Managing a committee
Every venue should have a management committee to discuss and make decisions in the best interest of the club or venue. Managed by the chairperson, this committee should be representative of the venue.
Committee structure
The committee should consist of the chairperson, secretary, coach, treasurer and other roles as deemed appropriate. It is ideal to have a good representation of members of the club.
Committee meetings
Chairperson’s role
- The chairperson’s role is to ‘chair’ or manage the meeting, welcoming everyone and steering through the agenda items. The chair should give everyone the chance to speak and should spark a healthy debate about the running of and direction of the club or venue
Secretary’s role
- The secretary’s role is to liaise with the chairperson to draft the agenda for the meeting, picking up any points carried over from the last meeting, then to send the agenda out to all the committee members ideally a week before the meeting date. The secretary takes ‘minutes’ – the attendees, decisions and actions from the meeting – and circulates these typed notes to all members as soon as possible after the meeting
Committee members’ role
- Members should regularly attend management meetings to have their say and to support the venue. They should provide a personal outlook while ensuring that decisions are made in the best interests of all members
Agenda items
- Regular items to appear on the agenda include: competition updates, treasurer’s report, membership update, developing a safe and inclusive tennis environment and responding to concerns, key dates, event logistics, facility development and smaller items should be considered under ‘any other business’ (AOB)
Fostering a successful committee
A key feature of successful venues is the ability of the volunteers, coaches, the management committee and other staff to work together. While the size and make-up of the team will vary according to the size and type of venue/facility, there are a number of key elements that characterise all successful teams:
- Common vision
- Clear and definite goals which go hand-in-hand with the vision
- People who share their understanding of strategy and tactics
- People who act professionally together
- People with characteristics which complement each other
- A good division of roles amongst the team with all team members treated equally
- People who put the common good before their own
- People who take responsibility for the whole team, accepting mistakes as long as people to do their best.