Role of a Travel Manager
The team manager is a key volunteer in the NJSA Travel Program. NJSA depends on the manager to function as the primary communication liaison to the team parents. The team depends on the manager to organize and coordinate items described below. Team managers are encouraged to share responsibility with a co-manager or to delegate responsibility for managing a team to parent volunteers (“management by committee”) in order to make sure the team runs smoothly. Key tasks to be performed (or delegated) by the manager include:
- Scheduling home games (field and time) with NJSA’s Referee Coordinator
- Coordinating away games (field and time) with manager or coach of opposing team who gets the field and ref for their games.
- Obtaining directions to away games and communicating to team and coaches.
- Ensuring current approved roster and player passes are at every game.
- Ensuring that fully stocked first aid kit and player medical releases are at every game.
- Working with your travel coach on coordination of player’s attendance for weekly practices and games.
- Work with the travel registrar to collect pictures, birth certificates, and uniform orders.
- Own and facilitate all communication between coach and parents ensuring that the club and coaches messaging is over communicated to all the parents.
- Coordination of weekly game snacks (if desired).
- Ensuring that other equipment necessary for the game (corner flags, linesman flags, etc.) is at every home game.
- Payment to referees priorto home games
- Affix player photos to passes and drop off with registrars for lamination.
- Reporting and Administration for on the SWD website
- Coordinate with NJSA Travel Director to submit tournament applications, rosters, etc.
- Collect medical waivers for tournaments.
- CT Cup responsibilities as defined by CJSA (U11 and above as appropriate).
- Communication of team-related issues to relevant Travel Director and/or Director of Coaching as appropriate.
- Other activities to support coach in team building and team spirit.
- The manager is a model for sportsmanship and fair play towards players, spectators, officials and opponents.
What works for managing one team is not necessarily what will work for managing another. Managers will need to be creative in working with their team’s parents and their NJSA Travel Coach to find the best way to make the Travel Program a success.
