If you’ve been involved with a community sport organization for long enough, you’ve probably seen fluctuations in participation numbers year over year. Some years, registrations for programs are plentiful, while other years, programs get cancelled due to a lack of registrants. The COVID-19 pandemic added to this fluctuation- causing issues for many organizations and participants.
In 2024, retaining a strong athlete base while also recruiting new participants is more important than ever for community sport. This requires a proactive approach on the part of organizational staff and volunteers. Recently, the Ottawa Sport Council hosted its first ever sport volunteer recruitment fair. A key takeaway from the organizations that participated in this event was that being out and present in the community provided an opportunity not just to reach volunteers, but to reach prospective participants that were previously unaware of their organization.
Reaching new participants requires a community outreach and finding opportunities to bring your sport to a new audience. Participating in community events like volunteer fairs creates a level of visibility for your organization that can’t be achieved in many other ways.
Connecting face-to-face with new people and other community organizations creates an opportunity to share resources and knowledge that can benefit both parties. The upcoming Ottawa Sport Summit will provide organizations another chance to collaborate and discuss both successes and areas where challenges in community sport can be addressed. The OSC looks forward to welcoming the Ottawa Sport Community to the 2024 Ottawa Sport Summit on November 30th.