In sports, we talk a lot about talent – spotting it, nurturing it, and maximizing it. But how often do we step back and ask: what do we actually mean by “talent”? And how can we make smarter decisions about people – whether they’re athletes, coaches, or future staff?
Talents Unlimited, a Danish company specializing in talent profiling, offers one such approach. While their tools are typically associated with business and HR settings, there’s plenty for the sports world to learn and apply.
What is Talents Unlimited?
Talents Unlimited uses a tool called the TT38® Talent Test, a psychometric assessment designed to help individuals and organizations better understand strengths, behavioral preferences, and core motivations.
Instead of focusing solely on hard skills or past achievements, this tool aims to uncover what kind of tasks and roles give a person energy – which is often a better predictor of success and long-term satisfaction.
Why does this matter in sports?
Whether you’re running a grassroots club or a professional team, understanding people is at the heart of everything. The better you match a person’s strengths to the right role – on or off the field – the better results you’ll see in performance, collaboration, and retention.
Let’s look at two examples of how tools like TT38® could help:
▶ Scenario 1: A Team Struggling with Cohesion
A women’s football team in a mid-sized club has gone through two tough seasons. On-field performance has dropped, and several players have quit citing poor team chemistry. The coaching staff feels there’s more going on than just tactics.
After introducing a structured talent profiling process, the team gains new insights. It turns out many players are individualistic thinkers who don’t respond well to a top-down coaching style. By adjusting their communication and giving players more autonomy, the coaches rebuild trust and boost morale – leading to better cohesion and improved results.
▶ Scenario 2: A Job Seeker Unsure of Her Path
Sara, a former floorball player, recently retired due to injury. She’s passionate about staying in sports but doesn’t know whether to pursue marketing, youth coaching, or event management.
Taking a talent test helps her discover that she thrives in creative, people-oriented environments and enjoys initiating new ideas. With this clarity, she targets a project coordinator role at a national sports federation – a position she previously hadn’t considered, but which fits her strengths perfectly.
Pros of Using Talent Profiling in Sports
Smarter recruitment and team-building
Increased retention and satisfaction among staff and players
Personal development tools for athletes transitioning into new roles
Better leadership through self-awareness
Things to Consider
Cost: These tools may be too expensive for some smaller clubs without external funding.
Over-reliance: Talent profiling should support, not replace, human judgment.
Privacy and transparency: Handling personal data responsibly is key.
Final Thoughts
Using structured tools to better understand people might seem like a corporate concept – but it can be a real game-changer for sports organizations. Whether you’re building stronger teams, making better hiring decisions, or helping individuals grow, understanding what drives people is always a winning strategy.
And worth thinking about, is is better to sell and kick players, coaches and staff than investing in them and their potential?
Want to explore how tools like TT38® or similar approaches could help your club or career? 👉 Reach out to us at Sportidealisten.com/contact – we’re happy to chat, connect you with the right resources, or even help you get started.
Mastering the Indoor Season: A Quarterly Breakdown for Club Success
Indoor sports such as handball, basketball, volleyball, and floorball operate on a seasonal cycle running from autumn to spring. However, what separates good clubs from great ones is year-round planning. Here’s a quarterly guide to help your indoor sports club run smoothly and sustainably.
It’s highly beneficial for clubs to appoint someone to be in charge of updating the annual plan. Conducting a full review of the year in Q2 and approving the updated plan in Q3 ensures all stakeholders are aligned before the next season.
Planning Tip: Assign a “Planning Coordinator” or administrative lead who ensures each quarter’s tasks are completed, collects input from coaches, and keeps the board informed.
Q3/Q4: September–December – Season Launch and Foundations
Kick off the new season with team registrations and training schedules.
Checkpoints: Early August – Final pre-season meeting.
Tips:
Encourage staff to take vacation to reset.
Distribute pre-season info kits to all members.
Finalize any policy or governance updates.
What to focus on: A good pre-season strategy ensures a confident season start.
Summary: Key Takeaways for Year-Round Sports Club Planning
Whether your club runs on a spring–autumn (outdoor) or autumn–spring (indoor) schedule, a successful year hinges on smart, structured planning. Here’s a breakdown of the most critical elements for both types of sports environments:
Shared Best Practices for All Clubs
Appoint a Planning Coordinator: This role is vital to track deadlines, gather input, and update the annual wheel.
Quarterly Checkpoints: Build in reflection and adjustment sessions every 2–3 months.
Board Involvement: The board should approve the updated annual plan before each season starts.
Documentation & Feedback: Always archive learnings and collect feedback after each cycle for smarter planning next year.
Outdoor Sports Clubs (Spring–Autumn)
Q1: Book fields, hold leadership meetings, and present training groups.
Q2: Season launch, organize events, and monitor coach/volunteer well-being.
Q3: Mid-season reviews, light summer training, and begin autumn planning.
Q4: Wrap-up, evaluations, budget planning, and board approval of next year’s plan.
Outdoor Focus: Synchronize with field availability, school schedules, and summer breaks. Use Q4 for serious preparation.
Indoor Sports Clubs (Autumn–Spring)
Q3/Q4: Launch season, team registration, schedule training, and start competitions.
Q1: Peak season, federation motions, and LOK-stöd applications.
Q2: Final tournaments, development sessions, AGM and strategic planning.
Q3 (summer): Rest, review, and finalize plans and groups for the upcoming season.
Indoor Focus: Your year starts in Q3 – don’t underestimate July–August as your pre-season prep window.
Final Recommendations
Use visuals: Create and share a circular or calendar-style “annual wheel” with your staff and board.
Assign ownership: Every quarter and key task should have a clear owner.
Plan for change: Leave room for flexibility and improvements throughout the year.
By aligning your club’s strategic goals with this quarterly framework, you ensure that no season starts without a plan—and no effort is wasted.
📥 Download your free Indoor Sports Club Annual Planning Template
Want to visualize this full-year structure for your team?
Quarterly Strategy for Success: How to Stay Ahead in the Game
Running a sports club with a focus on outdoor sports (like football, athletics, baseball, or rugby) requires careful planning throughout the year. The majority of activities take place between spring and autumn, but successful clubs know that the groundwork is laid much earlier. This guide offers a structured quarterly breakdown to help your club thrive.
Additionally, it’s highly recommended that your club assigns a dedicated person or committee to manage and regularly update the annual plan. A formal review of the annual wheel should be scheduled in Q4, with board approval before the end of the year to ensure readiness for the upcoming season.
Planning Tip: Appoint a “Planning Coordinator” responsible for maintaining and updating the annual plan, collecting input from section heads, and preparing documentation for board approval.
Q1: January–March – Preparation and Administration
The new year is the time to lay the foundation for a strong season:
Apply for training times with your municipality (usually by January 31).
Secure permits and field bookings.
Organize leader meetings to align on vision and goals.
Present training groups and conduct registration for players.
Host workshops or kick-off sessions for coaches and volunteers.
Checkpoints: Mid-February – Planning check-in with board and coordinators.
Why it matters: Proactive communication ensures your club is seen as reliable and well-organized. This sets the tone for the season.
Q2: April–June – Season Start and Activation
Spring is the time to go full throttle:
Official season kick-off with all teams and members.
Organize tournaments, league matches, and training sessions.
Club events and open houses help recruit new members.
Monitor workload of coaches and ensure player well-being.
Responsible Roles: Head Coach, Events Manager, Membership Lead.
Checkpoints: Early May – Mid-season review with staff and volunteers.
Tips:
Schedule regular check-ins with team leaders.
Ensure training schedules are balanced and inclusive.
