Nurturing athletes of the future – Yorkshire’s Club of the Year, Doncaster AC
Autumn has seen the return of the Regional Volunteer Awards, starting with the Yorkshire and Humberside region. Doncaster AC were celebrated as Club of the Year for their outstanding club community they have built. We heard from club volunteer, Pam Smith, as she shared her passion for the club community.
Building the foundations of a successful club
In order to create successful club, you must first have the right people and structures in place to thrive. A club with 7/7 Club Standards, Doncaster AC have put good governance at the forefront of their community, ensuring that everyone feels safe and is welcomed to the club. Achieving these important Standards have been driven forward by club chair, Kev Lincoln, and his passionate committee.
The tireless support of volunteers such as Kev and Pam, has been instrumental in their development.
“The people behind the scenes are so important,” explained Pam. “I am very proud to have got to 80 years of age and I still love it.”
Always putting the needs of the club first, Doncaster AC took a big leap of faith 13 years ago and signed a 25-year leasehold agreement for the facility from Doncaster Council, committing the future for the club and community.
Many people doubted that the club could survive but within two years, they have turned a £70,000 deficit into a £100,000 turnover through dedication and perseverance.
Welcoming the next generation
Ultimately, without any volunteers or members, the club would be a very empty place. However, Doncaster AC truly put the needs of all their different athletes, coaches, volunteers, parents and officials at the heart. Making the club accessible and welcoming is key from the outset, which Pam explained:
“The children are our future. We care for them, and it’s important they are in the club and enjoying themselves. They come from all walks of life, and we adapt to understand their needs and their culture.
“As a club, we are instrumental in the children’s development and giving them a good start. We motivate, encourage, discipline. We see progress with our young children who turn up aged five, clinging to their mum’s leg unable to run a lap. Then after a few weeks they are running around with new friends on their own. We hear from parents all the time about how we have helped their children. Even if we make a difference to one in 50 children, we’ve still had an impact. No matter how they perform, we have to lift and encourage them to try again and have fun.”
One way Doncaster AC make that transition for children to the club environment a little easier is through a buddy system, where new starters are given a buddy to show them the ropes, and make friends.
A club community for all
At the recent Yorkshire and Humberside awards, many clubs shared that due to competing commitments for parents, they are struggling with recruiting and retaining volunteers and coaches. Doncaster AC have really turned this around, and have made the club a wonderful, inviting place for all.
“The most important thing is to encourage and motivate the parents and grandparents who come with their children to be involved with the club. We encourage them to get involved in any way possible – no matter how small, every help counts and you can then build upon this. We have parents who give lifts to other children and help behind the scenes.”