International Theatre On Ice Seminar

Team Management

Jim McManus

October 13, 2006

What is a TEAM?

TEAM = “Together Everyone

Achieves More”. Unknown, Source

TEAM includes:

Athletes, Parents, Coaches and your local club or greater

skating community!

Team Manager Role

Team Manager:• The prime supporter of the team: athletes, coaches, and parents.• Takes care of the off–ice details so that the athletes and coaches can focus their

efforts on the ice. Is an avid supporter of the coach.• Ensures the team has clearly understood mission statement, policies, rules/guidelines

and puts in place a sound budget and financial plan.• Has an open line of communication and a partnership with the coach, athletes and

parents.• Listens to the concerns of all team members.• Works with all team members to create an environment that promotes a positive

learning experience for all members of the program.• Sets up a support system to best utilize all the members of the team to keep the

program running smoothly.• Creates sub committee’s to be responsible for costumes, props and sets• Establishes working relationship with USFS and International TOI program officers

and officials. • And… Communicate, Communicate, Communicate – Oh and then Communicate

again!

Team Management 101General Oversight of the Team• Serve as the primary liaison between the coach, the athletes, the parents and the

skating club and/or arena.• Serve as the primary team contact.• Schedule ice time• Schedule and prepare agenda for all parent and team meetings.• Arrange for ice shows and exhibitions with local arenas.• Keep team members & parents informed of all decisions of the board.• Delegate any unassigned tasks that arise.

Financial Responsibilities (Better if delegated to another parent or sub-group)• Create a budget for the team and update as necessary.• Keep a ledger detailing all financial transactions of the team.• Allocate money for team purchases & expenses.• Collect and deposit dues from team members.• Keep a ledger detailing each member’s financial obligations • Organize fundraisers for the team.• Pay all bills incurred by team.• Prepare financial reports to the board, team members/parents.

Team Management 101

Administrative Responsibilities • Distribute a monthly calendar to parents, athletes and coaches detailing team

activities & practices.• Distribute a team roster and phone list.• Complete and mail competition applications.• Register team with the U.S. Figure Skating.• Follow up to ensure that each skater is an eligible member of U.S. Figure Skating.• Collect and retain copies of athletes’ birth certificates, membership cards, moves in

the field test• Gathers certificates (if applicable) and health insurance information.

Travel Arrangements• Book hotel rooms, airline tickets, arrange for ground transportation: vans or buses.• Work with the coach to establish the team’s schedule during a competition.• Help with administrative responsibilities to complete competition applications.

Team Management 101

Publicity and Communications• Communicate with other teams for ideas.• Create advertising or recruiting tools and materials for the team and coordinate

recruiting efforts.• Serve as a contact for athletes interested in joining the team.• Distribute information about the team to local media outlets.• Keep your skating club informed of any team activities, write articles for the club’s

newsletter, website and/or bulletin board, etc.• Work with treasurer in soliciting sponsors for the team.

Setting Expectations

For Coaches:• Put every effort into ensuring the success of the team.• Make all major team decisions – including practice, competitions, travel, costumes,

team selection, competitive level, etc.• Respect the parents and athletes and be open-minded when listening to their

comments, concerns and suggestions.• Make all decisions in the best interest of the team as a whole.

For Athletes:• Give 100% at every practice.• Understand how they contribute to the success of the team and follow through with

their commitments.• Respect the coaches and team managers and the decisions that they make.• Respect their teammates.• Understand that they may not always get their own way.• Understand that decisions need to be made in the best interest of the entire team.• Demonstrate good sportsmanship at all times.

Setting Expectations

For Parents:• Cooperate with the team manager to take care of the off–ice details so that the

athletes and coaches can focus their efforts on the ice. • An ambassador of goodwill – teach the skaters good sportsmanship in success,

failure and everything in between.• Promote the sport to club, figure skating professionals and community.• Support the team under all circumstances.• Respect the decisions of the coach! The coach is a hired professional and parents

must respect and support all of the coach’s decisions and demonstrate this to their child.

• Support the coach in carrying out their decisions.• Understand that being a member of a team is different than being a singles skater. • Some individual decision-making authority will need to be yielded in the interest of the

team.• Understand the commitment to the team and make sure that their skater follows

through.

Team Managers Mantra

Not a job that many take on – So, If all else fails use this quote:

“A team effort is a lot of people doing what I say”.– Michael Winner, British film director

Appendix

• Coaches Tool Box

• Sample Agenda for Parent/Team meeting

• Sample Budget worksheets

Coach’s Tool BoxWhen a Theatre on Ice team hires a coach, they are hiring a professional that is an expert in the field. They should trust in their decisions, and at the same time, follows is a “tool box” of knowledge that every coach should posses, and teams should expect this from their coach:

Props / Sets

Sample Budget Templates