Launch a mid-season newsletter or podcast to increase engagement.
Pro tip: Use May for community engagement, such as school collaborations or local partnerships.
Q3: July–September – Peak and Transition Planning
Summer break or lighter training in July.
Review and reflect on first half of season.
August/September resumes competitive play.
Start planning autumn tournaments or end-of-season events.
Responsible Roles: Team Leaders, Admin Staff, Coaching Director.
Checkpoints: Late August – Review performance and identify improvements.
Tips:
Conduct a mid-year leadership meeting.
Send out surveys to players and parents.
Begin drafting next year’s training structure and needs.
Good to know: Early autumn can also be a time to identify leadership candidates for the next club year.
Q4: October–December – Closure and Next-Year Preparation
Wrap up the season with evaluation meetings and events.
Collect feedback from players, parents, and staff.
Create next year’s budget and activity plan.
Apply for indoor training times for the off-season.
Update and finalize the annual plan.
Board reviews and approves annual plan before year-end.
Responsible Roles: Club Manager, Treasurer, Planning Coordinator.
Checkpoints: November – Present draft plan to board. December – Final approval.
Tips:
Archive key documents and reports.
Recognize volunteers and staff in a meaningful way.
Make a visual version of the annual plan to present in the AGM.
Don’t skip this: Good documentation now makes the next season smoother.
Summary: Key Takeaways for Year-Round Sports Club Planning
Whether your club runs on a spring–autumn (outdoor) or autumn–spring (indoor) schedule, a successful year hinges on smart, structured planning. Here’s a breakdown of the most critical elements for both types of sports environments:
Shared Best Practices for All Clubs
Appoint a Planning Coordinator: This role is vital to track deadlines, gather input, and update the annual wheel.
Quarterly Checkpoints: Build in reflection and adjustment sessions every 2–3 months.
Board Involvement: The board should approve the updated annual plan before each season starts.
Documentation & Feedback: Always archive learnings and collect feedback after each cycle for smarter planning next year.
Outdoor Sports Clubs (Spring–Autumn)
Q1: Book fields, hold leadership meetings, and present training groups.
Q2: Season launch, organize events, and monitor coach/volunteer well-being.
Q3: Mid-season reviews, light summer training, and begin autumn planning.
Q4: Wrap-up, evaluations, budget planning, and board approval of next year’s plan.
Outdoor Focus: Synchronize with field availability, school schedules, and summer breaks. Use Q4 for serious preparation.
Final Recommendations
Use visuals: Create and share a circular or calendar-style “annual wheel” with your staff and board.
Assign ownership: Every quarter and key task should have a clear owner.
Plan for change: Leave room for flexibility and improvements throughout the year.
By aligning your club’s strategic goals with this quarterly framework, you ensure that no season starts without a plan—and no effort is wasted.
📥 Download your free Outdoor Sports Club Annual Planning Template
Looking for a ready-to-use visual version of this guide?
Sports clubs are full of energy, community, and joy. But amidst all the positivity, unexpected events can suddenly put the entire organization to the test. From accidents and social media controversies to internal conflicts, mental health issues, or even abuse – a crisis can strike at any time.
The question is: Does your club have a crisis management plan?
Just like having a budget or training strategy, a crisis plan is essential. It ensures safety, accountability, and trust — both internally and externally.
In this article, we explore real-life crisis scenarios and provide tools to help your club become more prepared.
1. Injury During Youth Training Session
It’s a regular Tuesday practice for the U12 team when a player falls and hits their head on the turf. They’re conscious but dizzy and disoriented. The coach immediately calls emergency services and contacts the player’s parents. Meanwhile, the designated crisis manager is alerted and activates the club’s crisis response group.
Thanks to the crisis plan’s emergency checklist, everyone knows what to do. Roles are clearly defined. That evening, a calm and informative internal message is sent to all parents to keep them in the loop.
The incident is logged and reviewed the next day.
“We knew exactly what to do thanks to our crisis plan. It created a sense of security for coaches, kids, and parents.”
2. Social Media Crisis After a Viral Post
After a weekend game, a parent posts a video on social media showing a coach yelling at a referee. The clip goes viral, attracting a wave of criticism. Journalists start calling for a statement.
Following the club’s communications protocol, the designated media spokesperson responds. A professional press release is quickly drafted using the crisis plan’s template. Sponsors and partners are informed before they hear about it from the media.
The coach is supported and an internal review is initiated.
“Having ready-made communication templates allowed us to respond fast — not panic.”
3. Treasurer Resigns and Takes All Login Info
The club treasurer suddenly announces their resignation and becomes unreachable. All login credentials for accounting software, banking, and the member database are lost. No one knows the full process or contacts involved.
Operations grind to a halt.
The club’s crisis plan includes a routine for handover responsibilities and documenting key processes — but in this case, it hadn’t been followed. The crisis becomes a wake-up call that leads to better enforcement of policies and digital security.
“We assumed things were obvious, but this showed us the value of structure and preparedness.”
4. Dealing with Mental Health or Suicidal Thoughts
A coach notices that a teenage player has withdrawn from teammates, skipped practice, and shared worrying comments. The coach alerts the youth coordinator, and the crisis group is discreetly informed. Support is activated, including guardians and mental health services.
Thanks to a clear plan, the situation is handled with care, confidentiality, and professionalism.
“Our plan helped us act without hesitation — but with great empathy.”
The Three Phases of Crisis Management
Before the Crisis: Prepare, assign roles, and train staff
During the Crisis: Activate crisis group, take action, and communicate clearly
After the Crisis: Debrief, support those affected, and improve routines
Understanding these phases allows clubs to plan effectively and avoid improvisation when it matters most.
How Sportidealisten Helps Your Club Be Crisis-Ready
At Sportidealisten, we provide everything you need to build a professional crisis management plan tailored to your sports club:
✅ Crisis Plan Template (Word) – fully editable and structured ✅ Attachments – emergency checklists, contact list templates, press release & communication guides ✅ Specialized resources – for dealing with accidents, abuse, suicide, mental health, travel safety, and more ✅ Expert advice and guidance – to customize your club’s crisis strategy
🔽 Get Your Free Crisis Toolkit Today
Every club is unique — but all are vulnerable to unexpected events. Those with a plan in place are always better off.
→ Want help creating a crisis plan? Reach out to us directly.
Book a meeting to know how and see if our crisis plan templates and checklists can help your organization — and take a confident step toward becoming a more resilient organization.
Let’s make your club safer, stronger, and more resilient.
Planning for summer can be a challenge for sports clubs. With vacations, summer tournaments, and reduced activities in July, proper organization is key. A well-thought-out strategy ensures that both athletes and staff members enjoy their summer while keeping the club’s operations running smoothly. This guide provides a structured approach with a timeline, action plan, and checklists to ensure a seamless summer period.
Many clubs face challenges with staffing, as coaches and administrators also need time off. At the same time, youth players and members often have expectations for continued training opportunities or summer tournaments. Balancing these demands requires careful planning.
Timeline for Sports Clubs
April – Early Preparations
Plan staff vacations and ensure coverage by redistributing responsibilities or hiring temporary staff.
Inform members and parents about summer schedules, including training sessions, tournaments, and available facilities.
Review budget and funding opportunities to cover summer expenses, such as travel costs for tournaments or extra training sessions.
Ensure venue availability for summer activities, making necessary bookings in advance.
May – Finalizing Summer Plans
Confirm registrations for tournaments and camps, ensuring that all fees are paid and logistics are arranged.
Plan training schedules for June and July, considering athlete availability and coaching resources.
Prepare for the autumn season by reviewing team rosters, scouting new talents, and assessing equipment needs.
