Volleyball
Club Committee
Handbook
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TABLE OF CONTENTS:
The Committee- Roles and Responsibilities
 The President/Chair Job Description
-Running your Meetings- A Guide for the Chair
 The Treasurer Job Description
-Sample Treasurer’s Report
 The Secretary Job Description
-Sample Agenda and Minutes template
-Sample Committee report Cover sheet
Planning:
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The Club Health Check
Writing a Plan for your Club
Sample One page Planner
Communicating with your Members and supporters
 Starting a Club Newsletter
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THE COMMITTEE: ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
JOB DESCRIPTION – VOLLEYBALL COMMITTEE PRESIDENT/CHAIRPERSON
The Volleyball Committee President/Chairperson is the principle leader of the
Volleyball Committee and has leadership responsibility for the administration of the
Committee.
The Volleyball Committee President/Chairperson, in conjunction with the Volleyball
Committee Secretary, sets the committee agenda and facilitates effective committee
meetings.
Responsible To:
The Volleyball Committee President/Chairperson is elected by the members and is
responsible for representing the views of the Volleyball Committee and the Club’s
members, including attending and representing the members at State Association
Meetings.
Responsibilities and Duties:

Set meeting dates and meeting Agenda.

Chair and manage committee meetings.

Represent the Club at State Association meetings.

Act as a facilitator for Club activities.

Ensure the planning and budgeting for the future is carried out in accordance
with the wishes of the members.

Liaise with the Club’s Committee and members in relation to Volleyball
matters.
Knowledge and Skills Required

Can communicate effectively.

Is well informed of all Club activities.

Is aware on the future directions and plans of the Club.

Has a good working knowledge of the Club’s constitution

Is a supportive leader for all Club members.

