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START NOW: Get valuable insights by comparing your club's leadership, management, and operations to 60 proven best practices, with tailored surveys for leaders, staff, coaches, and members—taking just 5 minutes to complete—and receive a detailed report highlighting your strengths and growth opportunities.

IYSL Best Practice Analysis Tool

Preliminary Questions:

Full name of respondent – First, Middle Initials, Last(Required)

Phone

Email address (used for sign in and verification)(Required)

Full name of the youth sports club(Required)

If your club is not listed, please select "other" and enter your club name in the field below.

If your club was not listed above, please add it here

Organization abbreviation

Location of Youth Club: City, State, and Country(Required)

Survey Respondent Roles:(Required)

Type of organization(Required)

Non-For-Profit

For Profit

Unknown

Other (state type)

Sports provided by the youth club(Required)

American Football

Athletics (track and field)

Baseball

Basketball

Bicycling

Boxing

Cricket

Dance

Field Hockey

Golf

Gymnastics

Ice Hockey

Lacrosse

Netball

Rugby

Soccer

Softball

Tennis

Volleyball

Wrestling

Other (state type)

Sport Type

Playing Membership – the number of youth athletes participating in a 12-month period

Total number (##) of administration staff

Total number (##) of Coaches.

Part 1: Common Characteristics of Successful Youth Sports Clubs

INSTRUCTIONS TO PARTICIPANT: Part 1 of the survey includes 20 'success statements' linked to best practices in youth sports leadership and management. All members, staff and leaders should be able to respond with their level of agreement to the statements. Please read the statement carefully and provide your perception of your club's performance.

1 MISSION, VISION, AND VALUES: The organization has a compelling common mission, vision and values.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

2 CUSTOMER ALIGNMENT: The staff and leaders are in tune with what inspires members to join and stay.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

3 MEMBER VOLUNTEERISM OPT IN AND OUT: Multiple options exist for members to volunteer or pay an opt-out fee.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

4 COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES: The organization has a fully integrated communication system, connecting the members and staff seamlessly.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

5 LEVELS OF PLAY TO MEET MEMBER NEEDS: The organization can satisfy members desire playing opportunities within the club’s pathway - independently or in partnership. Typical pathways include 3 primary levels 1) Grassroots (recreation), 2) Local Competitive (Travel within the city or state) and Regional Competitive (Travel within the region to neighboring states).

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

6 COMMITMENT TO LONG-TERM ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT: The organization shares with members it's rationale for developing athletes over many years.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

7 REALISTIC APPRECIATION OF ATHELTE PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES: Educators can clearly articulate appropriate performance expectations associated with development at each age/stage, including achievement goals and benchmarks for the athletes they teach.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

8 BROAD EDUCATION FOCUS: There is evidence the organization intentionally provides learning opportunities, such as leadership, life skills and teamwork."

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

9 REPUTATION FOR HIGH VALUE: The organization has a reputation in the community for providing a high-quality experience at a competitive price.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

10 PROGRAMS SCHEDULED YEAR-ROUND: The organization provides members with opportunities for year-round athletic development. The programs may be team or individual focused.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

11 END OF STAGE OUTCOMES AND MEASUREMENT: Data exists for each athlete helping parents to understand where the athlete is along the performance continuum.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

12 FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE/SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: The organization has a well-conceived financial assistance program, reducing cost as a barrier to participation.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

13 MEMBER EXPERIENCE: The organization highly values the experiences of membership.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

14 COMMUNITY LOCATION: The organization operates programs in locations that create a sense of belonging and convenient to where members live and/or work. "

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

15 ORGANIZATION VALUES MEMBER EXPERIENCES: The organization intentionally creates a sense of belonging.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

16 ORGANIZATION PURPOSE: Families are proud to be members.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

17 FORCE FOR GOOD: Members believe the organization is a force for good in the lives of the athletes.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

18 COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP: The organization operates in partnership with local communities and schools.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

19 SERVICE: The organization encourages adult and athlete volunteer participation to positively impact the community.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

20 POSITIVE RESPONSE TO MEMBER FEEDBACK: The organization is committed to improve the experience of members.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

Part 2: Common Characteristics of Successful Youth Sports Clubs (Staff, Leader, and Director Survey)

INSTRUCTIONS TO PARTICIPANT: Part 2 of the survey includes 20 'success statements' linked to best practices in youth sports leadership and management. Staff and leaders should be able to respond with their level of agreement to the statements. Please read the statement carefully and provide your perception of your club's performance.

21 LEADERSHIP AND EDUCATION ROLE OF DIRECTOR/S: The organization has at least one individual dedicated to coach education (with 75%+ time observing, mentoring, and teaching staff).

