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To: Ottawa Lions Members – Athletes, Coaches and Parents
Date: Saturday, September 3, 2016
Re: Update – Club Information – Part 2
Restructuring of Staffing and Programs for ages 11 to the +40 years programs
From: Andy McInnis – Head Coach
NEW START-UP PROGRAMS AND INFORMATION
All these materials will be posted for information, action and enrollment in programs as of Monday, September 5.
- Sept. 7 – Our Varsity X-Country Programs start
- Sept. 10 – Our Youth 6-12 Programs start (2 Themes – X-Country / Speed-Power)
- Sept. 12 – Our Foundation 11-13 start (Endurance-Athleticism / Speed-Power-Athleticism)
- Sept. 12 – Our Aspire Programs 13-16 (Endurance Development / Speed-Power Development)
- Sept. 19 – Our Varsity Track & Field Programs start
- Sept. 19 – 17 + Competitive Track & Field Programs start
- Masters Athletes – contact us directly for your start-ups – info@ottawalions.com
- If you do not see where you fit – contact us and we will find you a home – info@ottawalions.com
NEW STRUCTURE AND STAFFING STRATEGIES
The Club “The Now”
We are cresting as a successful sports organization and as the most successful and largest of all track & field clubs in Canada. The Club is unrivaled and amazingly is independent of funding from government and academic institutions for its operations. Many other clubs have hoped to duplicate what we do and we are in the process of defining the operational foundations that have allowed us to be so successful.
Volunteerism is at the very root of our successes and we would not be where we are without it. The “volunteer” is our Club’s life blood and some of our volunteers are nearing 30 to 40+ years of supporting this organization. It is the incredible nature of the symbiotic relationship of coaches and supporting staff in Ottawa. Everyone plays a critical role in the development and support of our athletes. It is not uncommon for athletes to experience coaching from 3 to 5 coaches or more over their sport career in the Ottawa Lions. We have repeatedly delivered this and we will continue to deliver a path from “the playground to the Olympic Games”.
Reflective leadership, supportive staff and an accountable, respectful Board of Directors has shepherded the Lion’s administration for well over four decades. We continue to grow beyond programs, taking on larger roles and new directions in the development of our sport in the City of Ottawa and in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec. No one else does what we do. We are now very much a part of government politics, networking, education programs at all levels, facility development and equipment sustainability.
Our capacities are being challenged and we recognize that we must evolve and adapt to meet the challenges of a new and ever-changing environment. In doing this, the Club has identified a critical pathway and will be taking strategic action over the next five years in a modernized role for continued success and for a long future as a truly great sport organization.
The Why?
Two months ago we were tasked by the Ottawa Lions Board of Directors to prepare the Club’s structure for a rapid and deliverable success for the immediate future. It entailed reviewing and reorganizing, as necessary, the professional structure of the Club including the employees. A significant number of the club’s leadership will be retiring and/or stepping back from duties over the next 5 years.
The How?
STAGE 1. Effective Immediately
The restructuring and re-design of staffing covering the aspects office administration, competition hosting & event management and programs for 11 to 16 and then 17 years of age and upward.
STAGE 2. Effective Immediately to September 1, 2017
To review and modify as necessary the Club’s Youth Programs for ages 6 to 12 years. Our current leadership has announced his retirement from his long and successful tenure as the Youth Programs Manager (Joe Burke) as of August, 2017. We will proactively seek out, train and prepare the Club’s next generation of leadership for this program.
STAGE 3. Effective Immediately to August, 2021
To prepare and implement a strategic plan for a succession of the Club’s overall leadership. This is in response to the planned gradual delegation of duties of current Head Coach / Director – Andy McInnis over the next 3 to 5 years.
ACTION TAKEN – Stage 1
In a definitive effort to take Canadian club level track & field to the next level, the Ottawa Lions has moved forward with the initiative to increase the numbers of staff in a leadership and administrative roles. The intention is to impact entry level athletes ages 11 to 16 programs with “athletic capacity” while challenging those athletes 16 and 17 years to move to individually identified technical program areas that are more organized, more individually challenging and competitive. Training and program opportunities will then be integrated with our provincial, national and international level event area specific coaches.
New position “Program Leaders” (3 now and increasing to more in the future) will manage program delivery, challenging the capacity ages 11 to 16 years, while working with and supporting our next generation of volunteer coaches. They will also have co-shared administrative responsibilities and will work to design out-reach support to the school systems to help locate our future stars. The Program Leaders will also look vertically to assume more involvement strategically in the placement of the 16 to 17 year athletes to higher program challenges as well as Varsity Programs, Road Race and Masters program development.
Our Office Administrative Staff and Finance Staff will move to 3 positions to actively engage our membership and improve communications and social media content. We will be launching online membership enrollment, payment and member management of our data base information.
The Competition Events Management Division of our Club will move to expand and integrate the services we provide to other organizations for timing and results with the technical planning, information, entries and logistics of all home competition hosting. They will play a critical planning role in our hosting and delivery of the 2017 and 2018 National Championships in Ottawa.
As always, we are available for any questions. Please contact us at info@ottawawlions.com.