Moving into our 4th year of operation, we’re all excited to see the 2019/2020 squash season starting off so well.
Of course, it’s YOUR CLUB! This squash club is by, of and for the members! ESC is a not-for-profit club that is member-owned, controlled and run.
At ESC there are some salaries paid to front desk staff and pros. And these people work hard. But there’s lots and lots of work that remains to be done…. by volunteers. Currently, all the following are done by members who donate their time: writing the newsletter, cleaning the courts, organizing national tournaments or inviting top-level players and much more!
STUFF TOO! Did you know that members have freely donated the rowing machine, televisions, squash bag storage bins, popcorn machine, PA system, furniture, and more??? Average people who love ESC have donated stuff.
The good about “this is your club”:
If you want to be on the Board, you can. If you want to set up an event, you can. If you want to change the rules, you can. If you want to help keep cost low by participating, you can.
At ESC no corporate entity will run the club into the ground in order to pay the shareholders. No big brother is watching or controlling what happens here.
The bad about “this is your club”:
If you want someone to clean the courts, it’s the person in the mirror! If you want someone to lower the fees, it’s up to you to help find a way. If you want the “owners” to provide you with better organized events, cheaper beer, or more freebies….you are the owner and you will have to help find the solutions.
ESC so far….4 years in:
The 4-year report card is that our club still exists and the membership at ESC is becoming a family, with friendships and spirited competition the lifeblood within its walls! And now as we look ahead it’s time to challenge ourselves to do even better. There are lots of things for which there’s just no time. Some of the important things that need work just don’t get done. Sometimes good ideas and suggestions come forward but the budget cannot be stretched further so the best way to keep costs low (lower?) is for us to pitch in together and spend some time, and save some money and together make OUR club even better.
STEP FORWARD PLEASE?!?!?! It’s time to work toward a clearer and more dedicated commitment to the ongoing needs of ESC. The front desk staff and the pros do lots of the fundamentals. But in order to really help our club take the next step….
ESC NEEDS YOU!!!!
- VOLUNTEER COORDINATING COMMITTEE – please consider joining this new oversight group of 3 or 4 people who will oversee much of the volunteer work at ESC. This group will report to and be advised by the Board. Social events, tournaments, court cleaning, newsletter articles, member recruitment & retention, and much more. All ideas and people welcome. This new initiative is open-ended and the hope is that it will celebrate the great things that have been happening so far and help create an ESC future filled with fun social events, well-oiled tournaments and great squash in a clean facility that we are so proud of. If you can contribute some time, send an email to info@edmontonsquashclub.ca
- CASUAL VOLUNTEER – we need your 1 hour, your afternoon, or whatever you can offer. Can you offer to:
- hit with a new member once or twice?
- write a newsletter article once or twice a month?
- clean courts for an hour once a month?
- participate in organizing a Halloween party? Superbowl party? Scotch-tasting event? Or other?
- be a tournament support person for half a day? Assist with cleanup at the end?
- help with the junior program?
- assist the women’s squash committee with Saturday and social events?
- help in some other way
PLEASE email info@edmontonsquashclub.ca and let us know how you think you can help!
We hope to have the volunteer coordinating committee meet for the first time very soon and begin to work toward encouraging all members to contribute a little bit of time regularly. A new era of greater membership participation and personal ownership of ESC is around the corner!!!
None of us …. ever do great things. But we can all do small things, …. and together we can do something wonderful.
-Anthony Looy, ESC Board Member and Club Culture Committee Chair
