By Linda Wood Edwards
In my work with boards across Canada, I hear a common theme about the desire (and need) to engage younger members. The club alumni associations that form part of the CFL Alumni Association board of directors are certainly part of that conversation. And while each has unique aspects (quirks?), they all exist to help CFL alumni, to support minor football, and to lend support to local charitable causes. In addition, they all have a board, and many of those boards are run by dedicated people who have been alumni for a long time. It is rarer that these boards have “young alumni” (i.e., 10 years out or less).
We know that younger alumni have different interests and are more diverse than those who trod the path before them. We know that diversity, equity, and inclusion are on everyone’s radar as well. Alumni sit around the table and ask, “What aren’t they participating? After all, this always worked before!” The frustration is compounded by the fact that seasoned alumni are – quite frankly — getting tired. Many are ready to hand over the reigns to someone who isn’t going to screw up everything they built. This may look like a challenge for club alumni associations in terms of membership, programming, and governance but it is really a terrific opportunity! How do we facilitate a meeting of the minds? Here are a few ideas:
Give Them Time
Athletes are so competitive that it can take literally years until former players even accept that they have joined the ranks of the “alumni.” In professional sports, we know that few players enter the alumni realm willingly. So we need to give them some time to get used to the idea. As they are pondering their next steps in life, keep them in the loop of what you’re up to but don’t try to upsell them on the joys and benefits of having played this great game. They just aren’t there yet, emotionally.
Delegate Responsibility
Name a Coordinator/Committee to create programs that will activate younger alumni. I advise stopping short of “exclusive programming” for younger alumni. While they may engage, in the long run it doesn’t serve anyone to divide an already small(ish) group. The benefit of being an alumnus is in being part of a strong collective, not about further dividing. Have personal contact. Invite them out. Be on hand to greet and introduce them when they do eventually show up.
Don’t Forget the Builders
Ideas from/for younger alumni will also appeal to some of the other alumni. Track who attends what. How many more younger alumni participated? How many of your builders/old(er) guard disengaged because of the new program/idea/approach. Adjust accordingly and try again.
Socialize
Some Clubs are successful at organizing social events such as happy hours, athletic events, wine/beer/scotch tours and tastings, poker nights, etc. Remember to look for behind the scenes opportunities as well — trendy stuff you’ve not tried before. Sure, golf tournaments are good and they can raise some serious cash for your causes, but there is so much more you could try.
Life Cycle
Younger alumni may not have the financial resources older alumni do (depending on player contracts and how guys spent their off-hours from football, obviously). Consider free/discounted club alumni association memberships for a year or two; or tiered pricing for alumni events; or incentives for referring other alumni to join (e.g., get 2 team mates to join and your membership is free). Also, when planning your meetings, be mindful of the work hours of younger alumni as they may not have the flexibility that older alumni have.
Wired
Younger alumni are wired up, so your club alumni association’s website (please tell me you have one!) needs to be current and spiffy. Connect with them electronically using several social media platforms and make it easy for them to pay member dues, program registration fees, etc. immediately and on-line (this also decreases your accounts receivable and bad debts).
Consider links from you Club website to alumni’s personal web pages and to an on-line club member directory, etc. If you are intimidated by technology, then ask a younger alumnus to become your club’s electronic/social media guy.
Strong Bodies
Younger alumni are likely in better shape than the rest of us. Offer some outdoor/ athletic activities–hiking, skiing, snow shoeing, road races, wall climbing, etc. Create a competitive challenge within your club alumni association.
Service
Consider an alumni community service project/day/event. I work with a group who does Habitat for Humanity builds when one comes up in their region. Primarily younger members participated, but the entire organization benefitted, and the younger ones felt engaged and like they were part of something bigger. End your service events with a social that all alumni are invited to, whether or not they participated.
Recognition and Renewal
Volunteer recognition is important, especially for younger people. If you’ve been on your club’s board for 15 years, you may not need another certificate of recognition (signed by yourself!), but younger alumni thrive on acknowledgement. So do it, because they may become your club president one day and give you that well-deserved break. If you named a Coordinator to attract younger alumni, then put that person on your board (Note: This may involve a bylaws amendment). Encourage term limits so that your Club’s board renews and refreshes with (some) regularity. If older alumni want to stick around, I’m quite confident there is committee or project work for them.
Continuing Education
A networking event or seminar on current business and technology trends, or a “financial check up” panel, can be a way to attract younger alumni. You may even want to involve current players in this (but check with the Team and the CFLPA first). Also look to programs and services already set up by the CFLAA, the CFLPA, and/or the CFL (e.g., Athabasca University).
Success Breeds Success
Tack a club alumni association activity on to something that is already happening in your community (e.g., festivals, exhibitions, sporting events, openings, public lectures). Check your community calendar and see what’s coming up. This is a really easy and efficient way of offering great value with very little risk.
Connection
Younger alumni are potential club volunteers. Keep them connected by ensuring they are on your mail/email lists about your AGMs, programs, events, volunteer opportunities, appearances, etc. Have someone reach out personally to make an invitation. Feeling welcome is huge, even when we act like it’s no big deal.
Share
Every Club is looking for new and innovative ways to attract and involve younger alumni. Leverage your club alumni association’s membership in the Canadian Football League Alumni Association (CFLAA). All members share current/best practices and there is some great stuff going on across the country. Talk up your successes, share your pitfalls, and grab onto great ideas coming from elsewhere. Also, consider surveying younger alumni and ask what they would value. Don’t forget to reach out to alumni who have recently moved into your area, no matter which team they played for.
I hope these ideas got you thinking about how you can engage younger alumni. Some came from experience, others from Yale University (sports alumni’s needs aren’t so different). Here’s the Yale article, FYI http://www.aya.yale.edu/content/recruiting-young-alumni
In the meantime, keep up the great work! If there’s something I can do to help you do it even better, please let me know.
Linda
Linda Wood Edwards, CAE, B.Admin, FCG
LUE-42 Enterprises
PO Box 11021, Station Main
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3K3
Tel 780-918-4200
Email Linda@LUE42.com
www.LUE42.com
Recent Comments