Can maintain confidentiality on relevant matters.
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Running your meetings:
A Guide for the Chair
Effective Club meetings
This section provides some helpful hints in chairing formal meetings, such as the
Club’s Annual General Meeting.
The chairperson’s role is to lead the meetings, accept motions and amendments,
rule on points of order and see that the wishes of the meeting are carried out
correctly.
Meetings do not have to be run formally all the time and it is up to the chairperson to
decide what the appropriate approach for each meeting is. It is usual practice to run
the Annual General Meeting with more formal procedures to ensure that due process
is followed. The regular Committee meetings can adopt a consensus model of
decision making which is more relaxed and where the Chair ensures that the
following is achieved:
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everyone is given a fair go;
timewasting is reduced and argumentative debate is discouraged; and
the group reaches decisions in an effective manner.
Agenda
The agenda is the basis of any meeting and gives direction, structure and purpose to
the meeting. The agenda should be drawn up jointly by the chairperson and
secretary and should be followed in order, unless the meeting directs otherwise. See
sample.
The agenda should be circulated prior to the meeting so that members may attend
the meeting prepared to make a well-informed contribution. At a minimum, people
attending your meetings need to know what the agenda is.
Call the meeting to order at least several minutes before the opening. Starting
on time is very important.
THE QUORUM
Your Club Rules (constitution) specify a quorum – a specified minimum number of
eligible voting members or Committee members who must be present at a meeting
to make the proceedings valid at the specified starting time.
If necessary, the chairperson may delay the appointed starting time to give every
opportunity for the necessary number to be present. Upon being satisfied that a
quorum is present, the meeting should be formally declared open.
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If the numbers at the meeting fall below the quorum at any stage during proceedings
of the meeting, no further decisions should be made, but those in attendance may
choose to continue discussions on relevant matters.
Open the meeting at the arranged time.
Declare the meeting officially open. This is important as the business of the meeting
is recorded from this point on in the Minutes. See sample.
Identify the meeting by quoting the specific title and class of it, e.g. make the opening
a firm statement – “I declare this regular (monthly) meeting of (name of your Club)
open”.
Attendance and apologies.
Record all members present.
Introduce any visitors or special guests and formally welcome them to the meeting.
Call for apologies. Ensure they are added to the Minutes.
Minutes. See sample
It is the chairperson’s duty to ask for any corrections to the minutes of the previous
meeting (amend if necessary) and then call for the motion – “Is it the wish of the
meeting that I sign these minutes (as corrected, if they were amended) as a true and
accurate record of the previous (monthly) meeting held on (date)”.
The sole purpose of confirming or adopting minutes is to ensure their accuracy.
Reading lengthy minutes in detail is unnecessary. Ideally, people can quickly look
over the Minutes and see that they are accurate without having to read them aloud to
the meeting.
Matters arising from the previous minutes.
List matters to be decided on the agenda.
Discussion should be confined strictly to matters in the previous minutes.
Matters arising from the minutes are usually confined to specific questions about
actions which someone was to complete after the previous meeting.
Correspondence.
The chairperson should ask the secretary to present a list of inward and outward
correspondence, in the order they were received, and put it to the meeting.
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The chairperson should request a motion – “That all inward correspondence be
received” and “that outward correspondence be approved”.
No discussion should be necessary before the motion is presented.
The secretary should read to the meeting the date, meaningful contents of the letter
and the signatory.
Any member may request that the whole context of the letter be read to the meeting.
Reports.
a) The Treasurer:
The chairperson calls on the treasurer for the regular financial report. See sample.
The chairperson asks for any discussion arising from the report – “The report is now
open for discussion”.
A motion is requested to adopt the report – “That the financial report be received”.
b) Committee: These reports should be brief.
The committee chairperson should present them beforehand (in writing) and during
the meeting, so that they can be incorporated into the minutes.
Insist on written reports, you will speed up your meetings. Make sure all reports have
the attached Cover sheet as this will speed up the process! See sample.
Here’s a simple formula for reports:
Reports are sent/brought to the meeting with the action cover sheet.
They report against progress, not activity! Each report should discuss what has
been achieved against the objectives in your Club Plan.
This format keeps reports to the point. The recommendations (when appropriate) are
almost like a ‘motion’ to give the Committee something definite to discuss.
Discussion and action may follow each report.
Each report is then adopted after presentation and discussion – “That the report be
received”. No seconder is required.
c) Other matters:
These should be brief and deal with specific topics.
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Discussion on motions at
Annual General Meetings of the Club.
Motions and amendments
All items of business requiring a decision must come before the meeting by way of a
motion and if passed, becomes a resolution. A motion should be proposed before
the chairperson allows any debate or discussion on the topic. This promotes an
orderly discussion. Once a motion has been moved the chairperson should make
sure discussion does not depart from the point.
Moving a motion
The mover, standing and addressing the chair, introduces the motion – “I move that
...”. This introduces an item of business for the meeting’s scrutiny and has the floor
when there is no other motion before the meeting.
The mover must state their case to the meeting on that motion only and may not be
interrupted by the chairperson unless the motion is frivolous or ridiculous and is
unlikely to be seconded.
The motion should be clear, concise and unambiguous and not be introduced to the
meeting until it is clear.
Seconding a motion
This implies there is support for the motion. The speaker must introduce his/her
support with, “I second that motion”.
If there is no seconder the motion lapses.
Immediately after a motion has been proposed and seconded the chairperson can
save time and cut out repetition by declaring, “Does anyone wish to speak AGAINST
the motion?” If NO, the motion may be put to the vote.
If YES, the order of debate should be speaker against, then for (i.e. alternately), with
no speaker (except the seconder’s reserved speech and mover’s right of reply, point
of order, or personal explanation, e.g. correcting a misquote) speaking more than
once.
Amendments
Are introduced by: “Mr/Madam Chairperson – I would like to make an amendment
that …”.

