It’s that time of year again... summer has ended and Autumn is getting into full swing. With the weather cooling down (well kind of) and the AFL beginning, focus in the 'local footy' world begins to shift to ‘Praccy Matches’ and ultimately ‘Round 1’.
At this same time of year, it is not uncommon for community football administrative staff to turn to each other and ask ‘Who’s organised the sports training staff?’ 😱
I don’t mean to sound cynical, because these excellent people working often voluntarily have a lot on their plate at this time of year, and training staff is often not a priority… well until games roll around and they need to be covered with little notice.
The hallway announcement boards and Facebook pages of Victorian Universities’ health science schools become flooded with flyers and posts. In the desire to stand out, these adverts will promise things such as ‘fantastic learning opportunities under a sports physiotherapist each week’ or the chance to ‘work at an excellent and welcoming community club.’
For a young and enthusiastic undergraduate physiotherapy student, this opportunity looks like the first stepping stone into a career working in sport. Add the type A & competitive personality traits found in physio, osteo and chiro students, and this opportunity becomes highly fought over.
It’s an annual cycle, like clockwork.
Personally, I was a keen footballer myself, and the thought of giving up playing for a sideline of sideline sports coverage just wasn’t for me at that point in my life. As a result, I didn’t see much of this world from 'that side of the trainers table' in my uni days. However, a lot of friends and classmates did, and being a footballer and then a colleague as part of the medical team, I did learn a lot about this particular situation from many different points of view.
I thought I would share some of these thought provoking observations to all parties; Club staff, trainers and players.
The aim of this blog series is to improve empathy and understanding for each others' role, and to maybe in one small way facilitate the best experience for everyone throughout this coming season.
I hope you everyone finds something to take away from this three part blog series.
To Club & Coaching Staff...
Make your work easier for yourself... retain trainers
The 'merry dance' I explained above would be all too familiar for an experienced Team Manager or Coach (often one individual is wearing both hats). So why not avoid the issue by getting in front of it? This can be done in two ways;
advertise/network earlier OR
retain the trainers you had last year.
First point is pretty self-explanatory. Set an alarm on your phone in Feb or ensure it’s on the agenda of your first season meeting.
‘Early bird gets the most enthusiastic & organised trainer worm’ – both traits you want in your trainers.
Retaining trainers can be a more challenging and nuanced process. A high turnover rate is normal. You are working with a young and dynamic population with constantly changing circumstances, but that doesn't mean you can't keep a few trainers a year, and not have to search to replace the entire team.
I think even just sitting down with the trainers at the end of the year and saying something like 'we really loved your work this year, how can we keep you for next year?' will go a long way to making these individuals feel valued enough to consider returning.
Everyone likes compliments and attention. This can develop a sense of ownership and inclusion within the training staff, and open a discussion about any ways their return could be facilitated.
Richard Branson once said
‘Train people well enough so they can leave. Treat them well enough so they don’t want to.’
Make the trainers’ experience a enjoyable, educational & inclusive one (Enhance can help you with that 😉)… then why would they want to leave?
Pay your trainers what they’re worth
Some of the offered pay rates that got bandied around the uni halls in my undergrad years was quite simply unfair & a joke.
I was making double the income making terrible coffees at the local golf course (apologies to the consumers of these 'lattes'), while my classmates were driving across Victoria to stand in the wind and rain on their winter weekends for barely petrol money.
I am not talking about all clubs, there are plenty of supportive clubs who do compensate their trainers well, but some need to seriously look at this.
The trainers aren’t silly... they also talk to one another
They hear what their classmates are earning, and see the yellow envelopes full of 50s being handed to the centre half forward at the end of the game.
The club 'crying poor' just looks silly, and it's sure way to find yourself back on the 'March merry-go-round'.
Invest in the staff that is keeping your expensive assets on the park. "It’s all about flags at our club, we spend that money on players & coaches"... I hear you say?