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

22 COACH EXPECTATIONS AND STANDARDS: The organization provides a comprehensive coaching education and training program for staff and volunteer coaches.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

23 ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION CURRICULUM: Coaches work from a core education curriculum introducing increasingly complex techniques, tactics and knowledge as players mature from infant to adulthood.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

24 STAFF CARE: Staff generally feel valued and enjoy a supportive work environment.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

25 STAFF ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Full, part time and volunteer roles and responsibilities descriptions are documented and shared with candidates.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

26 STAFF APPRAISAL: A formal appraisal program exists with staff meeting with management at least once per year.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

27 STRATEGIC PLAN: The organization has a written strategic plan extending at least 3-5 years.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

28 INHOUSE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM: The organization has established and published standards and expectations for professional and volunteer educators.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

29 LEADERSHIP AND STAFF HIRING PRACTICES: The organization hires exceptional leaders and administrative staff with the necessary skills to perform roles and responsibilities matching the job description.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

30 POLICIES AND PROCEDURES: The organization operates with comprehensive Policies and Procedures.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

31 ORGANIZATION CALENDAR: Leaders and Department Managers maintain an events and operational calendar to manage important tasks.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

32 IT SYSTEMS: The organization has a proven and integrated IT system for registration, communication, scheduling, marketing, and finance.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

33 EVENTS: The club has a positive economic impact on the community.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

34 STAFF COMPENSATION: Staff compensation and benefits align competitively with the market.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

35 DESIRED CLUB CULTURE: A desired culture is well defined and understood by leaders, staff, and members.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

36 RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN: The organization has a detailed risk management and emergency action plan to protect Members, Staff and Directors.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

37 ATHLETE ASSESSMENT: The organization has established a comprehensive assessment program providing regular opportunities to evaluate performance in training and games.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

38 ATHLETE PROFILING: The organization uses data and coach observations to develop a profile for each athlete.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

39 GRASSROOTS PROVISION: The organization operates and/or partners with a third party to provide entry level grassroots programs often referred to as 'recreation' or 'inhouse' .

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

40 GRASSROOTS TO COMPETITIVE PATHWAY: There is a well established pipeline of players from grassroots programs that provide a significant source of players for competitive teams.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

Part 3: Common Characteristics of Successful Youth Sports Clubs

INSTRUCTIONS TO PARTICIPANT: Part 3 of the survey includes 20 'success statements' linked to best practices in youth sports leadership and management. Leaders should be able to respond with their level of agreement to the statements. Please read the statement carefully and provide your perception of your club's performance.

41 ACCESS AND CONTROL OF FACILITIES: The organization has oversight, control and/or decision-making authority for scheduling and maintenance of facilities.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

42 INVESTMENT IN ATHLETES AND COACHES: The organization invests significantly in the experience of the athletes and coaches.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

43 COMMUNICATION OF MISSION, VISION, AND VALUES: Once Mission, Vision and Values are established, leaders dedicate significant energy to communicate and ensure alignment with members and stakeholders.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

44 LEADERSHIP TEAM AND DIRECTORS: The organization has a cohesive leadership and management team.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

45 BUDGET PROCESS: The organization involves leaders and decision makers to develop an annual budget.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

46 MEMBER VOLUNTEERISM: The organization is comfortably able to meet its annual volunteer needs.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

47 PROCUREMENT PLAN: The club has a well-defined procurement process: forecasting needs, soliciting competitive bids, negotiating price and terms of service, and tracking equipment and uniform orders.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

48 STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP: The strategic plan is referred to in leadership/director meetings and reviewed regularly to evaluate and tweak the performance of the organization’s operational plan.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

49 CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN FACILITIES: The organization works with experts to develop a plan to invest in facility improvements to meet the short- and long-term needs.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

No Response

50 BUDGET FOCUS: The budget process starts many months ahead of a new financial year and is link to the organizational strategy.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

51 DIVERSIFIED REVENUE: The organization is not overly reliant on a single source of revenue, such as membership fees.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

52 STAFFING RECRUITMENT PROCESS: The organization has a comprehensive, written approach for recruiting, hiring, on-boarding, and training employees and contractors.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

53 PEOPLE OPERATING SYSTEM: The organization has a system in place to help leaders run better businesses, oversee, and gain more traction and have better life balance.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

54 PARTNERSHIPS: The organization actively seeks out opportunities to partner with groups that offer expertise in important areas where the club lacks expertise.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

55 LEADERSHIP TEAM AND DIRECTORS’ DECISION MAKING: All participants within the leadership group are aware of the designated individual holding the deciding vote in case of disagreements.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

56 LEADERSHIP ALIGNMENT: Leaders believe Leadership and Directors strive towards shared objectives.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

57 DIRECTORS AND LEADERS MEETING FREQUENCY: The leadership group meets monthly or more frequently to discuss implementation of strategy, review financial performance and review operational plans and reports.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

58 BIG PICTURE FOCUS OF LEADERSHIP MEETINGS: Leadership meetings do not get weighed down in the execution of day-to-day operational matters.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

59 DIRECTOR RECRUITMENT: The recruitment process for leadership and director positions identifies candidates who bring valuable contributions, avoid the introduction of biases, and align seamlessly with the organization's goals.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

60 SOLICITATION OF MEMBER OPINIONS: The organization has formal and planned feedback processes for all stakeholders.

Agree Completely

Agree Mostly

Agree Partially

Do Not Agree

Strongly Disagree

Phone

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FREE: Compared your club's performance with 2500+ youth sports clubs and unlock your club's potential.

IYSL Best Practice Analysis Tool

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