Is It Time for Community Sports Clubs to Share Their Administration?
- Jun 29
- 2 min read
Is It Time for Community Sports Clubs to Share Their Administration?
After more than 30 years involved in community sport, I've seen the challenges facing clubs evolve dramatically.
Today, the biggest issue isn't finding people who want to coach, organise events or help out on a Saturday morning.
It's finding people willing to take on the governance and administration roles that keep clubs running.
Secretary.
Treasurer.
Administrator.
These roles have become increasingly demanding.
Today's committee members are expected to understand financial reporting, Incorporated Societies legislation, health and safety, grant funding, strategic planning, employment obligations, digital systems, privacy, compliance and much more.
Yet we're still relying almost entirely on volunteers.
It's no surprise that many clubs are struggling to fill these positions.
So perhaps it's time to ask a different question.
What if every club didn't need to do everything themselves?
Local government has shared services.
Businesses outsource specialist functions.
Charities share resources.
Why shouldn't community sports clubs do the same?
Imagine two neighbouring clubs.
Each has its own committee.
Its own members.
Its own finances.
Its own culture.
Its own identity.
But instead of each trying to recruit a Secretary, Treasurer or Administrator, they share one experienced professional who provides those services across both organisations.
The committees continue to govern.
Members continue to belong to their own club.
Nothing changes operationally.
Except that the administration becomes consistent, professional and sustainable.
The potential benefits are significant.
Reduced volunteer workload.
Stronger governance.
Better financial reporting.
More consistent compliance.
Improved communication.
Better grant planning.
Shared knowledge and best practice.
Greater continuity when committee members change.
Perhaps most importantly, volunteers get back to doing what attracted them to the club in the first place—supporting members, running competitions and building great club cultures—instead of spending hours preparing agendas, reconciling bank accounts or trying to understand legislative changes.
This isn't about replacing volunteers.
It's about supporting them.
The reality is that the expectations placed on committees have changed dramatically over the past decade, but the number of people willing to take on those responsibilities hasn't kept pace.
If we continue expecting every club to operate exactly as it did 30 years ago, we shouldn't be surprised when committees become harder to fill.
Innovation doesn't always require new technology.
Sometimes it simply requires a willingness to rethink the way we've always done things.
Over the coming months, I'll be exploring the idea of a Shared Club Administration Pilot with two neighbouring sports clubs.
The concept is simple:
One administration team.
Two independent clubs.
Shared expertise.
Separate identities.
If successful, I believe this could become a practical, affordable and sustainable model for many community sports organisations—not just bowling clubs, but tennis, football, cricket, rugby, hockey and countless other volunteer-led organisations.
Community sport has always been built on collaboration.
Perhaps the future of club administration should be too.
I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Would your club consider sharing administrative and governance expertise if it meant reducing volunteer workload while improving governance and financial management?
Or do you think every club should continue operating independently, even if key volunteer positions remain vacant?
The conversation starts here.
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