and diverse, the approach should rather be to use a combination of supplements rather than studying them individually. It is stated that using large doses of a single supplement may perhaps not be as effective as strategy using a cocktail-type approach with a combination of supplements together.

The table below is a review of all available studies on the use of supplements that can play a role in the immunity of athletes as well as recommendations as to their use.

IMMUNONUTRITION SUPPLEMENT	RATIONALE	RECOMMENDATION BASED CURRENT ON EVIDENCE
Carbohydrate	Maintains blood glucose during exercise, lowers release of stress hormones, counters negative immune changes post-exercise	Recommended: up to 60 g per hour of heavy exertion helps dampen immune inflammatory responses, but not immune dysfunction
Fruit & vegetable extracts rich in polyphenols & flavonoïds	Act as ibuprofen substitutes by attenuating exercise induced inflammation: also decrease oxidative stress.	Recommended: but most research focused on oxidative stress
Quercetin (aglycone and isoquercetin)	In vitro studies show strong anti- inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and anti- pathogenic effects. Animal data indicate increase in mitochondrial biogenesis and endurance performance, reduction in illness	Recommended: especially when mixed with other flavonoids and nutrients.   Human studies show strong reduction in illness rates during heavy training and mild stimulation of mitochondrial biogenesis and endurance performance in untrained subjects; anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects when mixed with green tea extract and fish oil
Bovine colostrums	Mix of immune, growth, and hormonal factors to improve immune function and lower illness risk	Mixed results, and more data needed
Probiotics	Improve intestinal microbial flora, and thereby enhance gut and systematic immune function	Mixed results, and more data needed
β-glucan	Receptors found on intestinal wall immune cells interact with β -glucan improving innate immunity	Mixed results, mushroom β-glucan may be effective, but more data needed
Vitamin E	Quenches exercise-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) and augments immunity	Not recommended: may be pro-oxidative and pro-inflammatory
Vitamin C	Quenches ROS and augments immunity	Not recommended: not consistently different from placebo
Multiple vitamins and minerals	Work together to quench ROS and reduce inflammation	Not recommended: not different from placebo: balanced diet is sufficient
Glutamine	Important immune cell energy substrate that is lowered with prolonged exercise	Not recommended: body stores exceed exercise-lowering effects
Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs)	BCAAs (valine, isoleucine, and leucine) are the major nitrogen source for glutamine synthesis in muscle	Not recommended: Not recommended; data inconclusive, and rationale based on glutamine is faulty
N-3 PUFAs (fish oil)	Exerts anti-inflammatory and immune-regulatory effects post-exercise	Not recommended: no different than placebo
Herbal supplements (e.g., Ginseng, Echinacea)	Contain bioactive molecules that augment immunity and counter infection	Not recommended: humans studies do not show consistent support within an athletic content

Source: Walsh et al. 2011

The physiological effects of certain polyphenols such as quercetin, EGCG (green tea extract), turmeric, lycopene and resveratrol generated a lot of interest from exercise immunologists due to their anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-pathogenic, cardioprotective, anti-carcinogenic effects. Several recent studies of quercetin supplementation in humans have been conducted to determine its mechanism of action on the post-exercise inflammation, oxidative stress, immune dysfunction, its ability to improve endurance and reduce incidence of infections due to physical stress. When quercetin combined with other polyphenols and nutrients such as green tea extract, iso-quercetin and fish oils, it was noted that there was a significant reduction of inflammation induced by exercise and oxidative stress caused by exertion. In addition, improved innate immune system functions, the ability to defend themselves and to protect themselves from pathogen, are largely increased. Quercetin supplementation (1000 mg / day for 2 to 3 weeks) also reduced the rate of infections in athletes subjected to great physical stress. Quercetin has several bioactive effects and is the polyphenol the most absorbed in the intestine. However, yet to be determined remains the optimal dose for the athletic population and the best cocktail from which they could benefit most during each of the following: periods of intense workouts, trips, and competitions as well as during their recovery.

