The organization structure of the USTA at every level relies on a small number of paid staff supplemented by a much larger cadre of volunteers. That basic model is a pretty good way for a non-profit to operate as it minimizes overhead costs and allows financial resources to be concentrated on the core mission. For the USTA, it also means that volunteers are critical to the future of the organization and as a result, also tennis.
It is a priority for the USTA to continuously attract new volunteers, just as it is important for the organization to bring in new players. That message was a recurring theme at the USTA Texas Semi-Annual meeting that I went to last month. It was my first time to attend that meeting unless you count the times I wandered through the conference looking for my Mom when I was a kid.
As a first time attendee, I had the unique perspective of seeing the meetings through the eyes of a newbie. Through that fresh perspective, I think that there are some opportunities to improve the experience of people who are new to the conference and the Sectional organization overall.
Off the tail end (hopefully) of Covid, I was told by people with a long history of conference attendance that there were a lot of unusual aspects and complications of the meeting this year. That is completely understandable. However, even within those constraints there are definitely some things that can be done to improve the experience of new volunteers.
For example, there are protocols on where people can sit during some of the meetings. While that was helpfully printed on the badge, I don’t think that it is a safe assumption that everybody will automatically understand the distinction of titles and roles and responsibilities. Additionally, it can be a challenge to succinctly communicate expectations without essentially telling people to sit along the wall and keep your mouth shut.
Similarly, it seems counterproductive to attract new people to the conference only to have large stretches of time without any sort of meeting that they can actually attend or engage in. Volunteers shouldn’t walk away from the conference with the feeling that it wasn’t a good investment of their time.
Based on the attrition rate from my assigned USTA Texas “Action” team, I perceive that a lot of people dropout after limited involvement with the organization. It is tragic when people disengage for no other reason than a perceived waste of their time. It doesn’t have to be that way.
On a personal note, I am in Las Vegas today where the 30th installment of DEF CON will get underway later this morning. Per tradition, the very first talk in Track 1 of that conference each year is “So It’s your first DEF CON.” It is an orientation for people new to the conference to help them get the most out of their attendance. It explains the culture and protocols of the event.
I think that USTA Texas (and probably other Sections) should consider implementing a similar mechanism. Plan content at the first of the meeting specifically designed to onboard new volunteers or really anyone else who wants or needs a primer. I might call it “USTA Texas 101” but we can workshop names if this idea ever gets legs.
It is not enough just to get volunteers through the door. They also have to be engaged in a way that makes them want to come back for more. I am not sure if the meeting I attended accomplished that objective.
Editorial Note: I am scheduled to deliver a talk on Cyber Threats at the Aerospace Village of DEF CON this Saturday at 11 AM PDT. There should be a recording of that talk up on YouTube in a couple of weeks.
Good luck on your talk!