There is no scientific method to create the right booster club leadership. Nor is there a magic formula that can transform one either. But strategic structuring and planning provides many opportunities to successfully manage a booster club. To best create and maintain a healthy booster club, is to have the right leadership structure in place to guarantee success.
Structures To Manage A Booster Club
Booster club leadership and management structure will determine how a booster club is managed and is based on a variety of factors such as the amount of funds raised, responsibility in tackling the workload, event planning, the number of supporters to maintain and much more.
Factors like these are key because they will affect how many people are needed in leadership to manage a booster club. These factors will reveal what specific roles are required to meet a boost club’s currents needs, and also their future needs to expand the club.
Small vs. Large Management Structures To Manage A Booster Club
Booster club management structure is the organizational system where specific members of the booster club are put in designated leadership positions as officers that entail specific responsibilities. Some examples of these positions include: president, vice president, treasurer, secretary, marketing director and more. All of these positions make up the structure that manages a booster club. Additionally, all of these positions work collaboratively together to manage a booster club.
Just as each booster club is different, each club’s structure will be different as well. Some clubs will need only one member acting as the president as a one person show or maybe just two members. Others that are larger may require a full house with multiple members serving in different roles. Each comes with their own pros and cons such as the ones listed below.
Small Management Structure
Pros
- Easy internal collaboration: easier to collaborate and work with fewer people
- Easy collaboration externally: easy to work with schools and other groups outside of club
- Smaller costs of operations
Cons
- Larger workload on members to maintain and run club: a small booster club leadership structure presents more duties for the leadership as they manage a booster club
- Due to smaller structure, the leadership must be able to work in a variety of roles, and may not be able to put all of their full effort into just one
- If the president of the club is dysfunctional, or not doing a good job the organization will reflect it with little to no accountability.
Large Management Structure
Pros
- Easy to tackle heavier workload and larger projects
- Each member has their own responsibility in their role and is able to focus and put more time into it
- More members equal more accountability for the operation and presentation of the booster club
Cons
- Can be difficult within planning and collaboration, both internally and externally with so many positions
- Will take longer to make decisions and plan with more thoughts and opinions present
The examples above are just a few reasons for and against smaller and larger structured booster clubs. While one may look obvious here, be sure to pay attention to your own needs and situation to make sure you are able to equip the best structure to manage a booster club.
Management Structure Timeline
Booster club management structure can follow a predetermined timeline or fluctuate depending on current needs. When making a leadership structure it might be best to start with a top down approach to manage a booster club. Starting with a president to oversee the club and all its responsibilities. Next you will bring in a VP to share the workload and then delegate specific positions around roles such as: Treasurer (oversee finances), Marketing Director (handles promotions, and advertising), or Director of Fundraising (oversee and brainstorms fundraising ideas/events).
When to Expand
Many booster clubs find themselves in a small structure then realize they need to expand to meet a higher demand through their booster club leadership. If this is you and you are wondering when to expand, then it might be during these key times
- When a role that you are doing is becoming more time intensive and taking time away from another duty. You might want to bring someone on to fulfill a specific role full time to give you more freedom to focus on one task.
- If you want to grow your booster club’s impact in a huge you may want to fill/create new positions to help you reach more people and grow exponentially
- You are growing at a fast pace and need help keeping up with the growing donations and workload.
For clubs with larger leadership structure, they need to be careful in evaluating their expansion. Larger booster club management does not want to add too many positions to clutter the organization and create dysfunction. But instead they should evaluate carefully on when to delegate responsibility to an existing role and when to bring on a new leadership position to the team.
Planning Roles to be Filled in the Future
For up and coming booster clubs or small structure clubs that are seeking to grow, one of the best ways to both operate in the moment while also setting up for the future is to plan booster club management positions and leadership roles to be filled in the future.
Planning roles for the future is a great way to manage a booster club, for clubs that have both small and larger leadership structures, and prepare them for the future.
Creating Roles due to Circumstances
Circumstances surrounding each booster club are different and will need proper discernment based on each club’s growth. Some clubs will grow faster, and require new positions to be created immediately. Others will grow slower and will add positions only when needed to fill new obligations.
Smaller booster clubs might want to think of how they can delegate tasks to individuals to free up workload and focus on specific tasks. While larger clubs will consider what new positions can they create to add value to their already expansive team.
Creating Roles in Advance
Additionally, a booster club may plan a new leadership structure along with new booster club management positions in advance to meet their growing needs and be prepared.
For example let’s say a booster club’s donations are increasing steadily. The president and sole member can handle the financial work of the club but is growing more and more flustered with the work. He may decide to bring on a treasurer to oversee their finances in the coming year. By planning in advance it gives him time to choose the right candidate as well as make a smooth transition of the role.
Success is the Proper Structure to Manage a Booster Club
While you can’t predict the future in regards to your booster club you can have a proper understanding of its structure to help you best adapt. By understanding different roles and key positions along with the timing and structuring of them, you will be able to successfully tailor make your club and dress it for success with the right leadership to manage a booster club.