5. Strategies for travel

As the saying goes: Prevention is better than cure. While there is no exact method to completely eliminate the risk of catching a cold or any infection, there are different lifesytle and nutritional strategies that each athlete can implement on a daily basis, during periods of intense training and when traveling. The following recommendations are made by the group of BASES experts to reduce immunosuppression encountered during prolonged high-intensity efforts and to reduce the risk of infections.

• All athletes, coaches, members of the support team should ensure they have all their shots up to date for travel. The influenza vaccine should be received annually.
• Minimize contact with infected people, young children, animals.
• Keep away from people who cough, sneeze or have a runny nose. When possible and appropriate, ask that these people wear a disposable mask.
• Wash hands frequently: before meals, after touching objects belonging to contagious people, animals, blood, secretions, public places, toilets, public transport, etc..
• Try as best as possible not to put fingers in the face or mouth. Use hand sanitizing gel to wash hands with alcohol (eg Purell)
• Do not share water bottles, cups, napkins, etc.. with your family or among athletes.
• When traveling and on trips, choose cold beverages in sealed bottles, avoid raw vegetables, only eat fruit that you can peel and avoid undercooked meat.
• Quickly isolate other athletes and individuals with symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections (deep cough, runny nose, sneezing, discharge, nasal congestion, etc.).
• Protect the airway from being exposed to very cold or very dry air during strenuous efforts by wearing a mask. The use of a nebulizer after repeated effort in a cold environment is also highly recommended.
• Ensure adequate intake of energy, protein and micronutrients by working with a nutritionist, who will advise athletes on their specific needs.
• Avoid drastic diets and quick weight loss. For sports with weight classes, be sure to follow up with a nutritionist for athletes who find it more difficult to make weight. Make sure that the weight class is well suited to the health of the athlete.
• Make sure there is an adequate carbohydrate intake before and during prolonged intensive efforts to reduce the duration and severity of immunosuppression due to such efforts. Ingestion of 30-60g of carbohydrate per hour during prolonged efforts showed a significant reduction in stress hormones and anti-inflammatory cytokine response during exercise. By minimizing these effects, the risk of infection is reduced.
• The effectiveness of certain “immunostimulant” supplements have not been confirmed (eg Cold Fx, echinacea, etc..) However, there is sufficient evidence in the literature that certain flavonoids (eg, quercetin) and probiotic Lactobacillus strains may reduce the incidence of URTI (upper respiratory infections) in physically active individuals. The daily intake of probiotics may also reduce the risk of gastrointestinal infections. It is recommended that supplementation start at least one week before a scheduled trip, be continued for the duration of the trip and also on return from the trip. Doses of 10 billion bacteria are recommended and should be adjusted according to individual tolerance.
• Wear appropriate clothing depending on the season and the environmental surroundings and outside temperature. Try to keep warm and do not stay in wet clothes after exercise.
• Get enough sleep (at least seven hours per night is recommended). If you are not getting adequate sleep, consider watching and noting the quantity and quality of sleep using non-invasive methods such as motion sensors or some iPhone applications as an interesting way to measure sleep.
• Keep all other stress to a minimum. Consult with a sports psychologist or mental training coach who can greatly help in finding solutions and strategies to reduce this stress and change some behavior or find better coping strategies.

According to Statistics Canada, children who live in unsafe neighborhoods, children of new immigrants and children coming from low-income families are less likely to participate in sports.

For children, joining a sports team is an opportunity to learn, create new friendships, and develop fundamental skills. Being part of a sport team not only keeps kids active but also has many psychological and social benefits. Unfortunately, barriers for some families can influence whether their children can even participate in sports.

