Volunteering Q&A and Roles & Responsibilities

Why do we need volunteers?

We are an entirely volunteer run organization, so we depend on members of the public stepping up to keep the organization running and providing terrific soccer programs to our West Hants children and youth! 

No matter your soccer knowledge, there is plenty to do and we need all the help we can get. 

What types of volunteer roles are there?

There are plenty of different roles with different levels of responsibility (something for everyone!) Some of the volunteer positions include:

• Volunteer Coaches
• Team Managers
• General support (if you have interest in helping, you can coordinate
• Coordinator roles (summer-only coordination positions)
• Director roles (to sit on the Board of Directors)
• Officer roles (selected from the Board of Directors, these folks will carry additional responsibilities and be registered with the NS Registry of Joint Stocks)

Ok, but what do each of these roles entail?

Every volunteer must have a Criminal Record/Background Check with Vulnerable Sector search.

Team-based roles

• Coaches
  • Coaches will be responsible for running all practices for their assigned teams. Typically coaches will structure practices with a combination of skills drills and scrimmages.
  • Coaches work closely with the Team Manager and Youth and/or Mini Directors (as applicable) to ensure constant communication for deconflicting any game scheduling concerns.
  • Coaches will be provided access to coaching materials and the club will help provide the framework for coaches to become certified.
• Team Managers
  • Team Managers will be responsible for communications within their assigned teams - with the coach and with the players/parents. They will send emails with game schedules and take attendance at each practice/game.  
  • Team Managers work closely with the Coaches and Youth and/or Mini Directors (as applicable) to ensure constant communication for deconflicting any game scheduling concerns.
  • Many managers also act as assistant coaches to the head coach. Generally this works very well and gives the two an opportunity to work together and provide a great experience to the children/youth.
• General Support
  • If you would just like to "drop in" and support our coaches with additional help from time to time, be a tournament helper, you name it, we will happily take any help we can get! Just let us know. 

Behind the scenes roles

Once per year, at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) the Board of Directors is vacated and then re-instated by vote. This is an incredibly important meeting, where there will be several volunteers looking to re-fill the same spots in the next year, and vacancies will be open. The Board of Directors sets the vision for the club and puts that vision into motion. 

The Board of Directors

• The Technical Director is responsible for providing overall leadership and strategy for the club by collaborating effectively with the other Directors and volunteers to ensure growth and quality of the soccer programs offered by the club. Additionally, the Technical Director ensures consistency and alignment with governing associations (example: Soccer Nova Scotia).   

• The Facilities Director / Club Manager is responsible for ensuring booking, availability and maintenance of all fields and facilities required for all soccer programs offered by the club. This also includes lobbying for upgrades to field equipment (ex: nets), as well as lobbying for access to new fields and/or facilities, as required. Additionally, the Club Manager provides support and guidance to all Directors, as needed. 

• The Communications Director is responsible for the club’s communication strategy and ensures successful communications with the board, members, and the public at large, where applicable. This may include ensuring ongoing maintenance of a club website, social media site(s), use of e-mail, and advertising strategies.  

• The Registration Director is responsible for opening and closing of registration, tracking and maintaining all registrant information (and providing said information to the Secretary to update the Register of Members), and ensuring all registrant payments are received. Additionally, the Registration Director is responsible for assigning players to age groups and providing that information to the Mini and Youth Directors (who will assign players to teams). 

• The Coaching Director is responsible for coach recruitment and coordinating coach training for the club. The Coaching Director works closely with the Technical Director to ensure consistent training and support is provided for Mini- and Youth-level coaches; and to ensure high calibre coaching outcomes to support Mini- and Youth-level players.   

• The Referee Director is responsible for referee recruitment, coordinating referee training, and maintaining a referee roster for the club. The Referee Director works closely with the Technical Director for support in coordinating with other associations and districts, as applicable. The Referee Director is responsible for ensuring a referee is assigned to every U9 game and every U11 home-game for the club.  

• The Tournament Director is responsible for the success of all tournaments and jamborees hosted by the club. This includes developing an annual event schedule and subsequent planning for each event (booking of facilities, development of tournament schedules, coordination of canteen provisions, and coordinating and/or developing communications material for each event). This role works closely with the other Directors and volunteers to ensure the success of each event. 
   
• The Mini Director is responsible for assigning coaches and players to teams and then declaring theU7, U9, and U11 teams to the Valley District Soccer Association, as applicable, and ensuring these teams have adequate gear for each season (ex: uniforms, balls and bags). The Mini Director will lay out the U7 and U9 schedules and ensure these are communicated to the Area Coordinators. The Mini Director ensures Area Mini Coordinator volunteers are recruited and assigned to each zone, as applicable (Falmouth, Windsor, Brooklyn, Mount Uniacke), and additionally ensures a U11 Coordinator volunteer is recruited. 
  • Area Mini Coordinators work closely with the Coaches, Team Managers, Coaching Director, Communications Director and Referee Director, as applicable, to ensure each team in their assigned area has what it needs to be successful for the season (communications, gear, information, and support). The Area Mini Coordinator role is not a Director-level role. 
  • The U11 Coordinator coordinates schedules and referees with other districts for the club’s U11 age group (Falmouth, Windsor, Brooklyn, Mt Uniacke). The U11 Coordinator role is not a Director-level role. 

• The Youth Director is responsible for the declaration of the U13, U15 and U18 teams to the Valley District Soccer Association, as applicable, and ensuring these teams have adequate gear for each season (ex: uniforms, balls and bags). The Youth Director flows the Valley District games schedule to the Youth Coaches, and also coordinates with other teams in the Valley District if home games need to be rescheduled. The Youth Director works closely with the Coaches and other Directors, as applicable, to ensure each team has what it needs to be successful for the season (communications, gear, information, and support). 

 Officers

The directors shall elect the following officers from amongst themselves:  

1. Chairman (President)
2. Vice-Chairman (Vice-President)
3. Treasurer
4. Secretary

The offices of Treasurer and Secretary may be combined.  

• The Chairman (President) is responsible for the general supervision of the activities of the Society and shall perform other duties as assigned by the members or directors.  

• The Vice Chairman (Vice-President) shall perform the duties of the Chair during the absence, illness or incapacity of the Chairman, or when the Chair may request him/her to do so.  

• The Secretary has responsibility for the preparation and custody of all books and records including:  
  • the minutes of members’ meetings, 
  • the minutes of directors’ meetings, 
  • the register of members, 
  • filing the annual requirements with the office of the Registrar, and  
  • file with the Registrar:  
  • within fourteen (14) days of their election or appointment, a list of directors with their addresses, occupations, and dates of appointment or election  
  • a copy of every special resolution within fourteen (14) days after the resolution is passed, and 
  • have other duties as assigned by the board.  

In the absence of the secretary from a meeting, the board must appoint another individual to act as secretary at the meeting.  

• The Treasurer shall have responsibility for the custody of all financial books and records of the Society and carry out all other duties assigned by the board.