Welcome to 2023! To kick start this year, Michael and Steve are embarking on a new mini-series of Basket Case Clubs talking all things club planning, to help you reset and realign your club's values in the new year. At this time of year, we always hear people talking about 'restarting', but what about simply resetting? Sometimes, all we need is a simple reset. To help you reset this year, the Basket Case Bros will be bringing it back to the basics; your WHY. This is one of, if not THE most important aspects of your club. Knowing your WHY helps you unlock a new level of skill and knowledge, helps you attract people to your club who share the same values, and helps your club become the best version of itself. So, what are you waiting for? Jump into the first episode of this exciting new series filled with Basket Case-y Goodness, and figure out your WHY!
Ep 53: Kicking out the egos
In this episode of Basket Case Clubs, Steve sits down with another Showcase Club to hear about their journey from being a junior-centric rugby league club to becoming an all round club that knows how to pick the right people for the right roles. The committee at West Mitchelton Rugby League Football Club has seen a lot in their time, which is why they have implemented a 'No D!#khead policy'. They have learnt (albeit the hard way), how important it is to get rid of egos in the club, before the egos get rid of the club itself. Tune in to this episode to hear what West Mitchelton RLFC has to offer, from the importance of connections in your community to being able to give back in more ways than one. This journey is definitely one you want to hear!
Ep 52: A Showcase Club's journey from near bankruptcy
It’s time to showcase another amazing club: Bellbowrie Sports and Community Club. These guys have truly seen it all, from floods, to near bankruptcy, to having to re-mortgage their own houses to get the club back on track. Bellbowrie Sports and Community Club has an inspiring story that will make you realise you are not alone. Steve sat down with Kelvin Hastie, the club's president, to chat about where the club has been and where they plan to go, and it was an unbelievable interview! If you have ever felt as though your club has nowhere to go, grab your headphones and your favourite snack and tune in to this episode. The Basket Case Bros are super excited for you to hear all about Kelvin's story.
Ep 51: Life on the Other Side: One Secretary's Story of Moving On
In this special episode, Basket Case Bro Michael sits down with Stacey Williamson - the ex-secretary of BMX Far North Queensland. Stacey talks about what it took to step away from her position as Secretary of the Zone, and the rollercoaster of emotions that came with it. Join this episode to hear about the importance of a good handover and leaving a positive mark, as well as Stacey’s best experiences in her role. This interview will leave you feeling inspired, and give you a deeper understanding of the journey that all volunteers experience.
Ep 50: The Golden Episode - Let's Take a Trip Down Memory Lane
Holy smokes - it's been 50 episodes of Basket Case Clubs! Join Michael and Steve for this Golden Episode as the Basket Case Bros get on their soap box for the 50th time... wow, time really does fly when you're having fun! Way back in March 2020, as the world was coming to grips with COVID-19 the pandemic, some clubs jumped on the front foot and took action. This inspired the Basket Case Bros to interview some incredible Showcase Clubs, to let people know that they are not alone, and that it’s never too late to turn a Basket Case Club into a Showcase Club. From there, we have been on a crazy and wonderful journey of basket-casey-goodness! Whether you’re walking your dog, dropping the kids to school, or simply sitting on the couch with a glass of wine, settle in to listen to this trip down memory lane!
Thanks for sticking with us on this journey of 50 episodes, and we look forward to the next 50 with you all!
- The Basket Case Bros
Ep 49: Setting the RIGHT fees for your club
Clubs often sell them selves short... literally! Why is it that so many clubs have become unsustainably 'cheap'? It's mostly because they’re scared to step on any toes. If this sounds familiar, then this episode of Basket Case Clubs can NOT be missed. Michael and Steve (aka the Basket Case Bros) delve deeper into the importance of setting club and membership fees that accurately reflect both the demands of the economy, and the changes in the costs of running a business. In this episode, Michael and Steve refer to a handy template that you can access simply by emailing info@cprgroup.com.au, or sending in a request through our website at cprgroup.com.au. The need for setting the RIGHT membership prices has never been more important, so grab your headphones and settle in for this episode. But be prepared for some hard truths… and of course some Basket Casey Goodness.
Ep 48: The Price-Sensitive Nature of Clubs
Just because you can’t buy a 30c ice cream from Macca’s anymore, doesn’t mean you’ve stopped buying them, right? The same goes for your club! If you mark up your prices, it doesn’t mean that people aren’t going to join. It simply means that the people who do join can gain an appreciation of the great services you provide! In this episode of Basket Case Clubs, Michael and Steve discuss how the price-sensitive nature of clubs can limit their ability to grow and branch out to a wider community of members. There’s so much more to your club than just the price that members have to pay. If you want to get a better understanding of value proposition and how to set your prices, then jump on in and have a listen to this episode full of basket case-y goodness!
Ep 47: Can we wind up yet?
Winding up a club or association can be a difficult and emotional process. Whilst it's never going to be easy, there are measures that can make it a little less painful. This week, the Basket Case Bros introduce another member of the team at CPR Group - Matt McEwan (Macca) to take you through all things winding up, and explain ways to do so that don't end up so basket-casey. So let yourself wind down as you tune into this week's episode all about winding up. Enjoy!
Ep 46: A stroll down memory lane: Chatting with the founders of CPR Group
This weeks episode of Basket Case Clubs is a little different as Michael interviews the 2 founders of CPR Group, Suzelie and Peter Connelly. Hear everything about the start of CPR Group and how the organisation has changed over the past 25 years - a quarter of a century! Pop on your headphones and grab a tasty treat as you travel back in time to hear all about CPR Group.
