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AGM - Not Filling Positions

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Our Chairperson and vice chair are stepping down at this AGM and its looking like we will struggle to get replacements. Secretary and Treasurer look like they will stay on but don't want either role. What is the situation if we cannot fill those positions?

Irishguy (Meath) - Posts: 27 - 19/10/2023 16:58:33    2509295

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Its becoming a bigger & Bigger problem for GAA clubs, many clubs are struggling for players but equally as important is the struggle for administrators . Clubs end up giving posts to anyone who'll take it even if their not capable and that leads to bigger problems going forward . Volunteerism in Ireland is on the wane with too many clubs particulary in rural Ireland.
Clubs are joining up over lack of players but lack of people to form committees will be another reason . There aint enough people interested/capable in a growing number of parishs to run a club.

OpenStand (Limerick) - Posts: 717 - 20/10/2023 09:42:52    2509355

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Replying To Irishguy:  "Our Chairperson and vice chair are stepping down at this AGM and its looking like we will struggle to get replacements. Secretary and Treasurer look like they will stay on but don't want either role. What is the situation if we cannot fill those positions?"
I couldn't tell you exactly but from memory positions not filled can be held over for the executive committee to appoint following the AGM. Kicking the can down the road I know. How big is your club? Of all the members there's no one prepared to step up?

Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 1022 - 20/10/2023 10:23:12    2509368

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Replying To Square_B:  "I couldn't tell you exactly but from memory positions not filled can be held over for the executive committee to appoint following the AGM. Kicking the can down the road I know. How big is your club? Of all the members there's no one prepared to step up?"
We're a small ladies only club - only about 60 adult members - players and coaches primarily - just difficult as you're drawing on the same people all the time - that just leads to burnout when your trying to coach teams, play on teams, be on committee etc. Hopefully someone steps forward!

Irishguy (Meath) - Posts: 27 - 20/10/2023 15:31:59    2509484

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Replying To Irishguy:  "Our Chairperson and vice chair are stepping down at this AGM and its looking like we will struggle to get replacements. Secretary and Treasurer look like they will stay on but don't want either role. What is the situation if we cannot fill those positions?"
The secretary is the most important position in the club so at least you have that position filled. A good secretary can cover over a lot of cracks, a poor secretary can destroy a club. The chairman remains in place until the end of the AGM so that gives you breathing space to get working on finding a replacement before the new executive meets. The chairman that's stepping down will surely agree to do vice chair when you have got a new chairman, unless of course you want him gone !!!

eoinog (Sligo) - Posts: 1954 - 21/10/2023 13:08:48    2509554

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Club Committee is responsible for appointing replacements. There is a huge amount of work involved in running clubs nowadays particularly at Bord na nOg Level with grades from U5 to U17. The amount of work involved probably puts off people getting involved also no matter how good a job you do there will always be criticism. People have less time for volunteering nowadays and generally in clubs it the same people coaching, on committees, running lottos\fundrasing etc. Nearly all clubs now have to pay outside coaches for their adults team even at Junior level.

journeyman (Limerick) - Posts: 140 - 24/10/2023 16:33:12    2510096

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Replying To journeyman:  "Club Committee is responsible for appointing replacements. There is a huge amount of work involved in running clubs nowadays particularly at Bord na nOg Level with grades from U5 to U17. The amount of work involved probably puts off people getting involved also no matter how good a job you do there will always be criticism. People have less time for volunteering nowadays and generally in clubs it the same people coaching, on committees, running lottos\fundrasing etc. Nearly all clubs now have to pay outside coaches for their adults team even at Junior level."
People have less time and also people aren't bothered dealing with the level of rubbish in these roles. When my young lads started playing, I stupidly got involved in the underage committee. I backed out of it after 1 year. Never again.
I have been involved in coaching but I would never get involved in club admin. A thankless job where the worst critics are those who do nothing but argue and cause rows.

ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1257 - 25/10/2023 11:42:59    2510200

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Replying To ExiledInWex:  "People have less time and also people aren't bothered dealing with the level of rubbish in these roles. When my young lads started playing, I stupidly got involved in the underage committee. I backed out of it after 1 year. Never again.
I have been involved in coaching but I would never get involved in club admin. A thankless job where the worst critics are those who do nothing but argue and cause rows."
That's very selfish but typical of the attitude of a lot of people. You won't do anything but expect everything.

eoinog (Sligo) - Posts: 1954 - 25/10/2023 11:52:16    2510202

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Replying To ExiledInWex:  "People have less time and also people aren't bothered dealing with the level of rubbish in these roles. When my young lads started playing, I stupidly got involved in the underage committee. I backed out of it after 1 year. Never again.
I have been involved in coaching but I would never get involved in club admin. A thankless job where the worst critics are those who do nothing but argue and cause rows."
I was i a discussion at a game in Dublin last weekend on this exact topic. Volunteerism is definitely on the wane and most volunteers are the older generation. People do not want the hassle of taking positions so they can be ridiculed. Social media has probably added a new layer of abuse where lads who would not get off their backsides feel they can complain about club coaches/ officers or county officers. Is it an Irish thing I wonder?

