July/August 2020 - 9

connection and appreciation for what your teams do for
young people. This should give you a logical opening and
actually mention to alumni athletes that volunteering is a
great way to give back to the program that they loved. All
you have to do is reel them in.
6
7
8
Check with community groups and athletic clubs. For
cross country and track meets, for example, members
of running clubs would be a good source of volunteers. After
all, they have experience and a love of the sport, and this is
a pretty good starting point for the recruitment of helpers.
You may also have adult softball, volleyball, or basketball
leagues in your community which might be a logical place
to look. There may be good, untapped sources right under
your nose. You just have to take a chance.
Contact local colleges, particularly if they offer a
sports management or coaching major, to see if you
can get some of their students and athletes involved.
Perhaps you can set up a program in which their students
can fill some of the volunteer positions in order to get
partial intern credit and to gain some real, practical
experience. It could be a win-win proposition for everyone.
Provide swag such as a t-shirt, sweatshirt, or a cap for
your volunteers. Set up a system or criteria whereby
after someone works a number of times at the concession
stand or operates the score clock for the season, they get a
t-shirt. After working at additional contests in the future,
the next level might mean that an individual would get a
sweatshirt. After all, people love team gear and this would
be a nice reward for volunteering.
9
Use newsletters and websites to list and thank
volunteers. With this approach, there is no cost
involved. And it is important to realize that most
individuals will respond positively to thanks and praise.
You never want to take anyone for granted. It is completely
reasonable that if you regularly show your appreciation,
these individuals will continue to help.
10
11
Create a bulletin board in the gym lobby in order to
recognize and post the volunteer of the month. This
approach works well if you have or can install an enclosed
acrylic door bulletin board which will protect a photo
and brief write-up. Any effort in which you acknowledge
or recognize the efforts of individuals who give of their
valuable time will pay dividends. Showing appreciation for
one's contributions is vital in any working relationship.
Ask your most dependable volunteers to bring along
a friend to the next contest in which they work.
Letting community members see what is involved and
how it benefits young people may result in someone else
stepping up and offering to help. Seeing everything firsthand
is extremely helpful.
No one suggests that finding volunteers or support
personnel for your program will be easy. If you persevere,
be creative and work at this task, however, you can be
successful.
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July/August 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July/August 2020
