Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/745428
Work with your associations and programmers Tournaments and holiday programming aren't put together overnight. Months of planning and communication should be happening between yourself and the program or association director. In those meetings leading up to the main event, it's a good idea to assess your needs for staffing. Based on the amount of teams or skaters participating you can get a good idea of how many additional workers you will need on hand that night or weekend. Any team or association hosting a hockey tournament should have a tournament coordinator who is willing and ready to work with you to accommodate the influx of players, parents and coaches. Oftentimes hosting teams will have organized a list of parents from their squad to help out with the weekend. Don't be afraid to ask your main point of contact for other leads on people who might be willing to help out. The more volunteer options you can get on hand, the better. Assign duties accordingly During these types of events you're likely to get a mix of veteran and rookie parents—it's what the teams and rosters are comprised of, too. These veteran volunteers are going to be one of your biggest assets. They'll be able to be a second set of experienced hands who can tutor parents who are volunteering for a first time. Enlist a parent who's worked concessions before to show new parents how to rotate the hot dogs, get the popcorn machine started. Have a parent who knows how to man the front door and box office? Have a new parent shadow them until they get the gist of what they're doing. Of course as facility manager, you'll have to take some responsibility of your own and make sure every volunteer is given a comprehensive overview of what duties they are in charge of. Plan for time to meet with the volunteers before the event or at the very least before their shift begins. Another note to be aware of: make sure those handling money—whether at the ticket counter or behind the concession stands—are trustworthy. If you have the time, it's never a bad idea to run a background check on potential volunteers, though it's not a requirement, as associations should have done that on their own, too. Look to local high schools and colleges Maybe you don't end up with enough volunteers through the teams or association—that's OK. Look to local high school teams or colleges for extra assistance. A lot of times volunteer hours are required for certain activities or credits, so it's a great win for all involved. Post it Create a volunteer page on your website or promote your search on your social media pages. Any way that you can get word out that you are looking for help is going to benefit you and your staff. Flyers, bulletins and postings in your local newspaper are another way to reach potential volunteers who are just looking to help out in their community anyway they can. Don't forget to say 'thank you' Volunteering is often a thankless job. Be sure to show your volunteer staff appreciation for all that they are doing. J 28 / NOVEMBER.DECEMBER.2016 RINKMAGAZINE.COM DO YOU HAVE A PARENT WHO KNOWS HOW TO MANAGE THE FRONT DOOR AND BOX OFFICE? HAVE A NEW PARENT SHADOW THEM UNTIL THEY GET THE GIST OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING. TOWN RINK I VOLUNTEER!