Basket Case Clubs Podcast

Basket Case Clubs

CPR Group
CPR Group's podcast channel - where we discuss how we've turned basket case clubs into showcase clubs!
Getting Caught in the Rough: How a Golf Club Committee Dealt with its Penalty Strokes
In this episode of Basket Case Clubs, Steve shares the tale of some disgruntled golf club members who wanted to boot out the club's committee, who, in their opinion, were underperforming. While it's never a fun exercise, Steve and Michael discuss the process of removing committee members in line with the rules. Of course, with a bit more self-awareness, maybe tired committee members would move on before push really comes to shove.
Jun 2, 2021
38 min
Don't Cheat the System: If you're gonna pay people, do it right!
In this episode, Michael and Steve investigate the pitfalls that many clubs have fallen into, thinking that they can pay people for their help, but avoid paying tax, superannuation and WorkCover insurance. In many club's lives, there comes a time when there just aren't enough volunteers, so they decide to start paying for services. But rarely do clubs get it right, because instead of taking a structured, strategic approach, they try to fly under the radar by kidding themselves that they can use the 'hobby form' to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars out to workers, or force people to supply an ABN so they can call them a 'contractor', when clearly they are an employee. This episode is full of useful tips and links, and several chuckles about the tax office!
Apr 14, 2021
50 min
The Bulimba Bowlo: you just can't make up a turnaround story this amazing!
In this episode, Michael Connelly and Chris Kenward interview Rod Jackson, the president of the Bulimba Memorial Bowls and Community Club. The 'Bulimba Bowlo' was literally on the brink of folding and it seemed like the situation couldn't have been any worse, when all of a sudden, COVID-19 shut down the club completely! Rod shares how he and the committee led an incredible turnaround since the club's reopening in July 2020. This is an inspiring story of how any club can make a series of decisions and little changes that can add up to achieve amazing results. 
Mar 10, 2021
37 min
The Bush Lawyer: Put the know-it-alls in your club to good use!
In their first Basket Case Clubs episode for 2021, Michael and Steve explore the difficulties that Bush Lawyers can cause in clubs. You know the 'Bush Lawyer' type. They are those people in clubs who claim to know everything, regardless of their actual knowledge or professional experience, and use their sometimes limited, often incorrect, knowledge to undermine a club's progress. But the Bush Lawyer can be useful, as their motivation is usually the best interest of the club. So this episode includes useful tips for engaging with your Bush Lawyers so that their enthusiasm can be put to good use.
Jan 22, 2021
37 min
Club Planning: It's better to come up short on your way to greatness, than to succeed on your way to mediocrity
In this episode of Basket Case Clubs, Michael and Steve simplify the process of preparing a strategic plan. The examples you'll find by Googling a 'sports club strategic plan template' will give you a place to write down some actions, but they won't inspire transformational improvements. A strategic plan should inspire! And for inspiration, you need 'emotional juice'. The fun of strategic planning is about connecting with why people join, and more importantly, what keeps them coming back. And then, forget SMART objectives - think big! Set inspirational goals or outcomes to motivate action. There aren't many showcase clubs that don't have an inspiring strategic plan...
Nov 26, 2020
57 min
"How to get grants? Forget about grants!"
Sports clubs often think that grants will save them from becoming basket cases. But as Michael and Steve explore in this episode, that's simply not how they work. The clubs that are most successful in getting grants, particularly the big ones, are the ones that look like they don't need them! They already run tight ships and so grant agencies are more willing to invest in them. Join Michael and Steve as they take you through everything from the political nature of grants and how to plan kick-ass projects, through to how to answer the questions in grant applications to give you the greatest chance of becoming a showcase club!
Oct 29, 2020
45 min
"Get off my field!" - Dealing with conflict over shared sports facilities
It makes perfect sense for field space to be shared, especially in metropolitan areas that are experiencing rapid urban sprawl. But how well it works in practice is sometimes not as effective as the theory. It could be 'season creep' causing clashes between traditional summer and winter sports, or challenges over field bookings for sports that share facilities in the one season. In this episode, Michael and Steve explore why clashes over the sharing of sports facilities can be common, and as usual, discover that it has a lot to do with people...
Oct 15, 2020
47 min
From the Gully to the Green: The inspiring transformation of Wellers Hill Bowls Club
While the old, inner-south Brisbane suburb of Wellers Hill has all but been swallowed up, the local bowls club has become a thriving hub of the community. In this episode, Michael and CPR Group's Chris Kenward interview club president Richard Tanner, who shares the simple, but powerful steps the club has taken to not only survive in an environment where most other lawn bowls clubs are struggling, but to move from strength to strength. This is an uplifting story of a club that has taken the action necessary to follow up on great ideas to turn them into reality. Wellers Hill Bowls Club is truly a showcase among basket case clubs.
Oct 1, 2020
44 min
Is our President really a psychopath?
In this episode, Michael and Steve get into the psychology of volunteers, and what makes some of them spend so much of their time fighting petty battles with each other. Why do people volunteer in the first place? And what do they really get out of the experience? There are some really easy steps that club volunteers can take to push through, so they can spend more time on value adding activities, rather than value destroying fights. With stories of some classic basket case situations and light-hearted advice for 'popping the pimple' to become a happy volunteer, this episode is sure to get you thinking.
Sep 22, 2020
38 min
"Who am I? Why am I here?": The question of relevance for the 'levels' of sports governance in Australia
In this episode, Michael and Steve shine a spotlight onto the question of relevance of each layer of the federated structure of sport in Australia, highlighting some of the difference between the 'haves' and the 'have nots'. Do we really need state associations for sport and recreation activities that can be organised socially? How do we answer the question about why clubs have to pay money 'up the line' to regional, state and national associations? This episode marks the beginning of an exciting research project being conducted by CPR Group to help find answers to these questions. Follow us on social media and via our website to join the conversation.
Aug 27, 2020
33 min
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