wexfordwin (Wexford) - Posts: 185 - 25/10/2023 12:04:14    2510209

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Replying To eoinog:  "That's very selfish but typical of the attitude of a lot of people. You won't do anything but expect everything."
He literally said he was involved in coaching too.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13779 - 25/10/2023 13:16:55    2510228

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Replying To ExiledInWex:  "People have less time and also people aren't bothered dealing with the level of rubbish in these roles. When my young lads started playing, I stupidly got involved in the underage committee. I backed out of it after 1 year. Never again.
I have been involved in coaching but I would never get involved in club admin. A thankless job where the worst critics are those who do nothing but argue and cause rows."
I was trying to find a gentler way of saying what the Sligo poster above has already said to you.

If it wasn't for club admin volunteers, there'd be no club in the first place for your children to play with, or for you to coach with. But yet you do just one year yourself, decide "never again", and just expect others to do all that hard work instead.

Unfortunately it's the same just about everywhere, and this in turn then leads to such people also complaining about how "it's always the same people at the top, it's a closed shop, nobody else can get a look in, you have to be from a certain family or drink in a certain pub to have any say", etc. ....... seemingly never occurring to them that they'd be welcomed with open arms if they wanted to get involved and do some of the work themselves.

Every committee will have good people and bad people, and hard workers and not-so-hard workers, but it's absolutely crucial that every club has a committee and officers in the first place. Somebody declaring "I'd never do that" or declaring "never again" after just one year is doing their club no favours at all.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2615 - 25/10/2023 13:20:32    2510229

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None of that is fair criticism.
I am actively involved in the GAA club and am in our local pitch 3-4 nights a week already with my young lads and coaching the teams. So I completely object to a "won't do anything" claim. Re-read.

There are parents who don't even drive their children in to our clubhouse in case they might be asked to do something. And their excuse at the next match is "toh, I know nothing about hurling" not realising its not all about coaching and that they could help out by being on a committee or by even gathering cones and hurling balls. They could even take the pitch bookings (a very simple job) but they won't even commit to doing it.

I too would disagree with a claim that its a closed shop, its very much an open shop in our club where anybody wanting to contribute can do so in some way.

But from the first day I went in to our local club I have never felt any less part of our club than many of the "blood" relations of the club so would concur with that statement Pikeman.

But being on a committee was just not my cup of tea to be frank.

ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1257 - 25/10/2023 15:15:07    2510266

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Replying To ExiledInWex:  "None of that is fair criticism.
I am actively involved in the GAA club and am in our local pitch 3-4 nights a week already with my young lads and coaching the teams. So I completely object to a "won't do anything" claim. Re-read.

There are parents who don't even drive their children in to our clubhouse in case they might be asked to do something. And their excuse at the next match is "toh, I know nothing about hurling" not realising its not all about coaching and that they could help out by being on a committee or by even gathering cones and hurling balls. They could even take the pitch bookings (a very simple job) but they won't even commit to doing it.

I too would disagree with a claim that its a closed shop, its very much an open shop in our club where anybody wanting to contribute can do so in some way.

But from the first day I went in to our local club I have never felt any less part of our club than many of the "blood" relations of the club so would concur with that statement Pikeman.

But being on a committee was just not my cup of tea to be frank."
I read the Sligo poster's comment of "won't do anything" as referring specifically to won't do anything with regard to club admin, and I intended my own comments in that way too. And whatever we might disagree on, here or anywhere else, I think we can probably agree you've been quite clear on that one.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2615 - 25/10/2023 15:39:47    2510276

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Replying To eoinog:  "That's very selfish but typical of the attitude of a lot of people. You won't do anything but expect everything."
I think you will find that fella has been coaching a good number of years lad.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13783 - 25/10/2023 15:50:43    2510283

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "I was trying to find a gentler way of saying what the Sligo poster above has already said to you.

If it wasn't for club admin volunteers, there'd be no club in the first place for your children to play with, or for you to coach with. But yet you do just one year yourself, decide "never again", and just expect others to do all that hard work instead.

Unfortunately it's the same just about everywhere, and this in turn then leads to such people also complaining about how "it's always the same people at the top, it's a closed shop, nobody else can get a look in, you have to be from a certain family or drink in a certain pub to have any say", etc. ....... seemingly never occurring to them that they'd be welcomed with open arms if they wanted to get involved and do some of the work themselves.

Every committee will have good people and bad people, and hard workers and not-so-hard workers, but it's absolutely crucial that every club has a committee and officers in the first place. Somebody declaring "I'd never do that" or declaring "never again" after just one year is doing their club no favours at all."
I've been on a club committee that actually demanded quite alor of time initially though not so much lately. I've no problem doing it. But in fairness to Exiled it takes up an awful lot less time than coaching and mentoring, which he is actively involved in. Apart from the 3 hours training a week, there were 22 matchdays between participation games, league games and finals. We also arranged a couple of challenge games as well. Add in the fact that as a coach you would have to be there about half an hour before training, 3/4 hour before matches, and are usually kicking around for up to an hour after training and a half hour after matches, and then multiply that when you have more than 1 child, even if you only mentor a team for one of them. And then there's the travel time 5 times a week including away games.
There are very few off field club positions that take up that much time Pikeman in fairness.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13783 - 25/10/2023 15:57:33    2510285

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "I was trying to find a gentler way of saying what the Sligo poster above has already said to you.