Must be clear and precise.
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An amendment must not negate the motion.
A competent amendment may:
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add to the motion;
subtract from the motion;
substitute words within the motion; or
alter the wording of the motion.
Neither the mover nor the seconder to the original motion or prior amendments may
move or second an amendment.
Amendments should be placed before the meeting one at a time (taken in the order
in which they affect the terms of the original motion).
When an amendment is raised, all that have spoken previously may speak again.
Before any vote is taken, the chairperson should make sure those at the meeting
understand the points for and against and the actual wording of the amendment.
When an amendment is carried, it is incorporated in the motion, which can then be
further discussed or amended.
If an amendment is lost, the original or previously amended motion again has the
floor and the latest amendment is not incorporated into the motion.
Advice on amendments
Restrict the number of amendments to two for each original motion.
To avoid confusion, amendments to amendments are not advised.
Each amendment must be relevant.
Insist that amendments be handed in writing to the secretary before voting.
Before members are asked to vote, the amendment is read to the meeting.
Amendments should be discussed and ratified ONE AT A TIME.
Closure of debate
The chairperson should decide when the vote is to be put.
The mover of the original motion should then be offered their right of reply.
The motion or amendment to be ratified must be read out to the members, so that all
clearly understand the motion or amendment.
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The chairperson could also summarise the arguments for and against.
Voting
At the end of a debate, the chairperson puts the motion to the vote. Different forms of
voting are by:
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voices;
show of hands;
members standing;
secret ballot;
Unless specified otherwise in the constitution, a SIMPLE MAJORITY VOTE by
voices is often enough to cause the chairperson to declare the result. If there is any
doubt on the voice vote, the chairperson may call, or be called upon by a member,
for a show of hands. The constitution should nominate the necessary majority
needed to ensure motions are resolved.
Unless someone demands a ballot or division immediately after the voice or show of
hands vote had been declared, the decision of the chairperson is binding. If there is
an equal number of votes for and against on the first and second show of hands and
after a ballot, the proposal is rejected.
The constitution will provide for the voting power of the chairperson (if any).
If the motion (as amended) is lost, the meeting proceeds to the next item of
business.
Points of order
This is introduced by, “I rise to a point of order ...”.
It covers a breach of rules or behaviour.
The point of order must be made when the breach occurs.
No seconder is required.
The speaker may be interrupted.
The point of order is not open to debate, not subject to amendment.
It is subject to the chairperson’s ruling.
General business.
The chairperson can decide whether a point should be discussed, although only
relatively minor points can be brought up.
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Notice of motion for the next meeting may be brought up with a written copy of the
motion, signed and dated, being handed to the secretary.
The chairperson should restrict discussion to the interest of the meeting.
Next meeting.
Discuss the time, date and venue for the next meeting to ensure everyone knows the
details.
Closure.
This is the signal to say that no further business is being conducted at the meeting.
The time for winding up proceedings is up to the chairperson.
The chairperson should close the meeting when there is no further business or when
continuing would serve no worthwhile purpose.
The normal way of closing is for the chairperson to rise, thank members for their
cooperation, thank visitors, wait for silence and announce, “I declare this (monthly)
meeting of the (**** Club) closed”.
The chairperson should emphasise that the meeting is over by leaving the chair as
soon as possible whilst declaring that further discussion is unofficial and leaderless.
The chairperson — essential tasks
A person in the chair leads but does not direct. Although he/she controls procedure
and conduct, that person is in charge of the meeting which is conducted for the
benefit of the members.
Before the meeting
Planning is essential. Before the meeting discuss the agenda with the secretary to
determine what should be accomplished.
Know the Rules (constitution) for the conduct of meetings. Departure from any
special rules of procedure could make the business of the meeting invalid.
Act as host – meet and greet your members. You are responsible for making them
feel welcome and wanted.
At the meeting
Don’t sit in the ‘chair’ until you are ready to start the meeting.
Follow the agenda strictly, unless directed otherwise by the meeting.
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Know the order of the agenda.
Keep the meeting moving in the desired direction. Be firm but tactful when members
deviate from the issue under discussion.
Try to be impartial – be there for the benefit of the meeting.
Listen attentively and keep a concise summary of proceedings.
Attempt to get all members to contribute to the meeting. Ensure that there is fair
discussion on each issue and that all points are expressed before the meeting is
called upon to vote.
Direct the order of speaking – mover first, then others, alternating between speakers
for and against a motion.
Rule on points of order.
Be enthusiastic. Zest instils enthusiasm into the members.
Attempt to keep the meeting moving, don’t have any awkward breaks.
Arise and leave the chair at the end of the meeting or the beginning of any recess.
A chairperson should have the following phrases on the tip of his or her tongue:
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“Will someone please move a motion?”
“A seconder for the motion, please?”
“Will members please vote?”
“All in favour please say ‘aye’.”
“All against please say ‘no’.”
“I think the ‘ayes’ have it.”
“I think the ‘nos’ have it.”
“Members, what is your wish?”
“I suggest ...” (here suggest a motion, amendment or course of action).
“I rule the amendment out of order” (or such other ruling as is necessary).
“Thank you, members.”
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(INSERT CLUB NAME)
JOB DESCRIPTION – VOLLEYBALL COMMITTEE TREASURER
The Treasurer accepts this role as an additional responsibility, not an exclusive one.
All Committee members share equally in their responsibility to ensure that the
finances of the Club are managed appropriately and used for the purposes they were
intended.
As such, all Committee members share equally in the responsibility to understand
the financial situation of the Club and to share in the financial decisions.
Responsible To: The Treasurer is directly responsible to the President and
members of the Committee and through them, to the members.
Responsibilities and Duties: The Treasurer should:

Prepare a budget and monitor it carefully

Keep the Club’s books up-to-date
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Keep a proper record of all payments and monies received

Make sure financial reports are available and understood at all committee
meetings

Show evidence that money received is banked and documentation provided
for all money paid out

Ensure that information is available to prepare the Annual Financial report.

Arrange the Annual Financial report for members.

Give Treasurer’s report at regular meetings and when required

Send out accounts

Pay the bills.
Knowledge and Skills Required
Ideally the Treasurer is someone who is:

Well organised

Able to allocate regular time periods to maintain the books

Able to keep good records

Able to work in a logical orderly manner

Aware of information which is needed to be kept to prepare regular financial
reports including an accurate Annual Financial report for the AGM.
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_____________________Volleyball Club
TREASURER’S REPORT:
1. State the beginning balance:
Date:___________________ Beginning Balance:________________________
RECEIPTS
Receipts/Income
Date
From what source
Total received
EXPENSES
Expenses/ Expenditure
Amount Date
For what
purpose?
Amount
Total expenses
2. Indicate closing balance:
Date:_____________________________ Closing
Balance:______________________
The attached copy of the bank statement agrees with the total adjusted balance,
directly above. Yes No
If a copy of the Bank statement is not attached, or the balances do not match,
please explain the reasons:
Explanation______________________________________________________
Additional comments: Provide any additional explanation about the financial report
that will assist members or the Committee to understand the current financial
position of the Club. Identify any outstanding debts or income and also identify any
costs which may not have been anticipated.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
_______________
Club Treasurer’s Signature
Club President’s Signature
Date:___________________
Date: ___________________
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(INSERT CLUB NAME)
JOB DESCRIPTION – VOLLEYBALL COMMITTEE SECRETARY
The Volleyball Committee Secretary is the chief administration officer of the
Volleyball Committee. This person provides the coordinating link between the
Volleyball Committee, the Club members and external stakeholders.
Responsible To:
The Secretary is directly responsible to the Volleyball Committee through the
President/Chairperson, the Club Committee and the members.
Responsibilities and Duties

Prepare the agenda for Committee meetings in consultation with the
Committee President/Chairperson and distribute to all Club Committee
members. (See below)

Send adequate notice of the meetings to all Committee members.

Word-processing of notes, forms, newsletter etc. as required for all Volleyball
coaches & Committee.

Keep accurate minutes of meetings and distribute to all Committee members
prior to the next meeting. (See below)

Keep records of all inward and outward correspondence and distribute to
appropriate Committee members.

Maintain registers of Committee members’, players, umpires, coaches and
sponsors names and addresses.

Communicate information between the Club and members, such as important
dates, events etc.

Liaise with the President/Chairperson and other committee members when
required.
Knowledge and Skills Required

Can communicate effectively.

Is well organised and can delegate tasks.

Has a good working knowledge of the Club’s constitution and Volleyball
Australia’s Volleyball By-Laws.

