HUDDLES & LEARNING LABS
What are HUDDLES?
Sport Yukon and the YG Sport & Recreation Branch invite you to join us monthly for informative and valuable discussions. Topics will be audience driven and will be hosted virtually with an option of two times each month; the second Thursday night 6:30 pm OR the 2nd Saturday 11:00 am of each month.
Benefits of the HUDDLES
This Community of Practice (CoP) is a high-value, low cost way to connect our sport community with a passion for learning, developing, and growing together. Our CoP will have facilitated professional development, ongoing learning opportunities, and knowledge sharing of all things sport.
PLUS – we will be giving away draw prizes at each session so you won’t want to miss it.
How to Register
Member organizations will receive an email outlining the HUDDLE topic and presenter, as well as the registration link.
LEARNING LABS
Sport Yukon is dedicated to support the knowledge base and confidence of our Membership. In order to empower organizations we are hosting several LEARNING LABS for you to gain new skills and to put them to practice.
You MUST pre-register for each lab by hovering over the lab of your choice and following the link.
Club Operations Manual
This document is often referred to during HUDDLES.
The purpose of this manual is to provide local sport associations with an overview of multiple topic areas that organizations face in their regular operations. The manual can be used as an effective tool for both new or rebuilding sport groups as well as established organizations looking to update or address emerging policy trends or gaps.
Past HUDDLES and their resources
HUDDLE 13 – Sport Yukon Funding Opportunities
Did you know, Sport Yukon has eight funding opportunities?
The programs facilitated by Sport Yukon assist athletes, coaches, territorial sport organizations, and families.
The programs are:
Northern LYTES Youth Development Fund
Jamie Shaw Memorial Fund
Air North Travel Program
Air North GOAL Program
In-territory Travel
Kids Recreation Fund
Athlete Participation Fund
National Sport Trust Fund
HUDDLE 12 – Post Secondary Recruitment 101
The May 18 HUDDLE Post Secondary Recruitment 101 had four guest panelists who gave advice on getting noticed when trying to make the jump from high school to post secondary.
The panelists were:
Scot Cuachon – manager, athletics and student life at Camosun College.
Ian Carswell – head of guidance at SJK School.
Jeff Speedy – head coach Reds women’s basketball, assistant director of athletics and eligibility compliance officer.
Natalie Hynes – cross country skier at the University of Anchorage Alaska.
Some key takeaways from the presentation for athletes looking to reach out to varsity coaches.
Do your research! Research the school, its programs, the makeup of the team, the names of the coaches, etc…
When emailing a varsity coach, show that you’ve taken the time to research the institution and personalize it. Don’t make your email seem cut-and-paste.
Do include highlight tape if you have some.
When approaching a varsity coach, do NOT discuss scholarships or money first.
To learn even more, please refer to the video.
HUDDLE 11 – Bylaws and the New Societies Act
Deb Bartlette, is an experienced board member and leader, with 30 years on boards at the national, territorial/provincial and local level, and with 10 years of professional experience as a senior administrator.
She has formal training in strategic planning, governance, policy, leadership and parliamentary procedure and offers this expertise to local non-profits through consulting services and training workshops.
On April 27, Bartlette spoke about changing bylaws to fit with the new societies act.
Provided below the video is a word document to help organizations with their new bylaws.
HUDDLE 10 – Indigenous Inclusion and Capacity in Yukon Sports
This HUDDLE was presented by Gael Marchand, executive director of the Yukon Aboriginal Sport Circle, and Sarah Walz.
HUDDLE 9 – Updating Reporting and Application Processes for YRAC and YS4L
The Yukon Sport and Recreation Branch unveiled their new and improved online applications and reporting forms for the Pathway to Podium (YS4L) and Foundations in Sport (YRAC) funding.