A slightly adapted saying for you
‘pay peanuts, get (trainers who act like) monkeys’
Subconsciously or consciously people will work harder when they feel lucky to be in a role and well looked after. That includes remuneration.
Possibly consider a small bonus or pay rise for the following year. People love to see progress and growth, and feel valued. I’ve not heard of this kind of pay structure in local sport, just an idea.
Embrace the enthusiasm but don't take advantage
Physio's, Osteo's, Chiro's and Myo's… they all love talking about and applying what they learn. This is great for clubs, because they are going to be putting their best foot (or hands) forward to offer the highest level of health care they can to your players.
So you might then think... 'Great... I'll ask them to assess and treat players Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday,' and they’ll do it… until they are cooked!!
Make sure you are looking after your trainers, maybe even if they aren't looking after themselves. Have enough staff, and ensure there isn't a twenty player line of ‘those players’ ‘needing’ a rub, every time they arrive to training.
It’s a mentally and physically draining job for most, and they’re new to it. So don’t overload them.
A lot these individuals will also enthusiastically fill drink bottles, pick up tape, clean change rooms… get coffees? No!
Clearly draw the line, and clearly outline their duties. They aren’t your slaves.
Deliver on the promise you made on the flyer
If you’re the club that were offering that ‘fantastic learning experience,’ then pony up!!
These young people are committing their time and weekends in the hope to come away from it a better therapist... so help them do that, you did say you would when you recruited them!
It's not enough to put them in the same room as an experienced sports Physio that wants nothing to do with them, or just uses them for the treatment they don’t want to do. Worse again, the experienced therapist uses them as the one to scoff at or undermine to the players, saying things like ‘come to me first, she’s just a student’ or ‘next time come and grab me so I can tape it properly.'
This would be a another first step back to March Madness.
Ensure there is someone there who can & WANTS TO support them.
Maybe the club Physio has no interest in teaching. That’s cool, then don't offer this 'opportunity' to the trainers coming down to be involved.
Also, ensure you are clear about your commitment levels when advertising or meeting trainers too. It’s not fair to get them down on the pretence of ‘one training session a week’ and then end up changing things, saying things like ‘we didn’t find another trainer, you’re going to have to do both trainings and a game. ‘
They’ll probably say yes because they don’t want to let the team down, however they may be sacrificing their studies, other work or personal relationships to do it. Leaving them unlikely to be back in 2020.
Celebration & Inclusion
Often we see the ‘rusted on’ club coaches, players, admin staff and trainers celebrated. I think this is fantastic. Commitment of such a duration should be celebrated and honoured with awards like life memberships and presentation night standing ovations.
What should also be celebrated a little more is the commitment of someone for a season or two, or for their whole undergrad degree!
Celebrate the small wins along the way, and thank them for their service.
Do it in front of the playing group. It will drive a club culture of respect and gratitude.
Don’t stop at a tokenistic clubroom applause. Let them hold the premiership cup, invite them & PAY for their tickets to club functions and include them in decision making.
My old club Williamstown had a ‘medical team award’ voted on by the Physios, Doctors and training staff. I always loved that idea, rewarding those players who do include and respect the staff in the trenches with them.
Chris Dixon & Jack Charleston celebrating the 2015 VFL premiership. A Great example of celebration &inclusion
Image: Cody Bench Photography
A little food for thought for those involved in local footy in an administrative or coaching capacity. At Enhance, we are passionate about community sport, and all it entails. We think it’s an excellent place to develop your skills as a young clinician, if given the right circumstances. We can assist clubs wanting to improve their trainer experience. Let’s all work together to create that supportive circumstance, and in turn the club will be rewarded with a high level of health care and support for the players, a loyal and consistent team and hopefully success!
For anyone interested in any of Enhance's services or want to be involved in the blog, do not hesitate to contact us!
Best of luck to all teams, and their staff this season. We hope it is a safe, fun, educational and successful for all!
Thanks for reading!