Communicate clearly with volunteers and parents regarding their roles in summer events.
June – Implementation Phase
Organize summer job roles and assign mentors to support temporary staff or young workers.
Finalize administration tasks before summer slowdown to ensure smooth operations with limited staff.
Coordinate with summer tournament organizers to finalize travel plans, accommodation, and schedules.
Conduct pre-summer evaluations to ensure all plans are in place and address any last-minute concerns.
July – Maintenance Mode
Ensure smooth operations with minimal staff by creating an emergency contact plan for urgent matters.
Monitor ongoing activities and address any urgent issues, such as last-minute cancellations or facility maintenance needs.
Maintain communication with members through social media updates or newsletters to keep engagement levels high.
Provide self-training programs for athletes who want to stay active during their break.
August – Post-Summer Evaluation
Evaluate summer activities and collect feedback from staff, players, and parents.
Resume full operations and launch autumn programs, ensuring a smooth transition from summer to regular schedules.
Review financial outcomes of summer activities to assess budget efficiency.
Hold debrief meetings to discuss improvements for next year’s summer planning.
Action Plan – Who Does What?
A clear division of responsibilities ensures efficient planning and execution. Here is one example of a checklist for a sports club for a summer period.
Task
Responsible
Deadline
Plan staff vacations
Club Manager/Board
April
Inform members about summer plans
Communications Officer
April
Review budget and funding
Treasurer
April
Ensure venue availability
Facilities Manager
April
Confirm tournament and camp registrations
Sports Director/Coaches
May
Plan summer training schedule
Head Coach
May
Prepare for autumn season
Club Management/Coaches
May-June
Organize summer job roles
Assigned Mentor
June
Ensure administration is ready
Administrator
June
Coordinate with tournament organizers
Event Coordinator
June
Provide self-training programs
Head Coach
July
Monitor ongoing activities
Club Manager
July
Evaluate summer activities
Club Manager/Board
August
Review financial outcomes
Treasurer
August
Hold debrief meetings
Club Board
August
Checklist for Summer Workers
Introduction and orientation for summer staff, including club policies and expectations.
Assign clear responsibilities and mentors to guide new employees or volunteers.
Ensure adequate supervision and support throughout the summer period.
Provide necessary training and resources to ensure smooth execution of tasks.
Establish a reporting system for staff to raise concerns or suggestions.
Conduct a mid-summer check-in to address any challenges.
Evaluate and collect feedback from workers at the end of their term.
Sport Consultants – A Flexible Solution
If granting staff vacations while maintaining operations is a challenge, hiring a sports consultant can be an effective solution. Sportidealisten offers flexible support for:
Administrative and operational management.
Organizing tournaments, training sessions, and summer activities.
Supporting board and management with planning.
Providing temporary coaching and event coordination.
Offering tailored solutions for short or long-term needs.
With our adaptable services, your club can decide when and how to use external expertise, ensuring that both staff and players get the best summer experience possible.
📥 Download the timeline sample here
Contact us today to find the right solution for your club!
Is your sports organization constantly battling seasonal workload spikes, staff burnout, and financial strain? Many clubs operate with static staffing models, unable to adapt to fluctuating demands throughout the year. This leads to inefficiencies, lost revenue, and high employee turnover. But what if there was a smarter way?
In this article, we explore how strategic use of sports consultants can help sports organizations optimize their operations, alleviate stress, and even boost financial growth. By analyzing a club’s yearly cycle, we’ll show you how targeted staffing solutions can make your club more sustainable and successful.
The sports industry in Sweden is built on passion, dedication, and volunteer work. However, despite good intentions, many sports clubs operate inefficiently in terms of organization and resource allocation. One of the biggest challenges is the static employment structure, which remains unchanged despite fluctuating workloads throughout the year.
By adopting a more strategic approach to staffing—such as hiring consultants during peak periods—sports organizations can create a healthier work environment, increase efficiency, and ultimately improve their financial stability.
Common Challenges in Sports Organizations
Many sports clubs have few or no full-time employees, relying heavily on volunteers. When staff are employed, they often have fixed roles and working hours throughout the year, leading to several issues:
Uneven workload – Intense periods of high stress, followed by quieter months with lower demands.
Lack of flexibility – Permanent employment prevents clubs from adjusting staffing levels based on actual needs.
High staff turnover and poor knowledge transfer – Overworked employees often leave, leading to inefficiencies. A study from the Swedish Association of Professional Academics (Akademikerförbundet SSR) highlights that high employee turnover in the public sector negatively impacts service quality—a trend also applicable to sports organizations where continuity is crucial for long-term development (Akademikerförbundet SSR, 2024).
Board members’ limited insight into daily operations – Since the board does not work operationally, it is often difficult for them to understand employees’ challenges and how to create a more efficient organization.
Financial Challenges and Rising Costs in Sports
A report from the Swedish Sports Confederation (Riksidrottsförbundet) shows that the cost of youth sports has increased by 68% since 2009, with an average annual cost of SEK 9,400 per child (Riksidrottsförbundet, 2024). This financial strain forces clubs to prioritize short-term solutions, further contributing to inefficiencies.
The Yearly Cycle – Analyzing Workload in Sports Organizations
To understand how workloads vary throughout the year, we can analyze a typical yearly cycle for a football club:
January – March: Season Preparation (High Workload)
Training schedules finalized.
League administration and team registrations.
Sponsor negotiations and financial planning.
Ticket sales and event planning.
Pre-season matches and training camps organized.
📌 Key needs: High administrative capacity, event planning, sponsorship management.
April – June: Season Kickoff (Busy but Routine-Based)
July – August: Camps and Tournaments (Peak Workload in Some Areas)
Large-scale events take place.
Team planning for the autumn season.
Follow-up on sponsorship activities.
📌 Key needs: Extra resources for event execution.
September – November: Follow-up and Season Finale (High Workload Again)
Crucial matches and playoffs.
Follow-up on sponsorship and ticket sales.
Strategic planning for next year.
📌 Key needs: Focus on evaluation and strategic planning.
December: Off-Season and Strategy (Low Workload)
Administration, financial reporting, and board meetings.
Preparation for the upcoming year.
📌 Key needs: Minimal staff involvement.
How Can Clubs Use the Yearly Cycle to Improve Resource Allocation?
By identifying peak workload months, clubs can optimize their staffing structure. Instead of overburdening permanent employees, clubs can bring in consultants during high-pressure periods to reduce stress and improve efficiency.
Financial Case Study: Investing in a Sports Consultant for Greater Efficiency
Let’s analyze a fictional football club, ABC FC, which has an annual budget of SEK 1,000,000 and employs one full-time administrator with a monthly salary of SEK 30,000.
💰 Scenario 1: Traditional Approach
The administrator works 40 hours of overtime per month during January–March.
In most cases the employee will not get financial compensation, and get promised more hours for free time, but this rarely happens and gets disappointed and more stressed.
If paid overtime costs: SEK 10,000/month for 3 months = SEK 30,000.
Due to time constraints, sponsorship negotiations are delayed, resulting in lost revenue of SEK 100,000.
High stress leads to the administrator resigning, with recruitment and training costs of SEK 50,000.
Conclusion: It’s Time to Rethink Staffing in Sports Organizations
Research indicates that work-related stress is a common problem in non-profit organizations (DiVA-portal, 2024), and sports organizations face similar challenges. To build a more sustainable work environment and improve financial performance, clubs need to adopt a more flexible staffing model.
By identifying high-pressure periods and bringing in external resources, sports clubs can increase efficiency, reduce staff turnover, and generate additional revenue.
