2014 Club cohesion and communication

We cater for a wide range of ages and abilities, male and female, but Lime Kiln only has space for one volleyball court.  So we try to balance dedicated training and competition opportunities for different teams and groups, whilst also providing plenty of opportunities for all club members to mix together.  We aim to be a single club catering for different groups, communicating effectively, not five separate clubs.

You can see our training schedule, and other playing or social opportunities, on the club website.  The Head Coach’s report shows how it works out over a season.  The list below suggests what we currently do well and not-so-well.  Some members think we get the balance about right, others would like a different balance, eg more team training or more mixed sessions.  Certainly more social events!  What do you think?

Direct face-to-face mixing and communication

Good practice?

• Summer outdoor sessions (weekly) and some tournaments are open to all ages / gender / ability

• Some winter indoor sessions are open to all ages / gender / ability

• Juniors train / play with all 4 senior teams

• Players (mostly parents) from all 4 senior teams support juniors, help with sessions

• Two men’s teams train together (half the time)

• Two women’s teams train together (half the time)

• Women support Aces v Bees men’s matches by providing officials

• Annual club meeting is open to all members

• New players recruited via direct contact (eg juniors, Intel)

Could improve?

• No social events this season (first time in living memory – we usually have an active social scene)

• No pub after training (both the Prince of Wales and the Churchill now close early on Sunday)

• Men and women will see each other at training changeover if we expand to 4 hours next season

• Men could support women’s matches – eg provide officials

Electronic communication

Good practice?

• Club news and information available via club website / forum

• New players recruited via club website

• Some teams post news on the club forum (women, juniors)

• Bees coach / organiser communicate with their players by club forum and email

• Other team coaches / organisers communicate with their players by email and text

• Some teams / players communicate via social media (eg Facebook)

• SWL women reliably submit scoresheets and results via SWVA website

• Team coaches liaise to coordinate squad selection and training

• Committee administers the club via email (we don’t often need formal meetings)

Could improve?

• Some information on the club website could be more up-to-date (home page, news page, team pages)

• Some players don’t check the club website or sign up for alerts

• Some people don’t respond promptly about training and matches (inconveniencing teams / coaches)

• Aces and Bees sometimes fail to submit scoresheets and results via WVA website (loss of points, fines)