Cambridge Football Club - Strategic Plan 2016-2022

Embrace the future

Strategic Plan 2016–22

Introduction Purpose of Strategic Plan We’ve created this plan to help everyone at Cambridge Football Club understand what we aim to achieve for our future generations of footballers.

Members of the 2015–16 executive committee have prepared this document as a working tool to help develop plans to deliver our dream of a club that: — achieves success on the pitch.

— enables every child to benefit from the sporting, educational, travel and life experiences that are possible through football.

— has among the best facilities of any football club in New Zealand.

The end of one plan, the start of another At the start of the decade, our committee approved a five–year plan for the period 2011–2015. Here’s what we set out to do, and how we fared: Goal: To nurture and retain our youth players with a football and self– development pathway that is considered the best in the sport.

Progress: While we still have a long way to go to be the best in the sport, we launched and developed youth teams for U–13, U–15 and U–17 (boys), winning two WaiBOP Federation League titles. We gained entry to the annual Auckland City FC U–17 tournament for the first time (reaching the quarter finals). We ran an U–14 girls’ Federation team but no current competition exists for a girls’ youth team.

Goal: Enable every player to play for a club team in the highest league that reflects their ability and desire.

Progress: We cater for boys, girls, men and women from ages 4 to 64, with teams ranging from beginners, to teams with a social focus and those aiming to become champions.

Goal: Provide self–funding social and football facilities that are considered by members as the best in the Waikato region.

Progress: Our five–year plan saw vast improvements in our facilities, headed by the construction of a $200,000 extension to senior changing facilities, upgraded kitchens in both the senior and junior buildings and renovations to our senior clubrooms. These improvements significantly improved our income streams from venue hireage. While our buildings improved, we still have much to do to improve the quality of our playing fields but have launched a long–term plan to raise $150,000+ to level our junior pitches.

Goal: Realise our goals and secure our future through prudent management of membership fees, sponsorships, events, grants and donations.

Progress: Our subscription fees remain competitive with other football clubs and when compared to other sports activities. Our sponsorship benefits have increased considerably (from less than $10,000 to more than $80,000 a year), and we continue to benefit from grants of $20,000+ a year despite the general decline in sports funding.

Objectives 2016–2022 Objective 1 — be a leader in our community At the heart of everything we do is a desire to set a good example for the community in which we live.

While catering for the needs of children, young adults and men and women who want to play football, we will also seek ways to benefit our local community and the wider football community.

Our reputation as an organisation driven by enthusiastic and committed volunteers will inspire others, and encourage support for what we do.

Objective 2 — reach out to the world Football provides huge opportunities for players, from lifelong friendships to educational, travel and life experiences.

Our club aims to maximise those opportunities by developing national and international contacts to help young players if they leave Cambridge.

Those who go overseas — whether it’s to follow a dream of playing professional football, finding a football scholarship in North America or simply wanting to join a good club — will have our support.

Objectives 2016–2022 Objective 3 — succeed in Northern League While we’ll seek to perform at the highest levels of competition for our men’s, women’s and junior teams, it’s crucial that our premier men’s team succeeds in the Northern Regional Football League.

Success in the Northern League gives profile and credibility for our club, enabling it to attract players, coaches and administrators with the skills to help develop the entire club.

Our immediate aim is to win promotion to Northern League Division 2, but to develop the coaching and player development structures that enable us to bring young players through our teams and into our first team.

Objectives 2016–2022 Objective 4 — develop fantastic facilities Our current facilities will provide what we need in the short–term.

But growth and our ambition to have among the best facilities in New Zealand means we need to find the best way to build and sustain them.

One option is for our club to become a host for a regional home of football, catering for the Waikato and Bay of Plenty, with a seated stadium and an all-weather training pitch. We could become a hub for national football with our grounds providing geographically central training and match facilities.

Another option is to develop a multi–sport stadium in which we share facilities with complementary sports, ensuring our community gets the best return from its investment.

Our role in regional and national football

Our role with parents, fans and sponsors

Stakeholder Passion Partnerships

The Hub

Communities

Player pathways

from Cambridge to the world Club myths and legends — past, present & future

Strategic objectives:

Community : global reach : high performance: facilities

Vision and Mission Governance and Foundation of the club

The stakeholder experience Governance and structure

Mission and vision

Areas of focus

Mission

a. Risk Management — develop a risk To professionally operate a sustainable management framework that analyses and football club that creates a high performance assesses operational risk and commercial culture through inclusion, community risk exposure and mitigation. involvement, innovation and continual development. b. Executive Management — develop and clearly define roles and accountabilities Vision within the club’s executive committee that is aligned to the development, growth and To become one of New Zealand’s greatest football clubs, acclaimed for its fantastic future of the football club. people, facilities and ability to produce c. Succession Planning — develop a process successful teams and players. that encourages new and existing members to take lead roles within the club committee Sustainability and football operations.

Community d. Constitution — ensure the club’s constitution is current and amended Our club values its role within the accordingly to align with changes to the club’s Cambridge community and will continue to strive to be valued by residents for its efforts governance, structure and environment. to help develop a world class village.

The club will also be a positive and participative member of the football family, on a local, regional and national scale.

Volunteers While operating in the most professional ways, our club will continue to rely on the enthusiasm and commitment of volunteers.

We will celebrate and grow our volunteer culture, helping them benefit through friendship, learning and the sheer enjoyment gained from their sense of achievement.

The stakeholder experience The Player Pathway Junior The club is committed to NZ Football’s Whole of Football plan, helping children enjoy and learn the sport from the age of four.

Youth We will provide coaches capable of helping players achieve their potential during the formative years (ages 13–17). We will also provide a safe environment, enabling these players to develop socially in readiness to become senior players.

Senior By operating a successful club with great facilities, we will attract and keep excellent coaches and players. Our philosophy is that we will be professional in attitude, but remain an amateur club. Cambridge will be the ‘club of choice’ for top players who appreciate the value of what we provide.

Social While we’re committed to achieving high levels of performance, we will provide teams (for men and women) to enable all members to play to their level of ability and desire.

Relationships The club will seek to build great relationships with all its stakeholders including: — schools — parents of juniors — partners/families of our members — members of other football clubs — WaiBOP Football — NZ Football — Waipa District Council — our neighbours — other community groups with common interests/objectives — media — former players and members who contibuted to our club’s development Visiting clubs We will give visiting teams a warm welcome and try to ensure their day at Cambridge leaves them with a positive impression of our club. We’ll provide them with excellent facilities and post–match hospitality. The visitor experience includes the way we behave on the pitch as well as off the field.

Cambridge Football Club www.cambridgesoccer.co.nz