Challenges to sport participation

• Families of minority children do not always recognize the value of sports. They encourage their kids to focus more on academic achievements. Parents of low-income minority children might work longer hours so encouraging a child to pursue their academics is more important as it is seen as way to a better career.
• Parents of new immigrants to Canada may come from environments where sports are not encouraged and might not know the benefits of being active. They may view sports participation as a low priority compared to family commitments, education or working. This can have an effect on participation levels among this community especially for girls.
• Programs also need to be aware of the basic skill levels of the participants in order not to run drills that the children cannot do. Some of children need to be taught basic movement skills like how to run or catch before sport-specific skills are introduced.
• According to the Institute for Canadian Citizenship, the highly structured sports system in Canada makes access to playing sports more difficult for new Canadians. For many newcomers to the country, they are used to pickup games and the Canadian system is very formal. This can be intimidating and very foreign to people not used to such a system.
• Lack of awareness of facilities and programs available. Access to information especially to individuals whom English or French is not their main language can make it difficult to reach some communities.
• Language itself may become a barrier when some participants do not use English or French as their first language. Engaging with community partners for language translation can provide avenues to program facilitation.
• A big barrier is the lack of similar people, “others like me”, participating in sports. In many minority groups, there is a lack of facilities where they can participate in sports as a community. The lack of role models at a high level can also feed into this notion. Having “outsiders” running programs may deter feelings of belonging and being in the “right place”.
• Cultural barriers such as Muslim girls having to change for gym class or wear uniforms that go against their culture or religion can deter participation. Not being sensitive to religious holidays such as Ramadan, as children are not able to exercise while fasting, can also discourage participation. Service providers may lack understanding about specific cultural and religious needs which can deter participation, especially for girls.
• The most significant barrier for kids developing in sports is cost. One-third of children do not participate in any form of organized sport largely due to cost. As they get better and move on from one level of development to the next, the cost of equipment, fees and travel can add up. If a child from a low-income family makes a traveling team or gets called up to the next level, unless the team is willing to fundraise or forgive the costs, that child is most likely not able to play at the next level. This hinders their ability to develop and attain the experience at that higher level.
• Parents of low-income families sometimes work more than one job; usually shift work and long hours. In order to be able to make ends meet everybody in the family has to pitch in. Children in these families usually have to babysit their younger siblings or get part time jobs in order to help their families. With such responsibilities and the high cost of organized sports most do not have the time or the funds to participate in high-level organized teams.

The consequence of these barriers is that we are limiting our talent pool only to those who can afford to play organized sports at the national level, or who conform to our national standards. Children from higher socioeconomic statuses have better opportunities and support to continue participating in sports throughout their lives. The majority of children that participate in organized sport live in a household with an average income of $80,000+.

What can we do?

• After school programs such as the ones supplied by the Boys and Girls Club of Canada provide a safe and affordable environment to foster sports skills. For low-income children, the Boy and Girls Clubs are usually located within the community minimizing the transportation factor while providing sports at a competitive level. Clubs often provide adult supervision and homework support. It also provides financial support through bursaries for those kids who are talented when their needs to develop are not being meet by the club. The Boys and Girls Club has also partnered with amateur team and professional sports leagues such as the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Blue Jays to provide sports leagues and clinics and the opportunity to watch professional games.
• Organizations such as KidSport provide financial assistance for sport program registration fees and equipment for children age 18 and under. The city of Langford, BC SPORTASSISTANT program is an example of an assistance program that many cities establish to provide funding assistance for sports and recreational activities for kids who would otherwise not be able to participate. All these programs give kids the opportunity to participate and benefit from organized sports.
• Engaging with ethnic and cultural partners can help address many of the language, culture, religious and/or community concerns that prevent the youth of these communities taking part in sport. Encouraging the support of the community in program design and delivery creates a more open and welcoming environment for kids to feel safe to become part of. Also consider incorporating “traditional” sports and games of the community in order to appeal to the local need for community.
• Create gender specific programming and opportunities to address any cultural barrier or concerns with feelings of safety or comfort level.
• Time programs around youth and community needs. Make scheduling age related and/or flexible to consider after-school jobs, or other commitments to family or community. Drop-in programs may be an ideal solution.
• Offer opportunities for leadership, community service and/or paid employment. Providing an avenue for skill development, or to meet school community service requirements or even part-time compensation provides teens with incentive to become and stay engage with sport programming.

