Organizing and Leading a Church Sport League
By: Dale Lee

A sport league is organized to provide people the opportunity to enjoy the participation and competition of the designated sport. Several ways a Church Recreation Ministry (CRM) can relate to a sport league are:

1. Organize a sport league for which the CRM maintains control of the operation of the league and its rules.

2. The CRM can, through a collaborative effort partnership with other sponsors, organize and operate a sport league. The CRM will have limited control of the operation of the sport league.

3. The CRM sponsors a team that participates in a sport league that the CRM may not have a voice in how the sport league is operated.

Depending on the situation, each of the three previous listed sport league options can be a valid option for a CRM.

The one thing that is important to remember is that for the teams to be able to play, they must have a league. A well-organized and well-operated sport league can be a valid and an important ministry of the church.

Activities and Decisions Related to Organizing a Sport League
The following is a list of topics/situations that need to be considered as part of the activities of organizing a sport league. The list is not a complete list. Additions to the list may need to be made to reflect unique situations associated with a specific league.

* Select the sport to be played.

* Write a mission statement for the league.

* Identify the target audience for which the participating teams will draw players.

* Determine the league leaders and compose a written description of their duties.

* Identify the location where the league games/matches will be played.

* Define the expenses that will be used to establish the league’s entry fee for each team.

* Identify the minimum and maximum number of teams that can participate in the league.

* Decide if the league will operate with an odd number of teams. Scheduling of games and matches is easier if the league consists of an even number of teams.

* Secure copies of other leagues’ bylaws and rules to use as a model for developing the league’s bylaws and rules.

* Determine if liability insurance is needed to cover/protect the league, sponsors of the league, league leaders, league referees/umpires, league volunteers, etc.

* If the league’s target audiences are children and youth, determine league requirements for the qualifications of the league’s leaders and teams’ coaches/volunteers must meet.

* Determine the rules that will govern the league’s competition games or matches.

* Determine the equipment, uniform, balls, etc. that will be provide by the league. The expense of the equipment is to be covered by the league’s team fees.

* Establish a procedure for team coaches to file a grievance concerning the league rules, interpretation of the rules, etc.

* Establish the procedure for determining if a game will be postponed and how the team’s coach will be notified.

* Determine of a tournament will be a part of the number of games the league will provide for the teams.

* Establish the process that will be used to determine if a player or team can be removed from the league.

* Determine if the team’s coaches will be able to collectively determine or change the league bylaws.

* Determine if trophies will be awarded to teams and how the teams will be selected to receive the trophies.

* Determine the tie breaker process if needed to determine which team is ranked ahead of the other team if the win/lost records of the teams are the same.

* Determine how the preseason promotional information about the league will be distributed to newspapers, last year’s teams’ coaches, churches, potential players, etc.

* Determine how will the weekly league’s team standings be posted and distributed.

* Establish the requirements for filing a team roster with the league by the team’s coach and the changing of the team’s roster to reflect adding and removing a team member.

* Establish how a medical emergency will be handled during a league game.

Preseason Activities for a Sport League
League leaders will meet to review the upcoming league and identify any adjustments that need to be made. They will review the league’s end-of-season evaluation documentation to identify any changes that need to be made to the league. The league’s bylaws and supplemental rules need to be review for needed changes.

You will need to confirm the league season dates; that the facilities are available for the league to use and that the game officials will be available.

Is there anything that can be changed that will make the league more competitive with existing leagues and will make the league more responsive to its teams?

* Determine the league’s budget and the team entry fee.

* Prepare and distribute news releases that promote the league.

* Identify when the teams’ coaches meeting will be conducted.

* Establish the schedule for the participating teams. Be sure to include one or two make-up dates in the schedule in case games have to be postponed.

You should establish before there is a need the possible responses that can be implemented in case games are postponed due to weather conditions and unanticipated facilities’ conditions. Having a tentative response preplanned will enable adjustments to be quickly implemented.

Operating a Sport League after the Season Starts
If preseason planning was correctly done, the league should operate with few if any emergency meetings or phone calls. To keep the league operating smoothly, pay close attention to the operational activities during preseason and the first three weeks of the season.

The head of the league should be in contact with the other league’s leaders at least weekly to be updated about the status of the area of the league that each leader is responsible.

Evaluating a Sport League after the End of a Season
Conduct an end-of-season debriefing meeting to review the season of the league leaders. The current leagues’ team coaches may or may be included in the meeting. If they are not included, they need to be permitted to provide input to the meeting’s agenda. Document the topics discussed and decisions made.

If the game facilities are rented, be sure to receive commitment of the continued usage of the facilities for the next league’s season.

Contact the officials that conduct the games to determine if they will be available for the next season.

Finally, document any adjustment that is determined to be needed so the adjustment can be review by the league leaders as they make plans for the next league’s season.

Dale Lee operates the Learn More 2 Do More Internet Ministry, www.lm2dm.org, which strives to assist you and your church to be more effective in influencing your community.

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