Readers Interview: Sanjaye (Mauritius)
In order to create an online platform to exchange information between our readers, we’ve started with interviews with our readers. They all work in sports, and therefore have experience to share with all of us. Name: Sanjaye Goboodun Country: Mauritius Function within your sport organization: 1st Vice President NOC Mauritius President National Olympic Academy Co Chair Sport & Environment Commission Secretary Mauritius Badminton Association Current employer: Chemical Engineer Most practiced sports in Mauritius: Football 1.How did you come involved in your sport organization, and what kind of tasks/functions do you have? Well I started my sport life as a badminton athlete. Had to stop sport career due to academic studies and joined in again as technical official and administrator. Afterwards through various stages I got elected in the National Olympic Committee (NOC). Within the badminton association I have to look over the secretarial aspects of the board meetings and office duties. At the NOC I am mainly responsible for promotion of Olympic values throughout our sporting realm. 2. What is the biggest challenge you currently have? Our biggest challenge here is to provide athletes the needed environment for them to prosper. It is not always easy to have all complementary requirements that the sport organization /athletes need to succeed. There will always be some missing links and we, as administrators, have to manage with what we have and make thing happens. 3. People often underestimate being a volunteer working in sports management. What do you think are the most important characteristics for a volunteer responsible for sports administration? I firmly believe that the most important aspect for us volunteers is to self questioned our commitment taken towards our sport organization. Voluntarism is not imposed. It is a choice and in doing so we have to be committed. It doesn’t take great men or women to do great things, just those who are greatly dedicated to doing them! 4. Does your sport organization make use of facebook, social media and websites ? Unfortunately use of social media or websites is quite limited here in Mauritius. It’s not that we don’t have the necessary devices or know-how but we still need to be more organized, structured and professional in introducing these tools as a means of disseminating information and communication with our stakeholders. 5. Do you have any favorite sport management resources (books, films, magazines or websites?) Resources and community of practice developed through the Olympic Solidarity MEMOS study (Executive...
28 Rules
We all have experienced Murphy’s Law in our sports organization. You have either a big sport competition, seminar or trip, and a small thing happens, and sets off a whole chain of other problems and obstacles. I personally do not believe in superstition, but I have mentioned “Murphy Law” in the past on numerous occasions. The best way to explain this law is like “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong”. Well, recently I listened to a presentation of Peter Diamandis, who does not believe in such a law. In fact, he wrote 28 Rules who are too good not to share. Read everyone of them, and just remember them next time you fall into a negative spiral. If anything can go wrong, Fix It!!… to hell with Murphy! When given a choice… take both!! Multiple projects lead to multiple successes. Start at the top, then work your way up. Do it by the book… but be the author! When forced to compromise, ask for more. If you can’t win, change the rules. If you can’t change the rules, then ignore them. Perfection is not optional. When faced without a challenge, make one. “No” simply means begin again at one level higher. Don’t walk when you can run. When in doubt: THINK! Patience is a virtue, but persistence to the point of success is a blessing. The squeaky wheel gets replaced. The faster you move, the slower time passes, the longer you live. The best way to predict the future is to create it yourself! The ratio of something to nothing is infinite. You get what you incentivize. If you think it is impossible, then it is… for you. An expert is someone who can tell you exactly how it can’t be done. The day before something is a breakthrough, it’s a crazy idea. If it were easy it would have been done already. Without a target you’ll miss it every time. Fail early, fail often, fail forward! If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it. The world’s most precious resource is the persistent and passionate human mind. Bureaucracy is an obstacle to conquer with persistence, confidence and a bulldozer when necessary. Copyright, 1986, 2009, Peter H. Diamandis, All Rights...
Sports Illustrated winner Kids of the year 2012
I normally don’t pay so much attention to the nomination of the Sports Illustrated prizes of the year, as they normally go to the best playing basketball player, baseball player or other multimillionaire athlete. For last year it seemed to be the same, as Lebron James was named the winner. He didn’t agree though, and said that the brothers Conner and Cayden Long, deserved this title more than anybody. After seeing this video, I am sure that you’ll agree. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_Lax4zFFoA...
