Risk Registry

The Canadian Sport Risk Registry contains a number of common risks and is updated following each Risk Management Workshop. The risks and solutions are presented generically and anonymously, to provide insight for sport leaders to think differently about the risks that are ‘keeping them up at night’.

Lack of depth and balance of sport performance across the country

The Risk and its Impacts:

The sport lacks balance or depth of athletes/teams across the country. A small number of branches/clubs dominate in terms of performance, and PTSOs are highly variable in terms of capacity to develop the sport.

Strategies:
  • Enter into Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with PTSOs to identify specific roles and responsibilities in sport development. These can be customized based on capacity of the PTSO.
  • Offer club rewards such as seed money, development grants, matching grants, awards, and recognition.
  • Target specific clubs for enhanced support (financial, administrative, leadership).
  • Consider organizing NSO services and staffing by region to maximize leadership, capacity, and support for PTSOs and clubs (this may be especially beneficial in Atlantic Canada).
  • Have strong technical leadership at national office and commit to sharing information and supporting PTSO efforts in the technical area.
  • Develop a certification type program for club managers to enhance club capacity.
  • Include a club management module in NCCP curriculum.
  • Align championship events with LTD principals.
  • Rotate location of major championships to improve on accessibility and to increase visibility.
  • Use social media to create excitement around the sport or event.
  • Re-organize PTSOs into regional associations to pool resources and deliver better training to all athletes across the country.
  • Have regular scheduled meetings with PTSO Executive Directors.
  • Consider simplifying LTD with a focus on the end user.
  • Strike committees to plan and evaluate the high-performance path, drawing on previous experience.
  • Explore avenues to develop high-performance talent outside of traditional talent streams.
  • Provide coach development and mentoring opportunities.
Communication Strategies:
  • Create a communications strategy that increases awareness and enhances visibility.

Shortage of qualified coaches and officials

The Risk and its Impacts:

The inability to meet demands and expectations for the sport due to a shortage of qualified coaches and/or officials, resulting in a weakened sport experience.

Strategies:
  • Implement #NoRefNoGame social media campaign to help clubs improve their capacity to attract and retain coaches.
  • Extend coverage of national employment benefits program to salaried club coaches.
  • Collaborate closely with provinces in coach development and official development.
  • Consider an entry-level coach training module to attract young coaches, and to implement in school-based programs.
  • Develop an alumni strategy to improve retention of athletes and their recruitment into coaching and officiating roles after retirement.
  • Prepare formal coach mentorship program to match new coaches with experienced coaches in the system.
  • Ensure appropriate honoraria/per diems for officials.
  • Create True Sport awards and recognition programs for coaches and officials.
  • Provide competitive salaries for national-level coaches.
  • Hire a technical director who can be directly responsible for the effective delivery of coaching and officiating training.
  • Provide greater leadership and support to PTSOs to assist them in their efforts to develop coaches and officials.
  • Make a strong and very public commitment to support coach professional development and coaching excellence.
  • Use AGM/congress to achieve professional development delivery for coaches and officials.
  • Provide coach and officials development and training using innovative new technologies (social media).
  • Establish an officials committee to develop a strategy for recruitment, retention, and mentorship of young officials.
  • Encourage best practices within clubs to promote professionalization of coaching.
  • Develop a professional coaching career path.
  • Develop a strategy that will lead to all national team coaches being full-time, salaried professionals.
Communication strategies:
  • Communicate and promote the benefits of coaching.

Sport lacks strong international profile

The Risk and its Impacts:

The sport lacks a strong profile and reputation within the international community, which inhibits competitive invitations, hosting opportunities, international funding and decision-making influence.

Strategies:
  • Undertake deliberate succession planning for international appointments. Target and develop emerging leaders and support them in their leadership aspirations.
  • Fully fund all international delegates, and institute reporting requirements in exchange for funding.
  • Pursue development of a hosting strategy in conjunction with sport tourism interests.
  • Collaborate with USA counterpart to enhance North American hosting opportunities, and/or other like-minded nations to address imbalances and identify best practices.
  • Support international representatives in creating a communications network or website portal to improve communication and information sharing among them.
  • Create a facility development strategy. Focus on sustaining a small number of highest quality facilities in Canada to assist in hosting efforts.
  • Educate members on opportunities available as an international federation supporter.
  • Identify and capitalize on all advantages offered by the Canadian approach. Identify the unique assets and strengths we bring to the table (e.g., policy development, diversity, safety standards).
Communication Strategies:
  • Communications strategy is focused on branding Canada as a place worthy of hosting international competitions.

Weak brand and profile of sport in Canada

The Risk and its Impacts:

Risk of not building a strong brand that could raise the profile of sport in Canada (e.g., relationships with common interest groups, brand alignment, messaging).

Strategies:
  • Purposefully align events and communications with common interest groups.
  • Invite common interest groups to sit on committees or boards.
  • Consider collaborating with other sport, recreation, education or health partners with similar goals and issues.
  • Undergo a brand strategy development process to better align with partners, including a communications plan.
  • Leverage LTD into branding.
  • Create a common logo for NSO, PTSOs and host communities.
  • Ensure brand is presented appropriately to various audiences.
  • Use strong international profile when possible to build brand domestically.
  • Build awareness by partnering with a recognizable face of the sport.
  • Develop a branding guidelines document.
  • Leverage unique aspects of the sport.
Communication Strategies:
  • Promote written accolades and letters of support.