This article was written by Alexus Jimson-Miller, Product Designer at Upper Hand.
There are few things in life more rewarding than getting a group of athletes together to train, learn from each other, and have fun. As a coach, hosting a successful sports camp that does just that, and can often be the highlight of your year. Think about it….athletes showing clear improvement in skill from the first to last day of camp, forming new friendships, and trusting coaches to lead them in gaining new knowledge applicable to their sport and beyond. Where there are good coaches, experiences like this are sure to follow.
However, even good coaches may need some assistance deciding where to host their life-changing sports camp. That’s where we can help! Finding the best venue for your sports camp can ensure that you have everything you need to provide a safe, enjoyable experience for all involved.
Here are a few things to consider when securing a venue for your next sports camp.
First, it’s important to determine your camps’ needs. Details such as age range and skill level of your campers, the quantity and size of equipment needed, location of the venue, and finances are all important factors that will influence which venue you choose. You’ll want to prioritize these factors based on the goal of your camp. To start, you can write down your goal and then rank these factors based on how important they’ll be in reaching it. This can serve as a guide for your decision making throughout this process, especially if you’re new to the sports camp landscape.
If you’re hosting a larger camp with hundreds of athletes attending, you may want to prioritize facility size and equipment availability to make sure all attendees have the space and the tools to get better.
If you’re hosting a smaller, specialized camp, you may want to prioritize finances and venue location so that you’re not paying for space you won’t use and the venue is easily accessible for athletes and their families.
Once you’re clear on your goals and have prioritized your camp needs, you can begin researching venues that fit those objectives. If you’re unfamiliar with available options in or around your community, you can start by looking into local schools or universities. Community centers, recreation facilities, or sports complexes are also great options to look into. Often, these types of locations are home to all types of events. One is surely to be perfect for your next camp.
We recommend finding as much information as possible about the venue from their website, community members who’ve used the space, or a simple internet search. Using the information you’ve gathered, you can create a pro’s and con’s list to narrow down the list of venues that are the best fit for you. After selecting two or three of your top picks the next step is to reach out directly and start a conversation.
There are so many ways to contact venues now that social media is a popular place for businesses to promote themselves. However, reaching out via email first can help you keep track of the venues you’ve chosen and will allow the venue to answer multiple questions or concerns at once. When sending an email to a potential venue it is helpful to include information about yourself and to clearly state your specific camp needs so that it’s easy for them to provide helpful information. Don’t forget to include the camp schedule, number of camp attendees, the sport you’re offering, and any special requirements.
After including information about yourself and the camp, you can list your questions about the cost of space and equipment, max venue capacity, athlete waivers, etc. The answers to these questions can be vital in determining which of your top picks is truly the best fit for your camp.
Having trouble starting the conversation? Here’s an example email that you can send to potential venues to get started.
Hello [Venue Name] Team,
My name is Coach [First Name + Last Name]. I’m the [Role] of [Sports Business Name]. I’m searching for a venue to host my upcoming [Name of Camp] Camp. The camp will be held [Camp Dates] with [Estimated Number of Athletes] athletes registered.
We’ve narrowed down our hosting options for our upcoming camp and we feel that [Name of Venue] would be a great fit. We have a few questions about the availability of your facilities and the cost associated. We will leave our questions and more information about [Sports Business Name] below. If you have questions or need more information from us please let us know. We are available via email or via [Additional Communication Channel].
[Add Questions Here]
[Insert You Sports Business Website Link or Business Summary Here]
Looking forward to hearing from you soon!
Name
Phone Number
Business Name
While this step is not required, visiting a venue before signing a contract or committing to a space is definitely something to consider. You can use this visit to verify that the venue has everything you need, establish a face-to-face relationship with the venue’s team, and ask any unanswered questions.
Seeing the potential camp location in person is also a great way to visualize your camp set up. Understanding how you can use the space could be the difference maker if you’re deciding between two great locations. For example, one location may have all the equipment and space you need, while the other may have the same perks and a better facility layout that could allow for an extra breakout group or activity set up.
Overall, visiting the venue can put you at an advantage once camp day rolls around. You’ll be ready to use the space as efficiently and effectively as possible and you won’t miss a beat when it comes to building your camp day agenda.
Once you’ve planned your sports camp agenda and selected a venue that meets your needs, it’s time to sign on the dotted line. Below is a list of things to keep in mind when negotiating your agreement with a sports facility or rental venue. This is merely for educational purposes and is meant to provide some guidance for working with a team. As a reminder, we are not giving out legal advice here, we’re just trying to assist you in getting what you need in a fair way.
Things to keep in mind:
Depending on when you secure the venue, it’s a great idea to keep in touch with the venue’s team as you get closer to camp day. The relationship you build with them can be beneficial if you need additional resources or assistance.
You can’t go wrong with a great coaching staff and excited athletes ready to take on the next training challenge. We have plenty of guides to help you plan out your camp and get athletes registered. All you have to do is secure the venue. The 5 steps above for finding and securing the right venue for your sports camp are truly meant to encourage you to take advantage of the camp space to build excitement about your business and your sport. This is an opportunity for you to impact the lives of athletes in your community and grow in a fun, organic way. What are you waiting for? Start planning your next camp today.
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