““Going through this process ultimately gave us reassurance that our thinking is sensible and our plans realistic and ambitious. Our club is run by volunteers so it’s handy to have a working document which maps out our future and allows us to check if we are doing what we said we’d do. The plan gives us the flexibility to grab opportunities but it keeps us on track too.””
At CEIS, most of us don’t claim to be iron men or women, but when it comes to swimming, cycling and running, we were delighted to be commissioned to provide enterprise support for the Glasgow Triathlon Club.
(c) Glasgow Triathalon Club
Far from being populated purely with elite, neoprene-clad muscle machines, Glasgow Triathlon Club offers a warm welcome for members of all ages and abilities. The Club’s membership roll includes everyone from have-a-go novices to leading amateur athletes and veteran triathletes, all of whom are supported to reach their own individual goals by a team of enthusiastic, knowledgeable and qualified coaches.
When, in 2017 a funder asked the Club for a development plan, the management committee immediately saw the request as an opportunity to apply some wider strategic thinking about future growth. Identified goals were a doubling of membership of the Club’s thriving junior section, plus the development of its professional coaching staff.
CEIS were commissioned later that year to work with the Club to plan, design and implement a development plan which detailed a practical strategy to meet those ambitions. From the outset, CEIS recognised the need to take an inclusive approach, and early development sessions involved not only the board and management team, but coaches, junior members and parents.
Glasgow Triathlon Club Chairman Bob Newton remembers, “We saw the development process as a real opportunity to help us grow our youth section. Our CEIS adviser Alex Rooney brought all the different stakeholders together including young people who were already club members. It was a really interesting experience and I know the young people appreciated being asked, and were happy to take part.”
With the support of CEIS’s Alex, the drawing up of the Club’s Development plan identified both strategic ambitions plus practical solutions about how to reach those pre-determined targets. “The development session was fantastic, so many ideas from members and a really clear idea of where they wanted to be in two year’s time. We then worked together to identify practical steps to get there.”
The results of the Development Plan have been impressive so far for the Glasgow Triathlon Club. Information gathered about relevant local and national strategies for increased participation in sport and physical activity saw the Club target potential young members from more disadvantaged communities through the introduction of taster sessions within local schools. This strategic approach also allowed the Club to maximise grant funding opportunities, improve partnership working and networking, and develop business bookkeeping and financial forecasting skills.
Club Chair Bob Newton says that everyone feels the benefit of CEIS’s support. “Going through this process ultimately gave us reassurance that our thinking is sensible and our plans realistic and ambitious. Our club is run by volunteers so it’s handy to have a working document which maps out our future and allows us to check if we are doing what we said we’d do. The plan gives us the flexibility to grab opportunities but it keeps us on track too.”
CEIS is delighted to share some of the sporting club’s success. With even more new junior members than the target set out in their plan, not only are the Glasgow Triathlon Club on track, they’re actually leading the way.
Visit www.glasgowtriathlonclub.co.uk / Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/gtc2010/ Twitter: @glasgowtriclub