The biggest sportmanagement mistake in small organizations
I am sure that you recognize this: A motivated group of people, most of the time headed by an amateur coach (=passionate sports lover), who runs a sports organization like a club, an after-school program or a community sports project. It always starts with just having fun, and then suddenly you want to enter a competition, travel abroad with your athletes, or perhaps affiliate to a national governing body to become eligible for funding. You then realize that you need to have your documents (constitution, member administration, strategic plan) in order, and operate like a ‘real’ organization. The stress is reaching higher levels, because obviously there is a deadline (to travel, to enter a competition or to send your application for subsidy). So what do you do? What I see happening all the time, is that people reach to former athletes in that same sport. Athletes are asked to get on board, and assume the position of president, secretary or worst case the treasurer. “It’s like asking a car mechanic to get in the board of a racecar team” I am sure that majority of the car mechanics (with all respect) do not have a clue of management. The fact that a former athlete had a good career on the field, does not mean that he/she has the ability to work with numbers, think strategically or do the marketing of your sports organization. It would be of course tremendous if you can get an athlete who also have the most important characteristics of a sports administrator, but what are the chances? There is one situation though, where it would be excellent to have a former athlete in your team. Situations where you need (public) attention for your sports or event, are ideal to attract former athletes. So you are not using any of his/her theoretical knowledge, but you are benefitting from his already established positive image. I consider this more as a temporary task, than a longterm decision in favor or the growth of your sports organization. What do you think? Do you see any other big mistakes in sports management? I would appreciate it if you could share them in the comment section...
Make your goals S.M.A.R.T !
If you are part of a sport organization, you are probably participating in meetings. I want to ask you to analyze the next couple of meetings you attend, and count the number of ideas that are being brought forward. We all have ideas about how the development of our athlete, team, club, association or federation should take place, but one idea is definitely better than the other. Goals often start with brainstorming. This is not always necessary, but it stimulates the interaction between your colleagues. Basically there is only one rule with brainstorming, and that is that as long as everybody stays within the topic “there are no limitations to the ideas”. You just shoot off any idea, and do not allow small thinking taking over. It is fun, and one impossible idea will lead to another, which may seem more realistic to achieve. But what is next? Your sports organization has a good idea, but how do you make it really happen? What happens a lot is that a commission is installed to realize the goal or project. But then people get busy with their daily lives, don’t have the time for this idea or perhaps blame others for not having followed up on the goal…..does this looks familiar? In my opinion this is lack of making the goals S.M.A.R.T. ( introduced by G. T. Doran 1981) SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-sensitive. I will explain SMART goals with the example of a sport organization aiming to get a sponsor. Don’t make the common mistake by asking a student to make a marketing plan, or start sending sponsor requests immediately! My advice to you is to start asking yourself the following questions: Is your goal SPECIFIC? What do you want to accomplish with a sponsor? What kind of sponsor do you want. Do you only aim for financial sponsoring, or would Value in Kind, give you the same benefits? What kind of business areas will you target for this sponsor and why? If you have specific answers on these questions you can move to the next aspect. Is your goal MEASURABLE? If you do not make your goal measurable, you will never know whether you are making progress towards the successful completion of your goal. What sponsor budget are you aiming for? Would you also take two smaller sponsors for 50% of the budget? How big/popular should the sponsoring organization be? Regional, national or international...
Readers Interview: Nahid Karimi (Iran)
In order to create an online platform to exchange information between our readers, we’ve started with interviews with our readers. They all work in sports, and therefore have experience to share with all of us. Name: Nahid Karimi Country: Iran Function within your sport organization: Project Officer Development for Olympic Solidarity Programs Current employer: Olympic Committee of Iran Most practiced male sport for men: Football for women:Martial Art,s Shooting, Archery and Football 1.How did you come involved in your sport organization, and what kind of tasks/functions do you have? I got involved by my husband at first about 16 years ago. I worked in different NOC’s departments and for the past 12 years I have been working in Olympic Solidarity department. 2. What is the biggest challenge you currently have? Changing the sports managerial positions repeatedly within a short period of time. 3. People often underestimate being a volunteer working in sports management. What do you think are the most important characteristics for a volunteer responsible for sports administration? Necessary knowledge about that specific field in sport as well as enough motivation and interest. 4. Does your sport organization make use of facebook, social media and websites ? We make use of social media and websites. Our public relations department is mainly involved. Our websites is linked with major sport bodies of the country. www.olympic.ir 5. Do you have any favorite sport management resources (books, films, magazines or websites?) Yes, books, films, and websites. We have a rich Sport Library in the National Olympic Academy of IR.IRAN 6. What is your most memorable moment in Sports? When I conducted an O.S. Sport Administration Course for NOC’s Tajikistan 1999. 7. How do companies and potential sponsors see your sport? And how does this affect your approach towards them? They don’t have great interest to cooperate with us, because we have not made enough effort to present our products. We shall raise our knowledge in marketing and try harder to make known the values and benefits of our OSO. 8. What do you consider as biggest threat for your sport, and why? Putting the sports officials who are not aware of sport management in key managerial position. 9. Where do you see your sport in 10 years? Will you still be part of the organization? Considering the large number of knowledgeable interested persons who are active in sport area in our country, we can anticipate a bright future. Yes, I...