Want to optimize your sports organization?
💡 Contact us for a free consultation and discover how we can help your club move forward!
Managing a sports club or federation comes with many challenges, from organizing events to handling administration and marketing. Many organizations struggle with limited resources, overloaded staff, and a lack of structured workflows. Instead of hiring full-time employees or relying solely on volunteers, a flexible consulting solution can provide expert support when and where it’s needed. In this article, we’ll explore how hiring a consultant from Sportidealisten can help streamline operations, reduce workload, and create a more sustainable sports organization.
Why Should Sports Clubs and Federations Hire Consultants?
Many sports clubs and federations operate within traditional structures and rarely have experience hiring consultants. A common misconception is that it is too expensive, but in reality, a flexible consulting arrangement can be both cost-effective and contribute to a more sustainable organization.
Challenges in Sports Organizations
Many sports clubs and federations are run by volunteers or a small group of employees who often have more tasks than they can manage. Boards often have limited insight into daily operations, and employees risk burnout when the workload becomes too high. Additionally, there is often a lack of routines and documentation to streamline work and ensure continuity when staff changes occur.
The Solution: Consultants Tailored to Needs and Budget
With the help of Sportidealisten, your sports organization can hire consultants for specific periods or tasks without committing to long-term employment. This provides the following benefits:
Flexibility – Consultants can be hired for shorter or longer periods, such as during peak months.
Cost-Effectiveness – Instead of hiring someone full-time, you can access expert competence only when needed.
Expertise and Experience – Sportidealisten has specialists in sports operations who can quickly understand your needs and deliver results.
Relief and Sustainability – Bringing in external help when needed reduces the risk of employees and volunteers becoming overburdened.
Example: How a Consultant Can Simplify Daily Operations
Imagine a local football club that organizes a major youth tournament every year. The club is largely run by volunteers, and the board consists of parents who change every two years. In the past, tournament planning has been stressful and inefficient, as no one had enough time to create routines or document processes.
By hiring a consultant from Sportidealisten, the club gains a professional who quickly takes control of planning, creates a clear structure, and uses ready-made templates for administration, sponsorship agreements, and communication. Once the tournament is over, the consultant provides structured documentation that the club can use the following year. This way, the club doesn’t have to start from scratch each time and can focus more on developing the tournament instead of just managing it.
Ready-Made Templates and Remote Work
Sportidealisten offers a range of proven templates and tools that can be applied directly to your organization. We can work both on-site and remotely, allowing us to assist sports clubs no matter where they are located.
Examples of When a Consultant is the Right Choice:
Planning and executing a tournament or event
Marketing and communication ahead of a new season
Structuring and optimizing workflows
Improving member recruitment and administration
Learn More and Contact Us
Want to know more about how we can help your organization? Visit our website Sportidealisten to learn more about our services and how we can tailor a solution for you.
Contact us at Sportidealisten to discuss how we can support your sports organization!
In the competitive world of sports management, hiring the right personnel is crucial for the success and reputation of your organization. Conducting thorough reference checks is an essential step in this process, providing insights into a candidate’s past performance, work ethic, and suitability for the role. This guide offers practical tips for conducting effective reference checks and outlines the top 10 success factors for club managers and board members to consider.
Why References Are Key
References provide an objective view of a candidate’s past behavior, performance, and professional integrity. Unlike interviews, which often highlight only a candidate’s best attributes, reference checks reveal practical insights into their reliability, teamwork, leadership skills, and problem-solving abilities. In the sports industry, where teamwork, leadership, and discipline are paramount, verifying past experiences is crucial to making the right hiring decision.
Benefits of Conducting Reference Checks:
Confirms the accuracy of the candidate’s resume and claims.
Identifies strengths and areas for development.
Reveals any potential red flags, such as conflicts or poor performance.
Provides insight into how the candidate interacts with teams, coaches, and stakeholders.
Helps align expectations between employer and candidate.
When to Approach References
Reference checks should be conducted at the final stage of the hiring process, once a candidate has successfully passed interviews and is a top contender for the role. Conducting checks too early can be premature and inefficient, while waiting until after an offer is made may delay onboarding.
Ideal Timing for Reference Checks:
After the Final Interview: Once you’ve shortlisted the candidate, request a list of references.
Before Extending a Job Offer: Reference checks should confirm your hiring decision before making an official offer.
If Concerns Arise: If certain aspects of a candidate’s application seem unclear, reaching out to references earlier may provide clarity.
Who is Responsible for Conducting Reference Checks?
The responsibility for reference checks depends on the structure of the organization:
Club Managers & HR Professionals: Typically handle reference checks, ensuring standardized procedures are followed.
Board Members (for Executive Roles): May conduct direct reference checks for high-profile hires such as head coaches or general managers.
Third-Party Agencies: Some clubs outsource reference checking to professional background verification firms.
Tips for Conducting Effective Reference Checks
Inform Candidates Early: Clearly communicate to applicants that reference checks are a standard part of your hiring process. This transparency sets expectations and encourages honesty throughout the recruitment stages (sbshrs.adpinfo.com).
Obtain Written Consent: Before reaching out to a candidate’s references, secure written authorization. This not only ensures legal compliance but also fosters trust with the candidate.
Standardize Your Questions: Develop a consistent set of questions to ask all references. This approach ensures fairness and allows for objective comparisons between candidates. Focus on areas such as job responsibilities, performance, teamwork, and communication skills (zincwork.com).
Verify the Reference’s Relationship: Confirm the nature and duration of the reference’s relationship with the candidate. Understanding this context provides clarity and adds weight to the information shared (getyourpros.com).
Focus on Job-Relevant Information: Ensure that your questions pertain directly to the candidate’s ability to perform the job in question. Avoid inquiries that could lead to subjective or biased responses.
Listen Actively and Take Notes: Engage fully during the conversation, noting key points and asking follow-up questions as needed. Detailed notes will aid in evaluating the candidate later.
Be Mindful of Legal Compliance: Adhere to all relevant privacy and anti-discrimination laws during the reference check process. Avoid questions related to protected characteristics such as age, race, religion, or disability.
Maintain Professionalism: Approach each reference check with professionalism and respect. The manner in which you conduct these checks reflects on your organization and can influence its reputation within the industry.
From Reference Checks to Leadership Success
Reference checks are a crucial step in hiring the right personnel, but successful leadership in sports organizations requires a broader set of skills and best practices. Beyond hiring, club managers and board members must focus on strategic governance, stakeholder engagement, and financial oversight to ensure long-term success. Below are the top 10 factors that contribute to effective leadership in the sports industry.
Top 10 Success Factors for Club Managers and Board Members
Strategic Vision: Develop and communicate a clear long-term vision for the club, aligning all stakeholders towards common goals. dodcui.com
Financial Oversight: Implement diligent budgeting, transparent financial reporting, and proactive risk management to ensure fiscal health and accountability. dodcui.com
Stakeholder Engagement: Build strong relationships with fans, sponsors, community members, and players to foster loyalty and support. dodcui.com
Community Involvement: Actively participate in community events and support local initiatives to strengthen the club’s reputation and societal impact. dodcui.com
Adaptability: Stay responsive to industry changes, embracing innovation and flexibility to maintain competitiveness.
Transparent Communication: Maintain open lines of communication within the organization and with external stakeholders to build trust and clarity.
Ethical Governance: Uphold high standards of integrity and ethical behavior in all club operations and decision-making processes.
Performance Monitoring: Regularly assess both on-field and off-field performance metrics to inform strategic decisions and drive continuous improvement.
Talent Development: Invest in the development of players, coaches, and staff to build a strong and sustainable talent pipeline.