Children from underserved communities face many barriers to sports participation especially on competitive teams where fees, equipment and transportation costs can add up pretty quickly. Many of these barriers are limiting the talent pool and stunting sport development leaving a lot of talented children out of the system. Programs that recognize these barriers and address avenues to access for kids facing these barriers go a long way in providing opportunities to engage all communities and encourage sport development. There are many programs operating nationally, provincially and locally, and partnering with these programs can help reduce barriers to kids’ participation in sport.

Best Practices

Institute for Canadian Citizenship (2014). Playing Together – New Citizens, Sports & Belonging.

This study “tells the story of sports as an effective means to help new Canadians feel at home”.

Sport England. Get on Track Program. The purpose of this program is to engage with vulnerable young people aged 16-25 to provide them with a stepping stone into community sport.

USA Swimming Outreach Manual: This is a manual on how to reach and recruit underrepresented and economically disadvantaged youth into swimming.

Lauver, Sherri, (2004). Attracting and sustaining youth participation in after school programs. Harvard Research Project: The Evaluation Exchange; 10(1); 4-5.

Sport Scotland. (2001). Sport and Ethnic Minority Communities: Aiming at Social Inclusion. Research Report no. 78, Prepared for Sport Scotland by Scott Porter Research and Marketing Ltd.

Recognizing the importance of engaging highly qualified leaders on the Board of Directors, Volleyball Canada recently completed a succession planning process. Mark Eckert, President and CEO recognizes that, “With only 7 people on our board, it’s critical that we continue to attract exceptional directors to govern our organization.” After reviewing a number of on-line resources, Volleyball Canada created a customized approach to succession planning which included the following three steps:

Step 1 – Identify the key skills, experience, knowledge and diversity you need

The board started the exercise by creating a survey tool to identify the most important skills, experiences and knowledge for directors. The initial questionnaire (Appendix 1) was adapted from the UK Sport and Recreation Alliance Board Recruitment Resource (Reference 1).

When the board met, they reviewed the survey input and discussed the results.  This face-to-face discussion was an important part of the exercise because it allowed for clarification and priority setting as a group.  The group has a very productive discussion on which skills they wanted around the board table and which skills could be sourced from national staff, provincial/territorial associations, or contractors.

Also during this step of the process, the board identified additional attributes/characteristics that are essential for a diverse board. Having a discussion about diversity will increase the likelihood of having a good balance between; geographical representation, men and women and language diversity.

Step 2 – Create a skills matrix for current board members

After a detailed discussion of over 30 different skills and competencies, the board identified 8 essential skills for a high functioning board.  It’s important to note that not all directors need all 8 skills, but as a collective, the board should possess all of these skills.

Using the 8 essential skills to create a checklist (Tool 2), directors indicated their individual skills to create a skills matrix.  Having a composite list of skills as well as the duration of the board terms by director, allowed the board to identify the skills they needed for future, prospective directors.

Step 3 – Targeted recruiting

The final step is to recruit prospective directors with the skills, experience and diversity to round out the board.  In the case of Volleyball Canada, they have a Nominating Committee who has a responsibility of recruiting individuals to run for the board.  The nominating form requires candidates to identify their skills based on the matrix (Appendix 3 – Nomination Form for Volleyball Canada Board of Directors – Nominee Profile).

Closing Thoughts

Following a deliberate and structured approach to director succession planning will ensure the board has the skills, experience and diversity required to effectively lead your organization. 

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Appendix 1 – Initial Menu of Core Skills 

Menu Of Skills for Volleyball Canada Board 

Background  

As part of succession planning for the Board, VC is creating a skills matrix for the board of directors.  Before mapping skills of the current board and developing targeted recruitment plans, leaders of VC will identify which skills are most important for the board.  Ideally, VC will have a list of 8-12 core skills for the matrix. 

VC leaders are invited to consider each skill on this list and identify if they feel it’s “not important”, “somewhat important”, or “very important” for a board member to have this expertise.   