If it wasn't for club admin volunteers, there'd be no club in the first place for your children to play with, or for you to coach with. But yet you do just one year yourself, decide "never again", and just expect others to do all that hard work instead.

Unfortunately it's the same just about everywhere, and this in turn then leads to such people also complaining about how "it's always the same people at the top, it's a closed shop, nobody else can get a look in, you have to be from a certain family or drink in a certain pub to have any say", etc. ....... seemingly never occurring to them that they'd be welcomed with open arms if they wanted to get involved and do some of the work themselves.

Every committee will have good people and bad people, and hard workers and not-so-hard workers, but it's absolutely crucial that every club has a committee and officers in the first place. Somebody declaring "I'd never do that" or declaring "never again" after just one year is doing their club no favours at all."
I've been on a club committee that actually demanded quite alor of time initially though not so much lately. I've no problem doing it. But in fairness to Exiled it takes up an awful lot less time than coaching and mentoring, which he is actively involved in. Apart from the 3 hours training a week, there were 22 matchdays between participation games, league games and finals. We also arranged a couple of challenge games as well. Add in the fact that as a coach you would have to be there about half an hour before training, 3/4 hour before matches, and are usually kicking around for up to an hour after training and a half hour after matches, and then multiply that when you have more than 1 child, even if you only mentor a team for one of them. And then there's the travel time 5 times a week including away games.
There are very few off field club positions that take up that much time Pikeman in fairness.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13783 - 25/10/2023 15:58:12    2510286

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Replying To ExiledInWex:  "None of that is fair criticism.
I am actively involved in the GAA club and am in our local pitch 3-4 nights a week already with my young lads and coaching the teams. So I completely object to a "won't do anything" claim. Re-read.

There are parents who don't even drive their children in to our clubhouse in case they might be asked to do something. And their excuse at the next match is "toh, I know nothing about hurling" not realising its not all about coaching and that they could help out by being on a committee or by even gathering cones and hurling balls. They could even take the pitch bookings (a very simple job) but they won't even commit to doing it.

I too would disagree with a claim that its a closed shop, its very much an open shop in our club where anybody wanting to contribute can do so in some way.

But from the first day I went in to our local club I have never felt any less part of our club than many of the "blood" relations of the club so would concur with that statement Pikeman.

But being on a committee was just not my cup of tea to be frank."
No doubt you are also talking about parents who sit in cars by themselves while training or matches are on. Bizarre carry on :-)

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13783 - 25/10/2023 15:59:42    2510287

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Replying To Viking66:  "I've been on a club committee that actually demanded quite alor of time initially though not so much lately. I've no problem doing it. But in fairness to Exiled it takes up an awful lot less time than coaching and mentoring, which he is actively involved in. Apart from the 3 hours training a week, there were 22 matchdays between participation games, league games and finals. We also arranged a couple of challenge games as well. Add in the fact that as a coach you would have to be there about half an hour before training, 3/4 hour before matches, and are usually kicking around for up to an hour after training and a half hour after matches, and then multiply that when you have more than 1 child, even if you only mentor a team for one of them. And then there's the travel time 5 times a week including away games.
There are very few off field club positions that take up that much time Pikeman in fairness."
Have already clarified that my comments re. "won't do anything" referred specifically to won't do anything administration-wise, rather than won't do anything at all.

And yes, coaching takes up a lot of time. But it doesn't stop you from being on a committee or taking up some other position as well. Have just looked through the list of names on my own club's committee this year - out of 19 officers/committee members, there are ten of us (myself included) who are also either a manager or a coach of a team, at levels from U8 all the way up to adult.

The attitude of "I'd never do admin or committee work" just grates with me when you consider it's absolutely essential to the functioning of any club.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2615 - 25/10/2023 16:12:48    2510293

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Did a few roles in club committee, in our wisdom we went down the route of 'one club' - a complete nightmare! A total mis mash , new people not having a clue how the GAA actually operates. Complete melter!

DelganyUpper (Tyrone) - Posts: 20 - 25/10/2023 21:00:04    2510336

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Replying To Irishguy:  "We're a small ladies only club - only about 60 adult members - players and coaches primarily - just difficult as you're drawing on the same people all the time - that just leads to burnout when your trying to coach teams, play on teams, be on committee etc. Hopefully someone steps forward!"
Probably not helping your cause as a single code club. In Dublin they are fewer so you have a bigger volunteer pool to draw on. For example if parents have boys in one club and girls in another they are unlikely to commit to volunteering in two clubs. Have you looked at merging, doesnt help in short term I know but long term worth looking at.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4939 - 26/10/2023 08:56:15    2510356

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