If you have always been a fan of sports and have played in teams for years, the next step on your agenda may be to start your own sports team. This enables you to share your skills and knowledge with younger individuals who are keen to progress in the industry and expand their talent.
You ultimately become a role model in their eyes and can potentially shape young lives to become professional sportspeople.
If you have the ambition to start your own sports team in the near future, you’ll find the below tips helpful on how to get up and to run:
Decide on a sport
While you may have experience playing different sports, you need to settle on one type for the club you wish to build. There are several questions you may need to consider to help you make this decision, including:
- Do you know the rules and regulations of the game?
- Have you developed skills and expertise in this sport?
- Are there local people interested in getting involved with this sport?
Make sure you have the time
While you may like the idea of starting a sports team, do you have the time to dedicate to the venture?
Life can get busy with work and family responsibilities, so committing yourself to training sessions several times per week may not be viable within your current lifestyle.
Alongside this, you’ll also need to be present for tournaments and potential social gatherings with other clubs, which means giving up your free time to dedicate to your team.
If you believe you’ll be pushed for time at the current moment, there’s no reason why you couldn’t re-evaluate your decision in a few months’ time.
Consider the finances
Starting a sports team doesn’t come cheap. In fact, you may need to look at your finances before committing to the venture. If you haven’t got personal savings to dip into, you may need to look into funding options.
Some options for funding include:
- Donations
- Sponsorships
- Private grant
- Public grant
- Taking out a loan
- Selling match tickets
- Organizing fundraising events
Some of the costs of starting a sports team include:
- Uniforms
- Venue hire for training
- Equipment
- Game officials (referees etc.)
- Insurance
- Travel expenses
Not only will you be working as a coach, but you’ll also be running a business in the process. With this in mind, you may wish to get to grips with common business operations in the early days.
Find players
Once you have the funding, you’ll need to find players for your team. If you have no friends or acquaintances who are keen to join, it may be a case of reaching out to the wider public and holding tryout sessions to appoint the best candidates.
Spread the word that you’re looking to hire a team through your website or social media platforms. Place posters around your local areas – such as in leisure centers or gyms- may also be a good idea to attract local talent.
On an absolute basis, you’ll need the minimum number of players for the sport, but it’s always worth signing up substitutes in the event of current players suffering injuries or having to miss important matches.
Choose uniforms
While not all teams have uniforms, it’s wise to invest if you wish for your club to be taken seriously by others. You may need to think about the seasons you’ll be playing in.
During summer, lightweight short-sleeved styles would be ideal, while mid-weight long-sleeved designs would be best for winter.
Ultimately, your uniform style will set you apart from other clubs. Pay attention to the colors of local teams and aim to create your own identity.
It’s easy to custom design your very own uniforms with Ares Sportswear. You can select your color preference, font, and any images or logos you wish to include.
Create a website
As mentioned previously, a website can become a valuable marketing tool for your club. It allows fans to follow club news, appoint new players and, of course, inform your current players of any important updates.
If you have no experience in marketing or design, it would be wise to invest in a professional web designer to make it visually appealing and easy to navigate for users. A crisp, professionally made website will also help to draw new clients into your club.
Also Read: How Effective Is CBD Muscle Balm in Treating Pain?
Final note
Starting a sports team is not only beneficial to your health and fitness levels but improves your knowledge of a sport you’re interested in as well as allows you to socialize with like-minded people of all ages.
It’s not an overnight process and may take several months before your team is up and running. We hope the above tips will give you some insight into the steps to take to turn your vision into a reality.