Ep 45: Our president quit! What do we do? Filling casual vacancies on committees
In this week's episode, the Basket Case Bros discuss casual (not causal) vacancies on committees. When it comes to filling a vacant position on a committee, Michael and Steve have seen it all - from clubs that think they have to shut up shop just because they can't fill a non-essential role, to committees who don't want to make any tough decisions, so instead get the members to decide everything for them. No matter which end of the 'casual vacancies' spectrum you're on, Michael and Steve are here to talk you through how to avoid under (or over) cooking your process for filling vacant positions. With the help of the late Nick Renton (aka the man who knew everything there was to know about meetings and organisations), Basket Case Clubs will guide you through everything you need to know, so grab your favourite drink, chuck on those headphones, and join in on this week's episode!
Ep 44: Sanctioning bad behaviour; the right way to take action against dodgy decisions
Sometimes good people on a committee need to be protected against damaging external influences. But, sometimes it's the people on the committee that are doing the damage... In this episode, Michael and Steve talk about the right way to overturn dodgy decisions, and how to censure bad behaviour. But ALWAYS remember, no matter what.…. don't be a D*@K!
Ep 43: Conflicts of Interests; the good, the bad, and the funny 😉
No matter the kind of volunteer work you do, or the organisation in which you volunteer, conflicts of interests arise more often than you might think! Join Michael and Steve in this week's episode where they give their tips and tricks (from years in the trade) on how to recognise conflicts of interests, and how your constitution could do with a tweak to deal with them when they inevitably arise. What are you waiting for?! Put your headphones on and buckle up for another episode filled with Basket Case-y Goodness!
Ep 42: Sponsorship is Marketing: Why you should help your sponsors sell more of their stuff!
The journey of marketing in clubs continues! Join Michael and Steve in this week's episode where they discuss how clubs should see sponsorship as a form of marketing. It can be hard in clubs to recognise the difference between donations and sponsorships, which makes it important to know how a club should help market their sponsor’s goods and services. That's why Michael and Steve take you through how sponsorship is a business unit, not just part of your fundraising, and how to build social awareness and brand awareness for your sponsors.
P.S. Michael and Steve refer to a handy visual-aid which you can follow along during the episode, or refer back too afterwards. To get your hands on this visual-aid, either send us a message via our 'Contact Us' section on our website at www.cprgroup.com.au/contact or send an email to info@cprgroup.com.au and we will send it out to you.
Enjoy this week's episode filled with Basket Case-y Goodness!
Ep 41: Marketing for members; Facebook's good, word-of-mouth is best
Using digital marketing has become a staple in todays world for businesses and organisations to make sales and attract new customers, however, nothing can ever beat the trusty ol' word-of-mouth. Dive in to this episode with Michael and Steve as they unveil how to EFFECTIVELY use digital marketing to get people talking about your club to grow membership.
Ep 40: Marketing for New Members: How it’s ok for clubs to get EXCLUSIVE
Who are your club’s ideal members? What drives them and why would they want to be involved? And how many members can you really accommodate anyway? When you think about it, your club is not the same as any other, and that is likely the reason you attract the members you do. In this episode, Michael and Steve continue their discussion about club marketing and the value of knowing who your marketing should target. While it’s great to have an INCLUSIVE club, join the Basket Case Bros for this episode as they help you figure out the best people to seek to include in the first place!
Ep 39: Club Marketing: Canteens - making sure you’re getting more than just crumbs
Clubs tend not to do it; marketing opportunities for club canteens are often overlooked; whether it’s because they take it for granted, that they’ve never actually considered it specific marketing for their canteen business unit or because they think that they’re not allowed to market because they are ‘just volunteers not-for-profit club’; this ep is as full of good ideas to help grow canteen income as a $4 bucket of chips!
Ep 38: Fun with pork-barrelling!
Local politics plays a role in the delivery of sport and recreation services and facilities. We have to come to peace with that. Join Michael and Steve in this week's episode of Basket Case Clubs, where they address some Basket Case-y behaviour of Councils and the importance of Council officers pushing the right projects, while volunteers in clubs should commit to good project planning. This approach can increase political benefits to elected representatives and make sure Councils deliver the best projects for their community.
Ep 37: Volunteers or contractors: Who’s going to fix that dodgy pergola?
Where is your club’s line in the sand? Are you aware of the time and effort your club’s volunteers are putting in JUST to make ends meet? Whether it’s ensuring your clubhouse is up to scratch (i.e. not falling apart), or that your courts and fields are well maintained so that members are safe while playing their beloved sport, be sure to catch this episode of Basket Case Clubs where Michael and Steve discuss properly valuing your volunteers’ time.
Image 1: The dodgy pergola…
Ep 36: Leave your business hat on; even in your volunteer position
In this episode of Basket Case Clubs, Michael and Steve discuss how to poach your jocks… This isn’t about washing your undies in hot water, but rather how school sporting associations in Brisbane have been dealing with athlete poaching between schools, and more importantly, how committee members need to bring their business smarts to their volunteer roles in sport.
Ep 35: Motions in Meetings: What are they, and why do we ‘second’ them?
Inspired by a question from a club volunteer, this week Michael and Steve got to wondering how many other club committee members ‘move’ and ‘second’ motions without even knowing what that means. How can good motions influence a good meeting? Why are they important? What does a motion even mean? Why does it need to be ‘seconded’? If you’re asking yourself any of these questions, tune in for this week’s episode of Basket Case Clubs where Michael and Steve unpack what a motion is, and why your meetings should use them. Implementing the practical steps in this episode will guarantee that your meetings will become smoother and more efficient. Who wouldn’t want that?!