HUDDLE 8 – Accounting for the new Societies Act
Sport Yukon’s Jan. 19 HUDDLE covered how the new Societies Act will affect accounting for
organizations. The HUDDLE was presented by Ben Robinson, certified professional accountant,
and Thomas Scoffin, chartered professional accountant (CPA).
There were changes to the vocabulary used in the new Societies Act. Now, Profit and Loss has
replaced Income Statement and Statement of Operations/Activities and Balance Sheet is the
former Statement of Financial Position.
Other changes include, financials are no longer filed with Corporate Affairs and the classes of
society – there are now two. Class A and Class B.
Class A has revenues over $120 thousand or assists above $250 thousand. Class B is
everyone else.
Class A societies are required to appoint an accountant at the AGM for the upcoming year while
Class B there’s no requirement for an accountant.
Financial reporting options for Class A societies include: compilation (formerly Notice to Reader), Review, and Audit. Note, an audit is not recommended as an option unless
circumstances warrant one.
For more information, review the powerpoint below or watch the HUDDLE.
HUDDLE 7 – Sue Meikle on Strategic Planning
Like in sports, an organization needs a solid strategy to achieve both short-term and long-term goals. During the Nov. 24 HUDDLE, Sue Meikle provided insight into how organizations, specifically non-profits, can navigate the creation of a new strategic plan.
The HUDDLE outlined the five Ws and more of strategic planning.
- Who should be involved?
- • What components are essential?
- When – timelines and process.
- Where several places can be used/.
- Why is strategic planning important
It also touched on how an organization’s plan can be developed.
A strategic plan is a high-level document that explains who you are as an organization, where you want to be in several years and how you intend to get there, said Meikle.
Strategic plans, good ones, provide a map of where you want to go and help set and focus priorities. They also give staff direction and help determine annual work plans and budgets.
They also give your organization credibility and the process encourages creative solutions – as COVID-19 forced many organizations to do.
When beginning a strategic plan, Meikle gave several areas to consider before starting, such as duration and who will participate in the planning, as examples.
Once those areas have been considered, a non-profit needs to define “who you are”. What are the mandates, core values and principles, mission and vision?
By identifying these criteria, they communicate the organization’s goals and show the beliefs that guide the organization to stakeholders and the public.
When it comes to getting the strategic plan done, Meikle provided three examples of how to make it happen. An organization can hire a consultant, boards do information gathering and hire a facilitator or boards do all the work themselves.
For more information, please watch Sue Meikle’s HUDDLE by clicking the video provided.
HUDDLE 6 – Sport Law's Michelle Kropp on Sport Selection
The 2022 Canada Summer Games in the Niagara Region of Ontario are looming on the horizon. With the excitement that comes with an upcoming Games, there also are those
tough decisions surrounding team selection that comes with them.
In the Nov. 3 Huddle, Michelle Kropp, B.Sc (Hons), LL. B., of Sport Law spoke about building solid team and coach selection policies.
Through the HUDDLE, Kropp touched on procedural fairness, the purpose of selection, the authority of the decision-maker(s), selection criteria, the process of making selection decisions, and common selection problems.
To hold a fair selection process, Kropp said it’s important to “hammer home the communication.”
That includes using the written process with proper authority and communicating selection policies to athletes, coaches, and parents well before a tryout.
During a tryout or selection process, Kropp indicates it’s best to use objective criteria where possible. If subjective, it’s important to communicate the guidelines for interpretation.
Those making selections should clearly indicate the weight of the criteria if it isn’t equal.
Also important as noted by Kropp, selection committees need to provide an opportunity for an appeal.
HUDDLE 5 – Concussion Awareness
The Concussion Awareness HUDDLE was presented by Dr. Victor Lun from the University of Calgary Sport Medicine Centre. Also presenting were Jeane Lassen and Eric Porter.
To learn more about concussion awareness, click below.
HUDDLE 3 – Hosting your AGM with Confidence
HUDDLE 2 – On-boarding New Board Members
Please email memberservices@sportyukon.com for resources and details from this HUDDLE.