High Performance Community Sportsportforlife.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/F5.2...Ontario Player Development League (OPDL): OSA’s elite youth development league for U13 – U18 •

High Performance Community SportHow to get a grip…..

Paul Jurbala and Julie StevensCentre for Sport CapacityBrock University

Focus

Are there unintended consequences of efforts to improve quality, professionalism and performance outcomes in community sport?

NSOs(58)

PTSOs(~550)

CSOs(~33,000)

SportandRecOrganizationsinCanada(NSNVO2004)

Characteristics:

• 21%ofallNPOs• Only6%ofstaff• 74%havenostaff• 58%havetrouble

getting/retainingvolunteers• 65%ofrevenueisnon-

government(i.e.fees)

33,649

Cost of Community Sport

HockeyCanadasurvey2012:• Averagehouseholdincome15%>median

• Annualspend~$3000perchild

• $3700/childage11-17• Only10%ofchildren5to19nowplayhockey

• 46%ofparentssaidtheyweremorelikelytoregisterifcostswerelower.

(GlobeandMail,Nov82013)

Income and Sport Participation

Source:GSS,2010

Fat Enough to Win?

MedalsParticipationObesity

Source:Donnelly,2012;PHAC

HP Community Sport: Profile of OPDL & OPDL Clubs

OntarioPlayerDevelopmentLeague(OPDL):OSA’seliteyouthdevelopmentleagueforU13– U18• “Standardsbasedleague”- entrybasedonmeetingLTPDandotherstandardssetbyOSA

• Year1feetoOSA- $9000perteamOPDLClubProfile2014(basedon14ofthe18)• Clubannualbudgetsaverage$1.76M,range$800Kto$3.9M

• Registration:average4880,range1200to8000• Extensivefields,domes,technicalstaff,etc.

Competitive Pressures in CSOs

TheseCSOsclaimeditwasessentialtojoinOPDL,to:• Maintainprestige

• Maintaincompetitiveposition

• Keepentry-to-elitepathwayin-house(retention)

• DuetobeliefinLTAD.

Thisoutweighedmultiplechallenges:• Increasedcoststomembersforcoachesandfacilities.

• OtherOPDLclubs:competitionand“poaching”ofplayersandcoaches.

• Uncooperativelocalnon-OPDLclubs.

UponacceptanceintoOPDL,duetoproximitytocompetitorOPDLclubs…§ 11/15CSOs(73%)reducedplayerfeesbelowrecommended$4500.

§ Averagefeechargedwas$3215(range$2400- $5000)

§ CSOsestimatedbreak-evenatabout$3500/player/year.

A CSO Implements LTAD: 12 month case study

MilltownYouthSoccerClub(MYSC):• Small,youth/neighbourhoodfocus.• Membershipdown15%vs.previousyear;declining

volunteerbase.LTADimplementation- history(interviewrecords):• InitialLTADimplementationmismanaged:“…masschaos,

confusionandanger…becausewe…weren’tmanagingitwell.”(President)

• HiredTechnicalDirectortodesign&implementLTAD.Outcome:professionalizationovertheyear• Raisedmemberfeesandinitiatedwinterprogramto

generaterevenuetoretainTechnicalDirector.• Contractedmanager(s)forclubadministration.• MadeT.D.avotingdirectoronBoard.

LTAD Impact upon CSO Landscape

• CSOs are driven by need for legitimacy, not effectiveness

• Competition for scarce resources (members, coaches, facilities)

• High degree of “performance-ization” in community sport

The LTAD-CSO Conundrum

1. SeculartrendtowardperformanceandprofessionalizationinCanadiancommunitysport.

2. CSOsareinfluencedbybusiness-competitive,member,resource-controller(e.g.PSO,municipal)andsocialpressures.

3. ProfessionalizationandHPfocusincreasecosts– decreaseaffordability--- potentialdriverofparticipationdecline.

Tips for Sport Leaders

1. Beawareofunintendedconsequences.1. LTADcanbeusedasjustificationforprofessionalization

orexpensive,highperformance-focusedinitiatives.2. OPDLdrovelegitimacyandpotentialover-extension.

2. NSO/PSOpolicywithoutresourcesplacesCSOsatrisk.1. Clubscompeteincommunitysportmarketplace;2. Dominantclub(s)mayputsmall,neighbourhood club(s)

outofbusiness.3. Understandthecommunitysportlandscapefor

your sport.

Thankyou!

[email protected]@brocku.ca