Five Key Strategies to Help Sporting Clubs with their Succession Planning
You never know what life will throw your way. A new job, a family emergency, health changes — or even the lucky X-lotto win! At some point, every volunteer will step back. The question is: will your club be ready?
That’s why succession planning is essential. It’s not about replacing people — it’s about making sure your club continues to thrive, even when key volunteers move on. A good plan ensures the ship keeps sailing smoothly, no matter who’s at the helm.
Succession Planning is a strategic approach to identify and develop future leaders within an organisation.
Why Succession Planning Matters for Sporting Clubs
Done well, succession planning helps your club:
- Ensure smooth transitions with minimal disruption
- Upskill current volunteers and future leaders
- Share the workload and prevent burnout
- Build transparency and trust within your community
- Keep your club moving forward with the right skills in the right places
Importantly, succession planning should be seen as a normal part of club life, not a crisis response when someone resigns.
So, what does a practical succession plan look like for your club? Here are five strategies that work:
1.Write It Down
Capture your club’s knowledge before it walks out the door. Document policies, procedures, role descriptions, and operating manuals for key positions. Consistency builds confidence and ensures new volunteers don’t have to reinvent the wheel.
Tip: Encourage long-serving volunteers to share what’s “in their head” so future leaders don’t lose valuable knowledge.
2.Strategic Plan
A strong Strategic Plan is the compass that guides your club. It clarifies what you stand for, where you’re heading, and how you’ll get there. New volunteers will feel more confident stepping up when they understand the bigger picture.
3.Storing Information
Don’t risk your club’s history and operations on a single hard drive or paper folder. Use shared online storage (or even a dedicated club archive email account) so documents like constitutions, minutes, and policies are accessible and backed up.
4.Develop a Tenure Plan
I saw this great idea at the Long Plains Netball Club: they had a “Progression Plan” displayed in their clubrooms that outlined over the next five years who had what position, when tenures were up, who was earmarked as the successor and what positions needed to be filled. The table demonstrated the club was forward-thinking and transparent in their approach. A great idea that could also be used as a recruitment tool for potential successors. A special thanks to the Long Plains Netball club for allowing me to share this with you.
5.Create Assistant Roles and Mentoring Opportunities
Not every volunteer can do everything. Build in “assistant” or shadow roles so knowledge is shared and successors can learn on the job. Mentoring and buddy systems are also great ways to prepare emerging leaders and make transitions less daunting.
Succession planning isn’t about finding “the next you.” It’s about creating the systems, tools, and culture that allow your club to continue thriving well into the future. When you put a plan in place, you’re not just helping your current members – you’re leaving a legacy.
To make it easier, I’ve developed two free resources you can use right now:
Succession Plan Template (detailed) – A strategy document to ensure a smooth transition of roles and responsibilities within the club. Use this to build a long-term plan that protects your club’s knowledge, leadership, and momentum.
Succession Plan Template (2 page) – A simple, one-page tool to get you started. Perfect for clubs wanting a clear, easy-to-follow process they can put into action straight away.
Succession planning may seem complex, but with the right tools and a bit of forward thinking, it can become a normal, positive part of your club’s life.
Keystone Sporting Solutions 