The Administrator

Us Now

Us Now is a documentary that takes a look at new technologies and how they harness collaboration for new models of social organization. It gives a glance at the potential power of people working together from all across the globe. Since internet access has never been so readily available to all sectors of the population, an unprecedented global collaboration is in the making. If you don’t get a chance to watch all seven parts of the documentary, make sure to check out parts three and four which follow Ebbsfleet United, the soccer club run by fans over the net. They’ve been going strong since we first mentioned them on The Administrator way back when, but the documentary articulates our point much better since they have video. Nice way to relax this Friday.

~Sam@bluesombrero.com

How The Pros Design Soccer Branding

From time to time, we like to stress how important the design process can be in terms of our own club’s image. It might seem farfetched since we rarely think about design when running our soccer clubs. It’s more important to maximize our energy for scheduling, team building, fields, and countless other tasks, right? We can’t argue those are vital to a club’s success, but… we have examples from some top soccer organizations which illustrate the care taken during the design process.

The first example shows how seemingly minor details in a logo mean something much more. These days, in successful logo design, there is a plan for almost every line drawn. For the city of Philadelphia, history and unity played a major role in their new MLS franchise’s logo. A quick check reveals nine elements in Philadelphia Union’s logo. Can you find them all without the explanation? Click on the picture to reveal all the different parts.

The second example is a successful redesign campaign. The first AFC Champions League logo was nice, but it wasn’t stand alone. It looked more like some kind of medical logo considering the helix look of the crossed lines.  The redesign incorporates a soccer ball allowing for less explanation to the casual observer. They also incorporated current design trends like gradients, shadows, and a 3D look.

The third example is another redesign. UEFA wanted to provide a “contemporary look and personality for each of the four youth competitions, while maintaining a common link and consistency between them.” They hoped to achieve that through capturing icons of players in distinct poses promoting attributes of youth, spirit, enthusiasm, and competitiveness. The stars signify promotion of a player’s progression and sense of achievement through each of the age levels. The initial designs looked like clip art with a random blue bubble in the background. The redesign has an engaging color scheme, more detail, and contemporary shapes.

Hopefully this gives a little bit of insight to the minuscule details that are considered in logo design. It is a reflection of who we are, so why not take the time to make it something we can be proud of.

~Sam@bluesombrero.com  

USYS Championships Boost Local Economies

Tourism is big business. If you think about it, depending on the size of the city, soccer tournaments can be a pretty sizable part of that. Consider the recent US Youth Soccer National Championship Series in Sioux Falls South Dakota. The tournament brought in $10 million dollars to the local economy, an record for a single local event of that type. If it had not been for the revenue sent down the highway (those who couldn't stay in the city), the numbers were expected to be $3-4 million dollars higher.

Barboursville, West Virginia hopes to make $12 million hosting the next upcoming regional. 280 youth soccer teams from 13 states will compete in the Region I Championship. Hotels are already booked from Charleston to Portsmouth. The area hopes to lure 10,000 players and fans for the tournament’s start Thursday.

What goes into selecting a city for these regional championships? The ability to accommodate the influx of guests is number one. Is there enough lodging for all the players, families, fans, and coverage? The track record for that area is definitely a consideration; has this town/city done big events in the past, and how did those go? The layout is important as well i.e.: highways, facilities, fields, etc.

~Sam@bluesombrero.com

Social Media Policy

Do you fear losing control of your club’s message through the use of social media? With all the different access points and potentially limitless amounts of users, the spread of control can induce heartburn. You know how you want your club to be reflected online and think your social media crew does too, but it is hard to really know without nailing down some details. That’s where a social media policy can really be effective.

A social media policy would simply outline a unified voice that reflects your club's message through the use of social media.  Examples of policy guidelines could include; what to do when something negative arises, what voice to use (formal, informal, etc), what times to post, or what not to talk about. It’s up to you and your members, but detailing the process is the first step to success.

NotesForNonprofits had a nice list of other points to consider:

Who's speaking on behalf of you?
Are they able to respond to crises in a professional and speedy manner?
What is your position on certain issues?
How do you deal with comment moderation?
How much control do you have over someone's personal pages?

Folks, don’t fear social media. It’s our friend and can really benefit our clubs. If you want any help setting up the policy don’t be afraid to contact us.

~Sam@bluesombrero.com  

2010 Picture Preview

The spirit has arrived for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, as the excitement continues to build during the FIFA Confederations Cup.The Boston Globe, who creates some of the best photographic essays, put together a really appealing collection of the current atmosphere in South Africa. Click here to see the full collection or browse below (click the images to make them bigger).

~Sam@bluesombrero.com

Choosing the Channel

We found pertinent advice from the marketing guru Seth Godin that we thought you should be aware of. His perspective on choosing how to focus your promotional outlets can be really helpful to our own clubs, considering he targets how to do so with limited spending. Click here to read the article, then check out our perspective below.