10 Management lessons from the Olympics
During the beginning of August I attended the Olympic Games in London, which were my second Olympics. My first experience were four years ago in Beijing (China), which ended like a nightmare as our best athlete was disqualified on the 200m, and therefore lost his silver medal. After a week he got the medal from the USA runner who didn’t feel that he deserved the medal. If you want to know more about this story you can watch this short video. It is an experience that I will never forget in my life. Obviously there are millions invested in the Games, and as such it is one of the most professional events that you’ll ever see. My attendance at the London Games gave me the possibility to: analyze different aspects of the Olympic Games and compare it with other (inter)national events that I attended as part of my profession. Looking back I would like to share the following 10 points, which are valuable for any sport organization to think about. 1. Re-evaluate your logo You can divide the people taking pictures during the Olympics in three general groups: it is either with an athlete during a competition it is standing next to the Olympic Rings I was wondering what exactly the reason is for people to take pictures with the brand. They were definitely not taking pictures with the Coca-Cola or McDonalds logos, so that got me thinking! The following reasons are possible: People want to have proof that they were really at the Olympics People identify with the brand and the Olympic philosophy The scarcity of the visibility of the rings gives the Olympic logo more value compared to other logos Without really knowing the reason, it is a fact that the rings are one of the most recognized brands in the world. At the Olympics of 1932 (Los Angeles) the rings were used for the first time. So this brand has been gaining popularity over the last 70 years! Now what can you take from this for your own sport organization? Re-evaluate your logo (as part of your brand) and ask yourself whether it stands for something. Is it a lot of clutter with many colors, or is it simple and modern? The most important aspect is that it should be recognizable, and you should use it everywhere……on your letters, in your emails, on your flyers, press releases…EVERYWHERE! Can you imagine how powerful your sports and organization...
Readers Interview: Martin Gleeson (Cricket)
In order to create an online platform to exchange information between our readers, we’ve started with biweekly interviews with our readers. They all work in sports, and therefore have experience to share with all of us. Name: Martin Gleeson Country: India Function within your sport organization: Chief Executive Officer, Sports Education Development India Ltd. A sports education specialist Current profession/ job: Level 3 Cricket Coach from Australia Company profile:Cricket India Academy established three years ago in 2009 has a strong hold today, in the field of sports education. Cricket India Academy came up with this unique concept of offering a cricket education program to budding cricketing talent in a nation which eats, drinks and breathes cricket. The program, currently being run in 16 centres across Mumbai, Pune and Jaipur with over 800 participants, is set to begin its innings in Chennai and Surat very soon. 1. How did you come involved in your sport organization, and what kind of tasks/functions do you have? I started my professional career in retail as the Manager for Sportsco Northland before entering professional cricket administration in 1999. I spent almost five years at Cricket Victoria, firstly as Regional Cricket Manager for the Inner East Metro region before earning promotion to Youth Programs Manager. From Cricket Victoria, I was the East Asia – Pacific Development Officer for the International Cricket Council developing cricket structures, high performance programs and astute governance in countries such as Japan, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Vanuatu, etc. before being recruited by Cricket Australia as Senior Officer – Coach Education & Training. Within ten months, I was promoted to Coaching Services Manager managing Cricket Australia’s coach education programs, activities and over 10,000 accredited members. After 12 months in this role, I stepped into the newly created role of Coaching Program Manager for Cricket Australia’s International Development Program servicing Cricket Australia’s agreements abroad. Having project managed the development of the Cricket Education Program (CEP) in this role, I was recruited in February 2010 by Sports Education Development India Ltd to implement and grow the program across India. Cricket Education Program is a six level curriculum-based sequential cricket development program for 9-14 year old boys and girls. I am a Cricket Australia accredited Level Three coach with a strong cricket, coaching and teaching background. I am also a faculty member of the Post Graduate Diploma in Sports Management at the International Institute of Sports Management at Jai Hind College in...
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Readers Interview: Sanjaye (Mauritius)
In order to create an online platform to exchange information between our readers, we’ve started with interviews with our readers. They all work in sports, and therefore have experience to share with all of us. Name: Sanjaye Goboodun Country: Mauritius Function within your sport organization: 1st Vice President NOC Mauritius President National Olympic Academy Co Chair Sport & Environment Commission Secretary Mauritius Badminton Association Current employer: Chemical Engineer Most practiced sports in Mauritius: Football 1.How did you come involved in your sport organization, and what kind of tasks/functions do you have? Well I started my sport life as a badminton athlete. Had to stop sport career due to academic studies and joined in again as technical official and administrator. Afterwards through various stages I got elected in the National Olympic Committee (NOC). Within the badminton association I have to look over the secretarial aspects of the board meetings and office duties. At the NOC I am mainly responsible for promotion of Olympic values throughout our sporting realm. 2. What is the biggest challenge you currently have? Our biggest challenge here is to provide athletes the needed environment for them to prosper. It is not always easy to have all complementary requirements that the sport organization /athletes need to succeed. There will always be...