Skill	Not Important	Somewhat Important	Very Important
1. Business Acumen
2. Business Development
3. Change Management
4. Conflict resolution
5. Member Relations
6. Diversity and Inclusion
7. Event Management
8. Financial/Budget Control
9. Fundraising
10. Strategic Planning and Management
11. Leadership
12. Governance
13. Knowledge of Sport & Recreation Sector
14. HR/Training
15. Information Technology
16. Legal
17. Management
18. Marketing
19. Media/PR
20. Policy Implementation
21. Research
22. Sport Development
23. Understanding of the Canadian Sport System
24. Understanding of International Sport Environment

25. Are there other skills, not included in the list above, that would be an asset for the VC Board? 

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Appendix 2 – Skills Matrix for Current Directors (Sample) 

Volleyball Canada Skills Matrix

April 2016 – Sample Summary  

Background 

During the April 2016 meeting, Board members identified 8 Key skills that are required for Volleyball Canada board members.  The group noted that it is not essential for each board member to possess all of these skills, but as a collective, the board should have these skills. The nominating committee will use this matrix when recruiting new board members.  

Traits of Board Members 

In addition to the specific skills listed below, the board acknowledged that board members should be passionate, team players that possess leadership skills and are ambassadors for the organization.   

Audit of 2016 Skills 

The following is a summary of skills, as self-reported by current board members:

List of Key Skills	Director 1  (’14-’16)	Director 2 (’14-16)	Director 3 (’14-’16)	Director 4 (’15-’17)	Director 5 (’15-’17)	Director 6 (’15-’17)	Director 7 (’15-’17)
Business  Acumen	X		X	X		X	X
Governance + Policy Dev’p	X			X	X	X	X
Financial/Budget Control	X		X	X	X	X	X
Strategic Plan and Management	X		X	X		X	X
Communication		X			X	X
Knowledge of VB + Cnd Sport		X	X	X	X		X
Player Representative		X		X
Legal	X				X	X

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Appendix 3 – Nominee Profile and Skills Matrix 

Nomination Form – Volleyball Canada Board of Directors 

Part 2 – Nominee Profile 

Please complete the following or attach a resume or CV outlining experience and qualifications

Name: 

Address: 

Volleyball Background (specify applicable background in volleyball): 

Personal Background (specify any personal information that may be applicable to this position): 

Position Statement (describe your reasons for seeking this position, and your views on important issues relating to volleyball in Canada): 

Skills Matrix – Mark an “X” in the box of the skills that you possess:

Skill	“X”
1. Business Acumen
2. Governance and Policy Development
3. Financial/Budget Control
4. Strategic Plan and Management
5. Communication
6. Knowledge of VB and the Canada Sport System
7. Player Representative
8. Legal

Sport should be available and responsive to the needs of all Canadians who want to participate. However, members of a number of groups do not participate at the same rates as their mainstream counterparts. Some women and girls, Indigenous peoples, persons with a disability, recent immigrants, new Canadians, socio-economically disadvantaged Canadians, older adults, members of the LGBTQ community, and Canadians living in rural, remote and isolated regions face additional challenges to sport participation or do not feel that sport welcomes them or is meant for them.

This report details the results of an overview of current Canadian and international knowledge aimed at increasing participation in sport, particularly among underrepresented groups.

Knowledge Transfer Summary Paper

A presentation about how Sport England uses research and insight to drive strategy development and delivery through the example of the ground breaking campaign This Girl Can.

Sport England’s This Girl Can campaign successfully balanced rigorous research and bold creative interpretation to create an exciting campaign that genuinely resonates with the target audience.  This presentation will:

• Introduce the problem we were trying to fix;
• Show you the cutting-edge insight behind the campaign;
• Illustrate how our insight shaped the campaign creative and execution at every step of the way;
• Demonstrate how successful the campaign has been in its first year; and finally
• Share what we are learning from our work to re-design the ‘experience’ being delivered to the TGC audience, from our pilot programme ‘This Girl Can Swim’.

2016 Sport Canada Research Initiative (SCRI) Conference Keynote Presentation