Jamaica’s
communities are in need of a social network to reconnect them and help them
feel at home. So much of what community life was like up to 30 years ago is
missing, and I suggest that the network of cricket and football clubs can
reignite some of that passion and togetherness in communities.
There are 14 Premier
League football teams that compete for national honours and are based on
matriculation, spread across the island. Meanwhile, cricket has up to 20 clubs,
including parish teams and those with a wider reach.
I propose that
we establish a subscription process to galvanise support, while also mobilising
individuals in the communities to feel a part of their respective teams.
Membership is
one way where you pay a small fee and you get to have access to the club’s
schedule, home and away; you can purchase team merchandise at reduced cost; you
may even get to travel with the team for overseas assignments. Most of these teams
have a clubhouse where games are held, and there are several ways to
participate in the club’s activities and events.
Volunteering
is a great way to start.
Becoming a
volunteer for a club is probably one of the best ways to get in. That can include
anything from ensuring the clubhouse is clean for matches, preparing benches
for both home and away teams, providing hydration for the teams, to attending
practice so you can meet the players and management. Speaking of management,
this would need to go through them so they can track the available personnel.
Once that list grows, a roster is established for the season.
Club
Management
The management must
reach out to the wider community through schools – primary, high, and college; the
church; and service clubs. It is then very important to know who the businesspeople
are. That kind of connection creates the network that will form the basis of
your support for at least three seasons. This is hard work, as a database will need
to be created so you can reach as many people as possible.
Engaging those
close to you is important, and as many of the management team as possible should
participate.
Social
Investment
When you come
from a community and its teams have people from the community with family ties,
you almost feel obligated to get involved. The incentive is evident when the
team performs well in competitions, and the community then senses growth and
progress over a consistent period of time.
The Venue
(Club House)
The venue is
primarily for the sport but also serves as a space where the community can utilise
it for appropriate events. At this level, there are other ways to participate,
either as a member of the team organising the event or as a paying patron. If
the venue is multi-faceted, that is more beneficial as the income generation
potential is an attraction to other investors.
There are
existing templates for this, and they should be allowed to be used to reconnect
the communities. The man/woman on the ground connects to a school, college,
church and office, why not a sports club?
Let’s get this
show on the road.
Part II will examine
a sample club in closer detail to see how the method can be practised. Until
next time. One Love!
Carole Beckford (@carolebeckford) is a marketing
and communications specialist
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