What media channel should we focus on at our club? There are a plethora of options; Facebook, Twitter, traditional advertising, word of mouth, fundraising events, you name it. The hard part is figuring out which one is going to reach your current audience, and from there grow it. It might be helpful to decide which segment you are going to target as well.

Do you want the kids in the community excited about what your club has to offer, or their parents? If you’re thinking convince the kids and the parents will follow, then electronic media is your go to. If it’s the other way around, pinpoint the age range of the parents. If they are younger, then electronic is probably your best bet, if they are older, than traditional advertising will probably be most effective.   

Even though these might seem like simple decisions, when putting all your eggs in one basket, it requires you to pay attention to the smallest details. Godin offers a different perspective on this dilemma, and if nothing else comes of it, maybe at least it will engage some conversation at your next meeting.

~Sam@bluesombrero.com

Every Penny: Why SAY Soccer is Attracting Attention

Sheila Mole, Executive Director of SAY Soccer, lent us her time this week for an interview just for The Administrator. Sheila is the Chief Operating Officer of SAY and like many of you guys, she is in charge of those important day to day operations, as well as the long term development and strategy for the success of SAY Soccer.

We enjoyed this interview because we thought it gave some good insight into the the healthy competition between US Youth Soccer and SAY and it helped answer the question of why there are multiple youth soccer organizations.

So what do you SAY Sheila?

Q:  What makes SAY special?  What is the value that you bring over US Youth Soccer?  What about US Club Soccer?  

SAY is special because we are a purely recreational all inclusive soccer program.  Unlike other national organizations, every penny of money paid in membership fees supports ONLY the recreational soccer program.  There is no upper tier program that distracts us from our recreational core.

Q:  Give my your elevator pitch for SAY?  

SAY has been in business since 1967 and specializes in the recreational youth soccer player. We have a place for every child who wants to play. Each player in our program must be given the opportunity to play at least one half of every game. All of the SAY teams (over 12,000) are formed in a balanced fair manner by their local community.

Q:  How big are you guys?  

SAY is in 32 states with over 150,000 players, over 36,000 coaches and over 5,000 administrative volunteers.

Q:  I have heard the complaint that organizations like yours don’t grow soccer in the US, they only take soccer players from one organization and move them to another.  Do you think that is true?   

Absolutely not with SAY. We are unique in that we are the organization that is the starting point for beginners and the holding point for the kids who want to just have fun while developing their soccer skills. Other organizations title kids “travel” “select” or “premier” and are normally trading players back and forth as the players, and more importantly the parents, try and find more playing time for their kids. The issue with the other programs is that often kids move into the programs and pay hefty fees and find themselves playing 5-10 minutes per game and sitting on the sidelines the rest of the game. With SAY, not only are we a more affordable program we are an equal playing time program.

Q:  I heard that you have been recognized by the NSCAA as an official partner.  What does that mean and why is that important?  

We are National Partners with the NSCAA and promote their coaches training as an alternative or compliment to the SAY National coaching program. In turn, the NSCAA provides drastic reductions in their state, regional and national coaching programs for SAY members.  SAY and the NSCAA share the same philosophies when it comes to youth soccer coaching  and we work in tandem to bring that message to the youth recreational soccer world.  

Q:  Sometimes it seems that recreational soccer is the ugly step child of Select/Travel soccer in American Soccer.  Even at the under 10 age group, most clubs have Select Teams or Developmental Teams or specialty teams.  Would you agree?  Why do you think that is the case?   

I do not agree and here is why. Personally I made that mistake with my youngest child allowing him to be recruited into a “select” program and 9 years old. By the time he was 12, he had a sour taste for soccer and quite playing all together. He had been pushed too hard, trained too hard and had no fun at all playing a game he used to love. The vast majority of soccer players are recreational in nature and skill, and we have just the place for them to enjoy the game, have lots of fun and have time in their lives for other activities. There are very select few youth who have or possess the skill level to train and play soccer as if it is a full time job. The other organizations in the United States have a place for those select few. We are the program the kids come back to after they have burned out in the serious side of the game and want to play and have fun.

Q:  What is the thing that you like most about your job at SAY?   

I like going out to fields on a casual basis on the weekends, in my own community or when I travel for work, and seeing kids and families and volunteers scattered everywhere playing SAY Soccer. It pretty much makes me feel as if what I do is very worthwhile and fulfilling.

Q:  Do you think we will ever win a World Cup against the likes of Brazil, Argentina, Italy, and Germany?  

I never say never  : )

Q:  My personal favorite question, what is your favorite ice cream?  

Actually I am not into ice cream, but I am addicted to lemon-lime slushies that most ice cream shops have.