Cultural Alignment: Foster a club culture that aligns with your strategic vision and values, promoting unity and a sense of purpose among all members.
By implementing these reference checking strategies and focusing on these success factors, club managers and board members can make informed hiring decisions and lead their organizations toward sustained success in the sports industry.
It’s important for management to have a comprehensive framework for fostering a supportive, communicative, and growth-focused environment within a sports club. By following these guidelines, managers can effectively engage with colleagues, ensure their development, and create a positive team culture. The checklist emphasizes the importance of regular feedback, recognizing achievements, and addressing challenges, all of which contribute to enhanced performance and morale. Additionally, it encourages clear communication, career development, and continuous improvement, helping managers lead with purpose and build a cohesive, motivated team.
Working within the sports industry can be fun and challenging at the same time. Being in the management is even tougher. Therefore we have written down this checklist that captures the key points of great sports management so you can keep focused on the essential tasks for managing a sports club.
Daily to-dos
Provide helpful feedback to your team members 🗣 Offer feedback on their training sessions, match performance, and teamwork. Recognize their strengths and areas for improvement. Focus on progress in both individual skills and collaboration within the team.
Find time for small interactions 👋 Engage with your players and staff regularly—whether through casual greetings or brief chats about their day. This helps build rapport and shows you care about their well-being and development, not just their performance.
Weekly to-dos
Have 1-1 meetings with each of your team members 👯 Meet with players individually to discuss their goals, progress, and any concerns they have. Allow them to set the agenda, but guide them towards discussing their training, match readiness, and long-term aspirations.
Recognize outstanding performances 🏅 Acknowledge great training efforts, individual match successes, or moments of exceptional teamwork. Praise them in a way that resonates with each player, whether it’s through public recognition or private praise.
Identify and unblock challenges your players are facing 🚧 Ask players about any obstacles they are encountering in training or personal life that could be affecting their performance. Offer support and find solutions to help them overcome these challenges.
Regular to-dos
Check if players are progressing towards their long-term goals 🚴 Ask players how they feel about their development, whether they see themselves advancing to higher levels of competition, or if their current role in the team aligns with their aspirations.
Organize team bonding activities 🍣 Set up regular social events, such as team dinners, lunches, or outings, to build camaraderie outside of training. This strengthens team cohesion and trust.
Conduct regular performance reviews 📋 Evaluate each player’s performance not just in matches, but in training, attitude, and teamwork. Give constructive feedback to help them improve.
Encourage training and growth opportunities 📖 Offer opportunities for players to attend workshops, coaching clinics, or watch other teams play. Help them expand their knowledge of the sport and improve their skills.
Ensure players are receiving enough feedback 💬 Make sure your players are getting consistent and valuable feedback from you and their teammates to improve their game.
Communicate club updates 📢 Share important club news, whether it’s changes in strategy, new sponsorships, or updates on team selection. Ensure everyone is informed.
Address areas that may need change or improvement 🖖 Regularly check in with players and staff to see if there are any areas—training methods, team dynamics, facilities—that need improvement.
Ongoing Leadership Tasks
Evaluate if your management style is effective 🙌 Ask your players and coaching staff for feedback on how you’re supporting them. Adapt your approach if needed to ensure you’re creating the best environment for them to succeed.
Discuss career and development paths for players 🚀 Let players know you’re invested in their long-term success. Help them identify potential opportunities to advance within the club, such as leadership roles or higher competition levels.
Represent your club publicly 💭 Share stories about the club’s success, values, and achievements. Speak at events, engage with the media, and promote the club to a wider audience.
Foster collaboration across teams and functions 📞 Ensure that the communication between coaches, players, medical staff, and management is smooth and transparent. Collaboration is key for team success.
Reward top performers 💰 Recognize and reward players who consistently perform well. This doesn’t always need to be financial; it could be additional training opportunities, exclusive gear, or special recognition during team meetings.
Review and communicate compensation 💸 Regularly assess player contracts and compensation. Ensure players know that their value is being recognized, even if there are no immediate financial increases.
Source ideas for improving team processes 💡 Ask players and staff for suggestions on how to improve training sessions, match preparation, or team dynamics. Continuous improvement keeps the team evolving.
Ensure players are on track to meet their goals 🛤 Check in regularly to see if players are on the right path to achieving their personal and team-related goals. Offer support and make adjustments where necessary.
Set clear objectives for players 🎯 Work with each player to establish individual performance targets, such as improving specific skills, match goals, or fitness milestones.
Help recruit new players or staff 🙋 Take an active role in the recruitment process. The earlier you’re involved, the more you can shape the future of your team by bringing in players or staff who align with the club’s values and needs.
Ensure inclusivity and team unity 🙌 Foster an environment where every player feels their voice is heard and valued, both on and off the field.
Occasional to-dos
Understand what motivates each player ✨ Take time to learn what drives each player—whether it’s competition, improvement, or team success—and use that insight to motivate them in training and matches.
Understand players’ long-term career goals ⭐ Know where each player envisions themselves in the future. Whether they want to reach the highest level of competition or transition to coaching, help them set a plan to achieve it.
Empower players to help each other 🤝 Encourage a culture of peer-to-peer feedback and mutual support. This not only helps players improve but also fosters a sense of team solidarity.
Set clear expectations for performance 💪 Set clear performance goals for each player that are challenging but achievable. Make sure everyone understands what is expected of them in terms of effort, attitude, and results.
Understand what players expect from you ☝ Ask players how they want you to support them in their roles—whether they need more technical coaching, emotional support, or clearer communication.
Set expectations for lateral and upward movement 📈 Ensure that players know their paths for growth in the club, whether it’s moving into leadership roles or advancing to more competitive teams.
By adapting this checklist to a sports club setting, you can create a well-rounded, supportive, and growth-oriented environment for your players, while ensuring clear communication and strong team dynamics.
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During the summer, the activities in a sports club are usually quieter than at other times of the year. It can then be a good time to make the following 4 things in order to become a smart and effective sports club. Therefore, here are 4 tips on what you can do during the summer.
Build
Build and set up your upcoming semester in your administration system. First of all, what does your sports club look like? Which members should be in which group? Do you have enough coaches or is it necessary to recruit new ones? If you are going to open any training groups or events for the autumn, it is high time to create these setups already now. Make sure there are links or buttons to click in order to register for the new semester. Also remember to notify your members of all information well in advance of the start of the semester.
Review
Review your governing documents and policies. Does something need to be revised or do you lack an action plan? If there is any period of the year when you can focus and make great documents and policies for internal and external uses, then the summer is the time to develop these and then implement them before the start of the autumn semester. Here you will find tips on how your sports clubs can develop a crisis plan from Riksidrottsförbundet. If you use digital tools such as Dropbox or Google drive, Trello or have documents saved on your computer, it can be useful to go through existing files to remove outdated documents or add new ones. It may also be relevant to clear your membership register so that old members are not lying around in the system.
Plan
Plan for upcoming events. Do you have a lecture, workshop, kick off, project or event to organize for autumn/winter? Start planning already during the summer months and you will have the work more evenly distributed and will not have to sit with everything at the same time at the start of the semester. This will save you more time and money than you think. Make sure to involve at least one to three more people in order to more people engaged and aware about upcoming plans.
Focus
Focus on skill development within the sports club. Perhaps some of our previous reading tips might be of interest to you? Learn more here.
Bonus – do more with less
Do you in the sports club need help to make these things happen, or perhaps need help implementing new projects and tasks for the autumn? Then you can contact us to find out how we can help you on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. We help sports clubs become smarter by working smarter. Maybe you and your colleagues need some vacation but are stressed out that the sports club will be standing still? No worries, we can do the work while you rest this summer! Contact us to learn more.
