Why Aren’t We Getting Registrations?
Some clubs are well established, with funding, strong volunteer bases, recognised names and years of experience behind them.
Others are run by a small group of passionate volunteers doing their best with limited time, resources and support.
Committee turnover, families aging out, volunteer burnout, club conflict and lost knowledge can all impact how a club operates. Even the most successful clubs can experience periods where communication breaks down and important information falls through the cracks.
All of these factors can contribute to a drop in registrations and lead to the million-dollar question:
"We've opened registrations, so why isn't anybody signing up?"
The first instinct is often to blame a lack of interest. Maybe people aren't interested in the sport anymore. Maybe another club is attracting players. Maybe families are cutting back on activities.
Sometimes that's true.
Sometimes it isn't.
In grassroots sport, registration problems are often communication problems.
Families are busy. Volunteers are stretched. Information gets posted in multiple places. Assumptions get made. Before long, people who intended to register simply don't.
Before you start spending money on advertising or panic about declining numbers, here are a few areas worth checking.
Can People Actually Find the Information?
You know when registrations open.
Your committee knows when registrations open.
Returning families know when registrations open.
But does a new family know?
One of the most common issues I see is clubs sharing registration information in places that only existing members know to look.
I entered the community sporting world about five years ago and thankfully found information on our local basketball association Facebook page quite easily. Now that I've been involved in grassroots sport for several seasons, wearing different hats across different sports, I just know how things tend to work.
But until we jumped in and joined teams, we had to rely on Facebook posts and other parents to guide us through the unfamiliar world of sports registrations.
If not for the ease of finding that information, there's a good chance my eldest son may have missed out on Year 1 basketball, which led to many seasons that followed.
I'm also naturally inquisitive and not backward in coming forward, so I'll actively seek out information. Not every family is the same. If the information isn't easy to find, they may simply miss the boat.
Some clubs make the mistake of using Facebook as their primary source of information rather than their website. More on that in another blog!
In the meantime, let's talk about your website and what it looks like from the perspective of a first-time parent.
If someone who has never been involved in your sport lands on your website for the first time, can they quickly find:
- Registration dates
- Fees
- Age groups
- Playing days and training days
- Contact details
- Registration links
- Required equipment or uniforms
If they have to dig through old Facebook posts or download multiple PDFs, there's a good chance they'll give up before completing the process.
If the information is outdated – showing a committee from 2017, registration links from seasons ago, or a website that looks like it was built during a high school computer class in 2002 – people may genuinely wonder whether your club is still operating.
Is Your Registration Link Easy to Find?
This sounds obvious, but it catches a lot of clubs out.
Many registration posts include a long explanation, sponsor information, committee updates and several different links.
The result?
Families aren't sure what they're supposed to do next.
Every registration post should have one clear action:
Register here.
Make the link obvious. Repeat it regularly. Put it in more than one place.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who likes to get things done then and there. If people are already going out on a limb and entering new territory, taking too many steps to register can give them a case of the nopes.
A strong call to action is what gets registrations.
Are You Communicating Often Enough?
A single registration announcement is rarely enough.
Most families won't see every post. Others will see it and plan to come back later. Some will simply forget. Some may see it but assume the registration period is closed as the post is so far back on your feed.
If you're regularly posting reels and other things, important registration information can quickly get lost in the mix.
Good communication isn't about posting once.
It's about posting consistently.
Before registrations open, clubs should be building awareness, answering common questions and reminding people when registrations are about to launch.
Check out my blog: The 5 Posts Every Club Should Publish Before Registrations Open.
After registrations open, the reminders should continue.
People often don't fail to register because they aren't interested.
They fail to register because life gets busy.
In the lead up to registrations, open up an Expression of Interest for people to put their email down. You can then send the information directly to them once you open registrations.
Are You Relying Too Heavily on Social Media?
Facebook is a useful tool.
It shouldn't be your only tool.
Social media posts disappear quickly. Algorithms decide who sees them. Important information can be buried under game results, sponsor announcements and event promotions.
Your website should be the home for key information.
Social media should direct people there.
Think of Facebook as the signpost and your website as the destination. My post: The Difference Between a Facebook Page and a Website is dropping soon
What Does a New Family Experience?
This is one of the simplest tests a club can perform.
Ask someone who has never been involved with your club to register a child.
Watch what happens.
Can they find the registration page?
Can they work out which age group they belong in?
Do they understand the costs?
Can they find who to contact if they have questions?
The things that seem obvious to long-term members are often confusing to new families.
Fresh eyes can reveal problems you didn't know existed.
Is Your Website Helping or Hurting?
A website doesn't need to be fancy.
It does need to be useful.
Outdated information, broken links, missing registration details and confusing navigation can all create barriers for potential members.
Families compare experiences. If one club makes it easy to find information and another makes them work for it, the easier option often wins.
As volunteers, we're often too close to our own clubs to see the gaps.
We know where the registration link is.
We know which age group plays on which night.
We know who to contact.
New families don't.
Sometimes all it takes is a fresh set of eyes to spot the things that have become invisible to the people running the club.
The Bottom Line
If registrations are lower than expected, don't immediately assume people aren't interested.
Start by looking at how easy it is for people to find information, understand the process and take action.
Pretend you've never registered for a sport before and go through the process with fresh eyes.
Clear communication, simple systems and a user-friendly website can have a bigger impact on registrations than many clubs realise.
Sometimes the issue isn't a lack of interest.
Sometimes it's just a lack of clarity.
Not Sure Where Families Might Be Getting Stuck?
Download my free Website Health Check Checklist or book a Fresh Eyes Website Check.
An Off Court Ops Website Health Check reviews your club website from a parent, player and volunteer perspective, identifying common barriers that may be preventing registrations and engagement. I'll send you through some simple changes to make on your website to make sure things are current, simple, and easy for families to register with your club