Thank you for your time today Sheila. Readers, this should provide some insight to both the world of SAY soccer, and show the personal side behind an organization as big as SAY. In the end, national soccer organizations are there to provide the best environment for the player, they just tend to have different philosophies. 

~Sam@bluesombrero.com

Response: High School Vs. Club Debate

We had tons of feedback from last week’s article on the subject of playing high school soccer versus club soccer. Who has the right to decide and what is the right decision? Proponents of both sides, and even those advising both could work gave strong arguments. Make sure to read the comments here if you missed them. It seems many schools are aware of the fact and do their best to schedule around the club season. But in terms of continuing a career in the game, the consensus from the readers seems to be skip high school play; based on the idea of seeing less competition and sometimes less qualified coaches.  

The author of The Family Guide for the College Soccer and Scholarship Journey was even nice enough to send us an excerpt of his perspective on the subject. Their take however is in opposition from most of our reader comments. It makes for a very nice balance on the subject... enjoy!

High School Soccer To Play or Not to Play, That is the Question? Should There Even be a Question? 
 
Since the early 90’s, the United States men’s program has risen as a force in world soccer competition. The US women have always been strong internationally during this period. There are many factors for this success such as the popularity of the sport, availability of quality coaching, competitive club growth, ODP and Academy competition, the establishment of professional leagues (i.e. MLS), and high school soccer. Yes, I said high school soccer. Often an issue arises for youth soccer players on the value or worth of playing high school soccer. Our recommendation is that you play. Remember, the reason we are writing this book and the reason you are reading this book, is to identify the things to do that will help you get into a college soccer program and hopefully receive a scholarship. I have listed typical issues in this debate and have commented on each. Review the points below, and then you decide if playing high school soccer is for you. 

Playing high school soccer is not the same caliber as club soccer. Generally true. However, many high schools have established winning traditions, and participate in competitive conferences that will challenge you and offer good playing opportunities. 

High school soccer conflicts with my club playing / training schedule. Generally true. However, life is full of conflicts and we must learn to deal with them. I have found even the most competitive club coaches realize there is a “high school soccer season” and will work to arrange practices so that conflicts do not occur or are minimized. Also, club games are generally on weekends whereas high school games are generally played during the week. Gather your club and high school practice and playing schedules early. It's now time to begin working on your negotiating skills and balance the needs of your club and high school coaches. 

Club coaches say their players’ skills “go down” in quality after playing the high school season. Give me a break! They only “go down” if the player lets his or her skills diminish. In fact, I feel that playing high school soccer could afford a fine opportunity to enhance existing skills or improve skills requiring improvement. Case in point. On his club and ODP team my son played left wing and left back. His strong points were dribbling, passing, crossing, defense and stamina. Offensively, he was a good assist type player and a so-so scoring threat. During his junior and senior years on his high school team he requested that the coach play him, which he agreed to, as an attacking central midfielder. He wanted to improve his goal scoring capabilities and improve his ability to “play quickly”, a trait required of a central midfielder. This opportunity probably would not have been available on his club team and more doubtful on his ODP team. It made him more of a multi-faceted player. 

Most college coaches do not scout high school games. For the most part, this is true. They look at college camps, ODP and Academy events, and college showcase tournaments first, then high school events. But many do view high school games, in particular those “close at hand” schools, and state high school semi-finals and finals, to view talent. The bottom line is that high school soccer still affords a stage to be “viewed”, and should be considered by you as another opportunity to be “seen”. 

More individual recognition comes through ODP credentials, winning club state / regional / national championships or winning prestigious tournaments than recognition received from high school soccer. To me, recognition is recognition. The players generally receiving attention from coaches have a lot of “hardware” on their mantle from several types of playing opportunities. Being a “Parade HS All-American”, “State Gatorade HS Player of the Year”, or having State, County, or City high school All- Star recognition is a good selling point on your resume. 

I read an article in which Mark Berson, the head coach at the University of South Carolina, was asked, “What do you look for in a player?” Berson replied, “I want a guy who loves to play. Clint Mathis is that kind of player. He will drop anything, just to play, even 2 vs. 2. It’s all important and good training, even small sided pick up games”. High school soccer is much more than a pick up game. It provides you an opportunity to increase your touches. It provides you an additional opportunity to be seen. It gives you an opportunity to experiment and become more of a multi-faceted player. In high school you get a chance to play with your former competitors from the club soccer world. Most importantly, you have a good time playing with and in front of your high school friends. From us to you, play high school soccer!

Rich Rydarowski 

**Clarification note: The author notes that he does not solely recommend high school soccer. Just that high school soccer is viewed as the low man on the priority totem pole in reference to club, high school, and ODP. He recommends to play along with all aforementioned stages if possible.

Thank you for all the engaging and considerate comments.  Nothing’s better than a good clean debate.

~Sam@bluesombrero.com