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The Swedish top sports club, Malmö FBC, have signed a contract to use Sportidealisten’s service Virtual Sports Club Office. The floorball club, Malmö FBC, have made new a acquisition and strengthened the club’s children and youth activities by having contracted Sportidealisten as Youth Manager. Sportidealisten will support and focus on the children and youth section in the club, and work to ensure that everyone has the chance to play floorball and that Malmö FBC is the obvious choice as a meeting place for everyone.
Sportidealisten are happy to announce a new partnership with an inspiring sports club in Malmo, Sweden. Malmö Floorball Club have a big member base with lots of youth as well as two senior teams in the top divisions. The board of the club were looking for a new approach to take their club to the next level and found good value in Sportidealisten’s service Virtual Sports Club Office. The conclusion was that they needed to divide their tasks in the club to different people and that is where Sportidealisten’s service could come in a good fit to solve their needs.
Malmö Floorball Club (FBC) are innovators and together with Sportidealisten common values are shared when it comes to working smarter and trying new approaches that haven’t been done before. Malmö FBC’s vision is:
“Malmö Floorball Club is a lifestyle that, with passion and commitment, creates the boundless meeting place where personal dreams, diversity and entrepreneurial spirit are encouraged”
The Swedish top sports club, Malmö FBC, will strengthen the club’s children and youth activities with the support of Sportidealisten as a Youth Manager. Sportidealisten will support and focus on the children and youth section in the club, and work to ensure that everyone has the chance to play floorball and that Malmö FBC is the obvious choice as a meeting place for everyone.
Malmö Floorball Club is a sports club that chooses to make a difference! They believe in what they do and constantly challenge themselves. The feeling that everything is possible and the feeling of being able to be yourself and realize your personal dreams, are things that Malmö FBC wants to convey to everyone who in one way or another are involved with the club.
About Malmö FBC
On March 8th, 2007, Malmö FBC was formed. After a long process between board representatives from two former floorball clubs IBF Backalirarna and IK Stanstad, Stanstad’s members decided at an extra annual meeting to move Stanstad’s men’s team (div 2) to the city of Malmo, Sweden. Malmo, as a floorball resort, had long been a shadow on the floorball map and the two sports clubs wanted to create something bigger. This was the birth of Malmö FBC.
Malmö Floorball Club is a sports club with both a grassroots and elite focus, where the women’s / girls ‘and men’s / boys’ activities are given equal priority. Today, the gender distribution in floorball in Sweden is about 70% boys and 30% girls, but Malmö FBC believes that it can be 50/50 with the right attitude.
Sportidealisten supports the vision of Malmö FBC
“We are extremely excited to be a part of Malmö FBC. To be able to work for the sport I myself was raised up with and to be able to develop and contribute my lessons learned to leaders and players will be fun. We are looking forward to contribute and convey the societal benefits of sports to one of Malmö’s largest sports clubs. Getting to inspire tomorrow’s generation and being able to combine this with the sport I am most passionate about is very motivating”.
Jakob Wikenstaal, Founder, Sportidealisten
We are happy to start the collaboration with Sportidealisten who starts as a resource for our role as Youth Manager, one of the key roles in our club. We will gain cutting-edge expertise in the organization and build a long-term relationship with great opportunities for both parties.
Mats-Ola Nimgård, President, Malmö FBC
We are excited to be part of this journey with you Malmö FBC and let us enable more sports for the youth!
When you are in a situation where you need to increase your staff, you are also faced with a choice between several options. But question is, what is the best option for your organization? Should you ask your employees and volunteers to do a bit more? Or maybe you should hire a new employee? Maybe renting or outsourcing could be the optimal option? One of the aspects to look at is what is most profitable financially. In the sports world, we know how difficult this situation is and that usually we think it is too challenging to think about anything else than hiring or not hiring. With this article, we will help you keep track.
To hire in sports – more costs, but cheaper in the long run
When you hire in sports, you take on a great deal of responsibility and make an investment financially. Not only do you pay salary once a month, but also a variety of other costs. First and foremost, you pay for the often time-consuming recruitment process. Once you have hired someone, there is an employer contribution for each salary, pension costs and costs such as holiday and sickness compensation. Therefore, you as an employer even pay when the employee is unable to work. However, you do not need to add any extra compensation to a staffing company och consultancy, which usually means that it can be cheaper in the long run and you control everything internally.
For outsourcing and renting in sports – fewer costs and needs-based
When you rent staff or outsourcing your tasks, you usually pay a fixed hourly cost to the staffing company. This is generally more expensive than with an employment – on the other side there are many costs you will avoid. When you rent someone, it is the staffing company and not you who is the employer. This means that you hand over everything from salaries and employer contributions and various benefits to them. In addition, you can think more of needs-based, which means, you only need to get in new people during the period when it is actually needed instead of all year round. This means that you will only pay for the time that the staff is actually at the workplace and working, while you save time (which is also money) as you do not have to think about administration and recruitment.
What is most profitable depends on your needs
In terms of cost, there are both pros and cons to both alternatives. What is most economical for you simply depends on your needs in your sports organization. If you are looking for recruiting in sports for a long time to come and do not have large shifts in the workload, it can be most advantageous to hire staff in the sports industry. If you have a more varied need, where workloads vary season to season, then you would benefit to have people for a shorter period, which renting or outsourcing would be your best option. This is perfect if you want to avoid spending time and money on the administration, you have a lot to gain from hiring staff or outsourcing your workload.
Additional benefits with outsourcing in sports
If you get an assignment but do not have staff to carry it out, you get zero costs, but at the same time zero income because you don’t have people to carry out the work. When you as an organization really need that income you will be willing to pay more to really get the skills the work demands. When time is short and there is a big opportunity to bring in new income to the sports club renting or outsourcing could be a great investment in order to develop the sports club’s strategic priorities and ambitions.
Here are some additional benefits that could guide you in your future decisions:
• A way to meet tougher international competition. “Everyone chases time and has shorter and shorter foresight. Orders and deliveries, everything should be done in less time. If you do not complete the assignment, someone else will take over ”.
• Expert help when recruiting. Faster and easier to get the right skills. Opportunity to test staff and hire employees that you are happy with. You avoid costs for incorrect recruitment.
• The staffing/outsourcing company pays for long-term sick leave, rehabilitation and work clothes.
• Get help to organize and streamline operations.
• Cheaper to rent than hire fixed-term staff.
• Acquires freedom of appeal. It takes time and commitment to bring in and get rid of your own employees. Smaller personnel departments are required.
• Staffing and outsourcing companies like Sportidealisten are better than the National Public Employment Service at matching jobs with employees.
Curious to learn more about how you could benefit from outsourcing or hiring in sports?
One of the things that will change the workforce in 5 years is the “gig economy”. It is all about working with different projects instead of one full-time job. Your next coach or sports marketer might stay with you for 6 months and then move further. Even though the gig economy is new to many sports clubs and workers in the sports industry, a lot of them have understood that they need to work differently in the near future to keep up with the fast-paced technological developments. In this article, we will go through the concept of the gig economy, the benefits for an employer, the trends for the labor market and the hottest jobs right now.
The gig economy at The World Economic Forum
At The World Economic Forum’s inaugural Pioneers of Change Summit where innovative leaders and entrepreneurs from around the world showcase their solutions, build meaningful connections and inspire change across the Forum’s diverse multistakeholder communities, four things were mentioned as changes of how we work in 5 years. One of these is the “gig economy”.
What is the gig economy?