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28 Rules
We all have experienced Murphy’s Law in our sports organization. You have either a big sport competition, seminar or trip, and a small thing happens, and sets off a whole chain of other problems and obstacles. I personally do not believe in superstition, but I have mentioned “Murphy Law” in the past on numerous occasions. The best way to explain this law is like “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong”. Well, recently I listened to a presentation of Peter Diamandis, who does not believe in such a law. In fact, he wrote 28 Rules who are too good not to share. Read everyone of them, and just remember them next time you fall into a negative spiral. If anything can go wrong, Fix It!!… to hell with Murphy! When given a choice… take both!! Multiple projects lead to multiple successes. Start at the top, then work your way up. Do it by the book… but be the author! When forced to compromise, ask for more. If you can’t win, change the rules. If you can’t change the rules, then ignore them. Perfection is not optional. When faced without a challenge, make one. “No” simply means begin again at one level higher. Don’t walk when you can run. When in doubt: THINK! Patience...
Read More
Sports Illustrated winner Kids of the year 2012
I normally don’t pay so much attention to the nomination of the Sports Illustrated prizes of the year, as they normally go to the best playing basketball player, baseball player or other multimillionaire athlete. For last year it seemed to be the same, as Lebron James was named the winner. He didn’t agree though, and said that the brothers Conner and Cayden Long, deserved this title more than anybody. After seeing this video, I am sure that you’ll agree....
Read More
The biggest sportmanagement mistake in small organizations
I am sure that you recognize this: A motivated group of people, most of the time headed by an amateur coach (=passionate sports lover), who runs a sports organization like a club, an after-school program or a community sports project. It always starts with just having fun, and then suddenly you want to enter a competition, travel abroad with your athletes, or perhaps affiliate to a national governing body to become eligible for funding. You then realize that you...
Read More
Make your goals S.M.A.R.T !
If you are part of a sport organization, you are probably participating in meetings. I want to ask you to analyze the next couple of meetings you attend, and count the number of ideas that are being brought forward. We all have ideas about how the development of our athlete, team, club, association or federation should take place, but one idea is definitely better than the other. Goals often start with brainstorming. This is not always necessary, but it...
Read More
Readers Interview: Nahid Karimi (Iran)
In order to create an online platform to exchange information between our readers, we’ve started with interviews with our readers. They all work in sports, and therefore have experience to share with all of us. Name: Nahid Karimi Country: Iran Function within your sport organization: Project Officer Development for Olympic Solidarity Programs Current employer: Olympic Committee of Iran Most practiced male sport for men: Football for women:Martial Art,s Shooting, Archery and Football 1.How did you come involved in your...
Read More
10 Management lessons from the Olympics
During the beginning of August I attended the Olympic Games in London, which were my second Olympics. My first experience were four years ago in Beijing (China), which ended like a nightmare as our best athlete was disqualified on the 200m, and therefore lost his silver medal. After a week he got the medal from the USA runner who didn’t feel that he deserved the medal. If you want to know more about this story you can watch this...
Read More
Readers Interview: Martin Gleeson (Cricket)
In order to create an online platform to exchange information between our readers, we’ve started with biweekly interviews with our readers. They all work in sports, and therefore have experience to share with all of us. Name: Martin Gleeson Country: India Function within your sport organization: Chief Executive Officer, Sports Education Development India Ltd. A sports education specialist Current profession/ job: Level 3 Cricket Coach from Australia Company profile:Cricket India Academy established three years ago in 2009...
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Olympic memories
This Mastermind Sports Management is an online international group of professionals. On a monthly basis they will share their opinion on a certain topic. You can look at the background of each mastermind by going here. June 2012 topic: “Olympic Memories” In a month the Olymic Games will be organized in the city of London. Our members of the Mastermind Sportmanagemetn all have their experiences with the Olympics. Dennis Miller (Fiji) Well I have quite a few great...
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Sport Management Interview
The beauty of the internet is that if you are open to it, you can make connections with very kind people. I always look out to connect with people who have an interesting story to share, especially about sports and management. I was pleasantly surprised when I received an email from Brandon Yeager, with the request to do an interview. The introduction of the video takes about 50 seconds, and then the actual interview starts. Brandon does interviews with...
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