How
do we get more adult squash players to play tournaments? The small
draws in both national and local tournaments are well documented. It
doesn’t have to be this way. There is an art to running a successful
tournament that used to be the norm – but, with some notable
exceptions, the skill has been largely lost or just ignored over the
past 20-25 years. But the mistakes that are being made can be
corrected. There are plenty of players out there that could and would
be playing in tournaments and the key is to get them engaged and
psyched to play. Here are 10 thoughts on how to get them playing.
1. Do not assume
that just because a tournament is put up on a calendar that people will
sign up. In the old days people felt a sense of obligation to
institutions that people today for the most part no longer feel. People
today have many, many options for using their valuable free time and do
not feel guilty about pursuing their other choices.
2. Don’t run a
tournament by committee. Have a single tournament director (with the
support of a committee) who cares passionately about the success of a
tournament. Let them “own” the tournament. For every great tournament I
have ever played I can tell you exactly who the tournament director was
– going back to my junior squash days. It was their passion that made
the tournament great.
3. Reach out to
those who entered last year. I have been amazed that I am seldom
contacted by tournament directors to play even when I was in the draw
the year before. When I ran my (fully-subscribed) tournament for 7
years, the first group I contacted for the upcoming tournament was
everyone who had played in the past. The draws were 80% filled after
that.
4. Reach out
individually to those who haven’t yet entered. Make it your goal to
fill every draw. Reach out individually to players in the city who
didn’t sign up and sell them on why they should be in the tournament.
Promise them a great time – and deliver.
5. Make the
tournament special and memorable. Have a special shirt. Have a great
Saturday night party. Have a great pro exhibition. Do something special
that makes people excited to come back next year.
6. Get the
logistics right. Be thoughtful about giving enough time between
matches. Get entrants their starting time by Wednesday noon before a
tournament. Arrange courts so that you don’t have huge delays even if
there are lots of 5-game matches. Have towels and water handy. Enter
match results instantly.
7. Walk around the
tournament. Don’t just sit behind the desk assuming everything is going
ok. There will be confusion and the sooner you resolve it the better.
There will be bad referees. Poorly behaved players. Injuries. Confusion
about who plays on what court. Nip it in the bud by having someone else
be behind the desk and get out and about.
8. Think of it as
hosting a big party. Make sure people are happy. Find out what they are
thinking. Get suggestions for next year. Encourage people to come to
the Saturday night party. Show them that you care deeply about their
experience at the tournament.
9. Follow up with
players after the tournament. Get their feedback and suggestions for
next year. Share the tournament highlights with all competitors. Make
them glad they were part of such a great event.
10. Publicize the
success of your tournament. Get it onto the association’s website and
into the newsletter; email it to association members and post pictures
– social and competitive – on social media. Make sure everyone who
didn’t play knows that they missed a great event that they won’t want
to miss next year.
John
Musto is a level 2 US Certified Coach, the Head Pro at the Princeton
Club of NY, and was the 2012 6.0 National Champion. John competed
for the US National team and was a 4-time All-American and #1 player
for the 2-time National Champion Yale team.
What's On My Mindis a column by rotating authors. Contact DailySquashReport@gmail.com