The gig economy is quite similar to what we are used to calling freelancing, it’s basically the idea that the old economy was one of freelancing. Back in the days, people had their full-time jobs but every now and then they did some freelancing jobs. The new economy and ways of working, gig economy provide a platform for ad hoc tasks to be completed by freelance workers but instead of having a full-time job, freelancing is the new full-time job.
There are more and more opportunities now through new platforms for people to engage in freelancer work at every type of scale except the sports industry. These new platforms and opportunities can be done once a day, once a week.
The gig economy in the sports industry
How would it look like? If you would work within the gig economy you could continuously be shifting between employers, let’s say, working for a few hours for IOC, then switching to UEFA, then doing maybe a few hours for FIBA or Bayern Munich (this could obviously be within national sports organizations too).
Entrepreneurs in the sports industry
Being a gig economy worker could actually look like the life as an entrepreneur. You need to drive where you think you are going to find more work. We know people do what we call multi-homing, they switch between platforms. But at the same time, we see an attempt to try to streamline and create a more consistent vision of where things are going.
However, looking at the former freelancing setup working full-time and then freelance every now and then, the gig economy has now turned into more of a passion. People who joined the gig economy started to supplement their income. Maybe they added one more shift or tried to pay for their vacation, but actually more people are realizing that they actually enjoy it and enjoy the flexibility that comes with it. So, the question is if we will see more gig workers in the sports industry in the near future since the passion for sports is a common thing within the sports sector.
The growth of the gig economy in the sports industry
The European project, ESSA-Sport that was concluded in October 2019, with research aimed to create a debate within the sector on the key issues of skills and workforce development, contained some interesting insights about entrepreneurship. Even though the labor market in the European sports industry is mostly built up with employed staff there is another way to work too. With a comparison between 2011 and 2018, the labor market in the sports industry saw a rise in self-employed people. Taking into consideration this growth, we could expect a change with more gig workers in the sports industry in the coming 5 years too.
The sports labor market in Europe 2011 Employed: 81.8% Self-Employed: 18.2%
The sports labor market in Europe 2018 Employed: 79.2% Self-Employed: 20.8%
From another study made by the Boston Consulting Group, The New Freelancers – Tapping Talent in the Gig Economy, the use of gig economy platforms has increased quite a lot, especially in some bigger countries and economics. There is still a huge majority who use the gig economy as their secondary income however more and more are adopting the life as a gig worker as a primary income source.
Image: Boston Consulting Group
Two things you need to know about the gig economy right now
The World Economic Forum mentions two things you might know about the gig economy.
First, that it’s big. In 2019, roughly one-in-10 workers in the UK earned a living in the gig economy. In the US, the equivalent figure was an estimated 8%. According to the World Economic Forum, there was a pan-African survey 2019 that showed that 1.3% of adult Africans now earn money from gig economy platforms (the online companies that provide the work). More and more statistics show that there is an increase all over the world working in this way.
Second, the World Economic Forum mentions that the jobs being created are not necessarily of good quality. There are several struggles for workers due to the way that the platform’s work is organised. There seem to be a number of undesirable outcomes for workers – who can suffer from low pay, wage theft, precariousness, dangerous working conditions and discrimination. Not only that the working condition could seem horrible, when any of these issues arise, platforms simply tend to point to the fact that they aren’t responsible. They tend instead to present themselves as a simple intermediary rather than an entity that has the ability to shape actual on-the-ground working conditions.
The benefits of the gig economy
What we mentioned earlier in the article gig workers didn’t only work for the necessity of earning enough money for the vacation, workers also realized the great benefits the gig economy offers with tremendous flexibility for workers and employers.
For employers, this is a benefit because it gives them flexibility and it allows them to have more workers working fewer hours, and it protects them from having to provide health insurance or higher rates of pay.
The gig economy offers more or less agility to employers that must adapt to unexpected challenges every now and then and it also provides freedom to workers who want flexible and remote work arrangements. Embracing this working style can help employers and freelancers to succeed in the future of work, no matter where or when that happens.
Is your sports club ready for the gig economy?
According to The World Economic Forum’s inaugural Pioneers of Change Summit, one of the things that will change the workforce in 5 years is the ”gig economy”, where innovative leaders and entrepreneurs from around the world showcase their solutions, build meaningful connections and inspire change across the Forum’s diverse multistakeholder communities. Another change for the next 5 years is “Remotopia, head over here to learn more about if your sports club is part of “Remotopia”?
As a sports club finding great talent could be a challenge, especially if the club is a small sports club. Most sports clubs in the Nordic sports industry are volunteer-driven which makes it even harder to find great talent. Everyone in a local sports club volunteers their time to make sure sports activities can be provided in the neighborhood or in the city they live in. However, time is always a big challenge in the sports industry.
What if a sports club could bring in a freelancer for a limited time helping them in the most stressful period of the season. This would of course be a cost but looking at the outcome of getting in another person could actually become an investment for the club. If you are limited to only spend 5 hours work, you will only be able to gain x amount of revenue, however, getting additional 5 hours could mean a bigger revenue for the club.
Another way to think about the benefits of the gig economy in the sports industry is when you applied and received funds for a new development project from your municipality or sports federation. When this happens you will always need to add a project manager to handle this new project. This is also an example of freelancers in the sports industry, working for a limited time.
Still not sure if this would suit your sports club? A good example of onboarding a new colleague or freelancer is to know what tasks should be done, what expectations your club has and what resources and time the potential colleague or freelancer has. With clear objectives and job descriptions, less time will be spent on onboarding and more time on developing the sports club and its revenues.
So is your sports club ready for the gig economy?
Find great people in the sports industry with a gig job
The gig economy is perfect for the sports industry for ad hoc tasks to be completed when time is not an option. And time is our biggest opponent in the sports labor market. If you feel that you and your sports club are stressed out or you are in need of getting more tasks done, let us know.
If you need help finding your next hire and want help finding a great future employee no matter if it is remote or not, Sportidealisten can help you. We know that finding the best candidates and sports job isn’t as easy as in many other industries and it takes a lot of time. That is why we are changing this, a niched platform where you can only find candidates and jobs from the sports industry.
Do you want to recruit in a smart way? Are you part of a growing sports organization and want to be part of our platform? We have daily new sports job seekers. Join today by posting a sports job free of charge.
During the spring of 2021, the world’s biggest football tournament, Gothia Cup was looking for a new colleague to join their team. Sportidealisten helped them on their journey to find their dream team. In this article, we will share about Gothia Cup and how we helped Gothia Cup to recruit a sports job seeker.
As you may know, Gothia Cup has been the highlight of the year for every young footballer. Not only is it a place for footballers, but it is also a big organization that requires a lot of work to be done behind the scenes. Below is a quote from one of many who has been part of the Gothia Cup tournament.
I am proud to be part of the huge Gothia Cup Family. The tournament is part of my life. It is amazing to see how Gothia has grown and I am so fortunate year after year to get to spend time with the young people whose lives are changed through this incredible experience. I love Gothia Cup!
Patricia Espinosa Mexico
About Gothia Cup
Gothia Cup is the world’s largest and most International youth football tournament. Each year, around 1700 teams from 80 nations take part and they play 4500 matches on 110 pitches.
Gothia Cup was first held in 1975. The tournament was started by the football clubs BK Häcken and GAIS and a local newspaper, since the early 80’s the tournament is own entirely and solely by BK Häcken.
The organization
The organization consists of eight full-time employed staff and during the tournament more than 2500 people work.
