Dear Sports Leaders: Stop Acting Like It's 1985

There’s a plague in youth and amateur sport. No, it’s not over-scheduled weekends, snack-bar arguments, or the eternal debate over participation trophies. It’s something much worse: status quo leadership.

You know the type. Leaders so stuck in their ways they’ve turned their mindset into a concrete bunker, impervious to change or fresh ideas. These are the folks who wax nostalgic about "the good old days" when everyone followed orders without question. Spoiler alert: those days are as obsolete as flipping through the Yellow Pages to find a ride or booking a hotel room through a travel agent.

Communication: Sport’s Greatest Weakness

Let’s talk about communication—the single greatest failure in youth and amateur sports. Why is it such a mess?

• Too Many Balls in the Air: Leaders think multitasking is a virtue when, in reality, they’re just bad jugglers.
• Leadership Skills of a Potato: You can’t lead if you can’t listen, inspire, or even decide what time the meeting starts.
• Time Management? What’s That? For some, email is like a never-ending game of whack-a-mole and planning ahead feels as mystical as trying to predict the weather with a Magic 8-Ball.

If communication is the lifeblood of sport, then we’re hemorrhaging. Players, parents, coaches and volunteers are left in the dark while those in charge are busy staring at spreadsheets or crafting yet another “We apologize for the inconvenience” email.

The Consumer Is King

Here’s a fun fact: Every single person on this planet is in sales. Yes, even you, Mr. “I Run This Association Like a Fiefdom.” And Sales 101? Create value for your consumer.

Who’s the consumer in sport? The players, parents, officials, coaches, admin teams and volunteers. Yet some leaders still behave like they’re in a Monty Python skit, shouting, “I am your king!” while their subjects quietly download apps for other sports or—gasp—find better organizations.

Newsflash: Your power is no longer absolute. The world has shifted. Consumers—yes, even in sport—have options. They’re no longer beholden to mediocre leadership or outdated structures. You’re not Amazon and even Amazon has to work hard to keep its customers happy.

God Complexes Are Out

The era of unquestioned authority ended years ago, roughly around the time the phrase “OK, boomer” became a thing. If you’re running your club or league like a monarch, expecting everyone to bow to your brilliance, it’s time to reconsider. Disruption and choice have entered the chat and you’re not immune.

What Happens When You Fail to Adapt

Want to see what happens when you treat people poorly or fail to evolve? Just look at the cautionary tales and success stories around us.

• Uber revolutionized an entire industry by listening to what riders and drivers wanted—convenience, affordability and flexibility—while traditional taxi companies clung to outdated systems.
• WeWork may have stumbled, but its early success came from addressing a genuine need for modern, flexible workspaces, something traditional landlords ignored.
• Airbnb thrived because it understood travelers wanted unique, affordable stays while hosts wanted to monetize their homes. Meanwhile, hotels kept doubling down on overpriced mini-bars and cookie-cutter rooms.

Now contrast that with what happens when you fail to deliver value. Remember Blockbuster? It ignored what people wanted—streaming convenience—and became a relic. Or MySpace, which assumed its user base would stick around forever while Facebook offered a better, more adaptable product.

The lesson is clear: These companies didn’t succeed because of their titles or egos. They succeeded because they understood one fundamental truth—value wins every time.

Accountability: The Missing Ingredient

Here’s a radical idea: What if the people running sports organizations were…good?

• Not because someone forced them to be.
• Not because of a new summit or trendy PowerPoint template.
• But because they held themselves accountable to do better.

Imagine a world where leaders didn’t cling to power because they could, but because they deserved it. Where support structures existed to build competence and bad leaders were shown the door—not with malice, but with the understanding that the game deserves better.

The Call to Action

To those presiding over youth and amateur sport: Step up. Get better. Learn to communicate. Drop the god complex. And for heaven’s sake, remember who your consumer is.

You’re not a king, a queen, or even a prince. You’re a steward. Your job is to serve, not be served. Because if you don’t, the players, parents and volunteers will vote with their feet—and they’ll take their kids, time and money with them.

Consider this your wake-up call. Or don’t. Just know the status quo isn’t waiting for you to catch up. It’s already being disrupted. Your move.