Can maintain confidentiality on relevant matters.
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Sample Agenda format:
AGENDA (CLUB) VOLLEYBALL COMMITTEE TO BE HELD ON (DATE & TIME)
1. Venue
2. Present
3. Apologies
4. Minutes of Previous Meeting
5. Business Arising from Minutes of Previous Meeting
6. Correspondence
7. General Business
8. (item)
9. (item)
10. (item) etc
11. Other Business
12. Date for next meeting.
Sample Minutes format:
MINUTES OF (INSERT CLUB NAME) VOLLEYBALL COMMITTEE MEETING
HELD ON (INSERT DATE)
1.
PRESENT
(Insert who is present).
2.
APOLOGIES
(Insert apologies)
3.
MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
Moved (insert name), Seconded (insert name) that the minutes of the
previous meeting, (insert last meeting date) be confirmed. Carried.
4.
BUSINESS ARISING FROM MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
(Insert business arising or NIL if none)
5.
CORRESPONDENCE
Inwards:
(insert list)
Outwards (insert list)
6.
GENERAL BUSINESS
6.1
(item)
(Details of item)
6.2
(item)
(Details of item) etc
7.
OTHER BUSINESS
(Details of item)
8.
NEXT MEETING:
(Insert date of next meeting)
9.
MEETING CLOSED (insert time meeting closed)
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Sample Committee Report Cover Sheet:
Committee Report Cover Sheet for _______ Volleyball Club
Date______
Area:_____________________________
For:
Approval
Discussion
Information
Overview: (Explain the reason for the report and what the main points are.)
Recommendation: (Explain what you want the Committee to do in relation to the
report.)
Are there any attachments: Yes
No
(Identify what the attachments are.)
Signed:____________
Outcome:_______________________________(This is where the Committee write
in what it has decided in relation to the report.)
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Club Health Check Tool
The Club Health Check, developed by the Australian Sports Commission (ASC), is
an online self-assessment tool aimed at helping clubs of all sizes examine how they
are operating and performing.
We recommend that the assessment be completed by two or three representatives
comprised from your board/committee. Also, in some cases this may be facilitated
with your state / territory association representative. It is important that key people
who have an overall perspective of the clubs operations and activities are involved.
The tool looks at a number of different factors that are crucial to success at club level
and these factors are used to build an overall picture of the way your club carries out
its operations.
The assessment should take no more than 40 minutes to complete.
Once you have answered all the questions, a detailed report will be emailed to you
which will identify improvement opportunities for your club. A copy of the report will
also be sent to the ASC, Volleyball Australia and your state association.
This report is broken down into three sections;
Action Plan – The six highest priority areas as identified from the answers provided
in the checklist are identified in the action plan section along with resources to assist
improving these areas.
Summary report – This gives the scoring for your club against the key drivers and
the critical success factors as well as a graphical view of these scores. This section
will provide you with a synopsis of all of your results and provide general information
on each key area and related resources to assist with improvement.
Summary of priority responses – This provides a copy of all the questions
answered, along with your responses and subsequent priority level. This can give
further background to board/committee discussions and future actions.
The action plan is the key section for your board/committee to address first, and the
action plan templates have been specifically designed to facilitate discussion and
guide planning for your club.
In a board/committee that is dedicated to developing and improving its systems and
processes, as well as proactively looking to the future, the report should also form
part of the on-going discussions of the committee.
It is strongly recommended that you complete this checklist on an annual basis to
review how your club is performing and as an on-going continuous improvement
process.
To commence the Club Health Check Tool CLICK HERE
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Writing a Plan for your Club
A well run Volleyball Club needs to have a long term plan in order to grow and
represent the interests of its Members.
Planning helps to:
 Look at where the Club has come from and where it is now, where it wants to
go and how it is going to get there?
 Identify the main objectives of the Club.
 Encourage the members to get involved in the development of the Club.
 Adjust to changes that might have an impact on the Club.
 Ensure that resources (human, physical and financial) are used effectively.
 Evaluate the success of the Club in meetings its objectives.
 Guide people who are helping to run your Club.
Developing Your Plan
The committee has the responsibility to write your plan. Remember it does not need
to be a complex document — it’s best to keep it simple! See the one page example.
What should a plan include?
Mission — a brief statement explaining the purpose of your Volleyball Club and why
it exists? An example may be “To promote Volleyball as an enjoyable, healthy sport
for people of all ages and ability levels in our community.”
Club Objectives — These are statements that explain exactly what your Club wants
to achieve.
Make sure your objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and have a
timeframe. SMART Plan!
An example of an objective may be “to double the number of registered junior
players by the start of competition.”