More than a football tournament
Getting involved in children’s conditions other than on the football pitch and outside Sweden has always been an important part in Gothia Cup. Their schools in Congo, Gothia Special Olympics Trophy and SKF’s Meet the World are an example of that.
Through the years, over a million players from a total of 149 countries have participated in the tournament.
Gothia Cup starts a new tournament in Mexico
Gothia Cup expands across the Atlantic Ocean. In January 2022, the first edition of Gothia Cup Cancun will be played.
– Mexico is a genuine football country, and it feels extra fun to be able to implement the new tournament now, to be able give the youths hope and faith about the future again, after such a long lockdown due to the pandemic, says Dennis Andersson, general secretary at Gothia Cup. Read the full story here.
We believe that it is important to make a tournament a lifelong memory. With moments for everyone – moments of harmony and fellowship – moments where everyone comes together.
During the spring of 2021, Gothia Cup announced a new role to help them with their event. The Tournament Secretary, Jonas Berglund shared this on LinkedIn and Sportidealisten’s founder Jakob asked him how the response had been. Jonas told Jakob that they have received many applications already.
Jakob asked Jonas if he wanted to post on the sports job platform, Sportidealisten too. And the answer was yes!
How did it go? You will soon find out, first we want to share how it works.
Do you need to create an account or how does it work to post a sports job at Sportidealisten?
If you are an employer looking to find a new colleague, you are able to post your job ads for free at Sportidealisten. You don’t need an account or pay upfront.
You simply send us an email or contact us here. You can send a job ad completely by yourself or getting help from us and we will set it up for you. We call this being flexible, adaptable and quality assurance.
Gothia Cup found their dream team at Sportidealisten
Now back to how we helped Gothia Cup finding a new colleague.
From the day Jonas said yes to us to post the job, it only took a few weeks until Jonas got back to us and told us this:
“We have now found a candidate that we have hired for the position. I even think she found the ad via your site! Wonderfully.”
Before the expired date was reached we took down the job ad and since Jonas was so satisfied with our help he also shared a quote from the candidate, Jenny who found the sports job at Sportidealisten.
What is it like to be part of Gothia Cup?
Jenny shares her thoughts on the new job as Tournament Secretary within the project volunteers, and what is it like to be part of Gothia Cup.
It will be incredibly fun and exciting to start my next chapter with the team at Gothia Cup. As a young football girl I fantasized about participating, now I look forward to helping and developing successful tournaments for youth teams, officials and the audience. After a long pandemic, we are all looking forward to return to big festive events and it is a super interesting time to join the team at Gothia Cup!
Jenny Söderman
Work at Gothia Cup
If you want to work at the team of Gothia Cup yourself, stay tuned for more opportunities coming up at Sportidealisten.
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One of the things that will change the workforce in 5 years is “Remotopia”. It is all about working from home. Less than 5% of workers did their jobs remotely before 2020. Now, more than half of knowledge workers work remotely. Even though remote working arrangements are new to many sports clubs and workers, a lot of them have understood that they need to think and collaborate in different ways than before. In this article, we go through the concept of Remotopia, the benefits for an employer, the trends for the labor market and the hottest jobs right now.
At The World Economic Forum’s inaugural Pioneers of Change Summit where innovative leaders and entrepreneurs from around the world showcase their solutions, build meaningful connections and inspire change across the Forum’s diverse multistakeholder communities, four things were mentioned as changes of how we work in 5 years. One of these is “Remotopia”.
In the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a number of high-profile companies – Facebook, Google, PayPal, Shopify, Siemens, and more – have announced long-term or permanent remote work policies. But many in the sports industry have taken these steps towards a remote working environment too.
Remote working arrangements, which are new to many companies, sports clubs and workers, require vastly different ways of thinking and collaborating. For example, the emerging normalcy of distributed workforces will place even greater importance on soft skills such as communication, relatability, empathy, and flexibility. Even though the start of the pandemic had a big negative hit on the sports clubs all over the world, the majority have adapted to the digital setup and started to understand that they can work on a remote setup too.
The benefits of remotopia
Studies show that remote employees work longer hours and are more productive than in-office counterparts. Both workers and employers alike must learn to balance those gains with increased likelihood of burnout and feelings of isolation. Additionally, recruiting for knowledge workers can expand to new geographies and include previously underrepresented populations like disabled or chronically ill workers. These changing dynamics will move to the HR forefront in the years to come. Today you don’t need to find your next hire in your sports local area, you can actually find the right candidate living in another city!
Looking at today’s working environment most sports clubs have understood that they can complete more tasks remotely and have understood that this opens up new opportunities for the sports industry’s working force. As an HR manager, you can now hire and find more qualified candidates with the setup of a remote working environment. Also, you don’t have to consider the sports office as it was prior to the pandemic. Today the sports offices will be enough with space for some working areas, meanwhile, we will see more jobs being held on a remote basis. This means, fewer costs at the office and less time spent on travel, and more qualified time for work.
Remote jobs and skills in focus 2021
LinkedIn analyzed job trends in 15 countries around the world for its annual Jobs on the Rise report. The hottest jobs for 2021 can all be done remotely, according to work trends – meaning that people with strong digital skills will have a significant advantage in the jobs market. If you’re in the market for a new role, and you have the right skills for a position in e-commerce, healthcare, or digital content, you’re in luck: they’re all on the list of LinkedIn’s predictions for the hottest jobs of 2021.
The labor market will become more democratized since there are more opportunities for employees who may not be based in major urban hubs and this will open up access to fresh talent for employers. However, the key will not only be about bringing new great talents into your staff, but you also need to be prepared for how to introduce the new remote employees and sharing your culture and how things work in your sports club.
One step to consider when hiring your next remote employee is to assess your own team according to soft skills such as communication, relatability, empathy, and flexibility. If you feel that you are in need of strengthening these skills you could take the opportunity to upskill yourself and your team via all the great online education that you can find here.
If you’re in the market for a new role, and you have the right skills for a position in e-commerce, healthcare, or digital content, you’re in luck: they’re all on the list of LinkedIn’s predictions for the hottest jobs of 2021.
One of the things that will change the workforce in 5 years is “Remotopia”, which was mentioned at The World Economic Forum’s inaugural Pioneers of Change Summit where innovative leaders and entrepreneurs from around the world showcase their solutions, build meaningful connections and inspire change across the Forum’s diverse multistakeholder communities. Less than 5% of workers did their jobs remotely before 2020. Now, more than half of knowledge workers work remotely.
Even though remote working arrangements are new to many sports clubs and workers, a lot of them have understood that they need to think and collaborate in different ways than before. Skills to manage in 2021 and forward will be of greater importance on soft skills such as communication, relatability, empathy, and flexibility. Even though the start of the pandemic had a big negative hit on the sports clubs all over the world, the majority have adapted to the digital setup and started to understand that they can work remotely too.
The hottest jobs for 2021 can all be done remotely with employees who have strong digital skills. Positions in e-commerce, healthcare, or digital content, will be the hottest jobs of 2021. If you are looking for a job in sports, make sure to develop your skills today.
If you are an employer then hiring a remote worker could enable you to hire the best candidate available despite their location. This also provides opportunities to find talents with great digital skills that could help your sports club to be ready for the coming 5 years.
Find great people with a remote job
If you need help finding your next hire and want help finding a great future employee no matter if it is remote or not, Sportidealisten can help you. We know that finding the best candidates and sports job isn’t as easy as in many other industries and it takes a lot of time. That is why we are changing this, a niched platform where you can only find candidates and jobs from the sports industry.
Do you want to recruit in a smart way? Are you part of a growing sports organization and want to be part of our platform? We have daily new sports job seekers. Join today by posting a sports job free of charge.