Actions (What) — what needs to be done to achieve the objectives? An example of
an action to achieve the objective of doubling the number of junior players might be
“to visit a local school and talk to the Teachers about running a clinic before your
next registration day.”
Responsibilities (Who) — who is responsible for completing the actions? This does
not mean they have to achieve it on their own. They are simply taking a leadership
role and it is hoped they will be able to get the support of other volunteers to assist
them.
Timeframes (When) — when do the actions need to be completed? Include
milestone steps which show the process from beginning to completion.
Resources — How much is it going to cost and what other support will the person
who is responsible for this objective need to help them?
Evaluation: It is important to check regularly to see that the tasks are being
completed and to see if anything needs to change to make sure the objectives are
achieved in the time frame.
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2015/2016 CLUB Plan
(Club name)
MISSION: Why our Club exists!
Objectives
Increase our
membership to
3 teams
Compete in the
Regional and
National
Carnivals
Run a
Fundraiser to
but new nets.
Train 4 new
Coaches and
2 umpires
Hold our
Annual
General
Meeting
Actions:
What needs
to be done?
Who is
responsible?
When will
each task
start and
finish?
What help
or resources
are
required?
Evaluation:
How well are
we are going
in achieving
each
objective?
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Communicating with Members:
Starting a Volleyball Club Newsletter
Here are some pointers to begin publishing a good Club newsletter.
1. Pick a newsletter name. A simple and democratic way is to seek name suggestions from
Club members and vote from the collected list. Do this as a brainstorming activity at your
next Club meeting to get everyone involved and interested.
2. Include the Club's logo. If you don't have a logo, here is another chance to involve
members. Have a contest and vote on submissions. Offer a winner's prize - members can be
very creative when vying for a prize!
3. Decide on the layout for the Club newsletter.
The attached document ‘Guide to Writing a Club newsletter’ outlines simple steps to follow
in preparing your newsletter. After all, this is a new volunteer-based Club newsletter. Club
members will be thankful that it's being published.
4. Determine the distribution and length of the newsletter. Remember, it always takes
more time than you think. Plan accordingly. First, determine how often you will publish the
newsletter, and stick to the schedule. Second, start with a simple format and a limited number
of pages. Electronic newsletters are far cheaper than paper ones and can be more easily
distributed via people’s email addresses.
5. Select newsletter content. Start with important membership news. Review last Committee
meeting activities and list future meeting topics. Insert photos of Club activities. Include and
update a calendar of events. Include member news - illnesses, vacations, births, awards, etc. and always spell members' names correctly. If you have time and room, member profiles with
pictures are a nice addition. Add interest through pictures, cartoons, clip art and jokes.
Remember to include the basics: contact information, Club history and purpose, meeting
location, meeting dates, publishing information, number and date of the newsletter.
REMEMBER! Don't overlook inclusion of advertising from Club members, local
businesses or suppliers. It's an extra way for the Club to make money. Always acknowledge
and thank your Sponsors!
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6. Delegate writing and information-gathering tasks. Encourage other members to
contribute. It saves you time and fosters membership involvement. Ask Club officers to
contribute regular column articles, then hold them to the deadline.
7. Accept the responsibilities of an editor. If you write an editor's column, use it wisely to
pass on information and Club matters. Keep it light-hearted.
When you receive articles, edit them. Everyone has great ideas, but are not always trained
writers. It's your job to make them look good, while keeping the original ideas intact. When
using article and photo submissions, be sure to give byline credit.
With permission, use information gathered from other Club or organisation newsletters. It
adds depth to the content, as well as good will. Remember copyright laws and get written
approval to reprint articles from any other sources. This includes cartoons, photos of players
under 18 and other artwork.
Very important: When the newsletter is completed, ask someone else to proofread the entire
newsletter. Then save it.
8. Distribute the newsletter. Make it easy. Ask members whether they have email and want
to receive it this way? If not, print off copies and have them at training or on game day.
Include all your members, other Clubs, interested people who have requested the newsletter,
and Club-related businesses or potential sponsors.
When you're ready to send out the newsletter, convert to PDF format. PDF files are smaller to
send and easier to read. Use the group listing in your email address book to send, and be sure
to keep the addresses updated. If you have any members who don't use email, print a copy
and send it by post, take a copy to the next meeting or post it on the Club bulletin board.
9. Remember to have fun. Creating Club newsletters tends to be a labor of love, and you
want to keep that love fresh. Keep reminding yourself that you are doing this because it’s fun
and the members love to know what is happening in their Club!
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