Functions Of The Tennis Committee
The tennis committee is in reality an extension of the Board and usually, at a country club, an executive committee which has its formation and power emanating from the by-laws of the club. It really has several functions within the organization. The committee, in the first place, is responsible for deciding and implementing policy in their department. Secondly, they provide a method of oversight on behalf of the main board in relation to policy and implementation as well as overseeing long term strategic goals that fall within the tennis program. Finally, committees are there to recruit new members for the committee and eventually the Board for future work which safeguards the future of the Club and the tennis program.
Working With Committees
The philosophy behind a standing or executive committee is an important one. Clubs cannot be run (or ruled!) by committee but should work hand-in-hand with the Board, the club manager and the Director of Tennis. But this is not always the case as committees often become an oligarchy of a sort. And, in many instances, the chairman or chairwoman of the tennis committee will rule with an air of petulance. In addition to this, when looking at the duties of the tennis committee within most by-laws and club handbooks, rarely does it show the responsibility of recruiting and hiring the Director of Tennis.
At all times the makeup of the committee is a significant factor. Oftentimes, the by-laws allow the chairman or chairwoman of the committee to hand-pick the members of the committee. We feel this may not always be the wisest way forward. It is imperative that the committee, along with the Board Of Directors, be comprised of members from various demographics who have various interests within the club and, especially, see the tennis program from various viewpoints. Too often, friends of the chair, will have the same viewpoints and thoughts on the tennis program as the chair that reached out to add them to the committee.
Committees Rarely Have A Chance To Hire The Director
With many Directors of Tennis remaining in the position for five to ten years, even twenty to twenty five years in certain circumstances, the tennis committee rarely has an opportunity to go through the process of researching a possible new hire, let alone recruiting and hiring that new hire. Most committee members serve for just two to three years, so there may a total turnover of committee members since the last hire, even if that hire was just five years ago. Therefore, the committee has the chance to go through the hiring process of its leading employee very infrequently and is largely ill-prepared for such a process.
During a transition between Directors of Tennis there are numerous influences on a search or tennis committee assigned with hiring. Fellow members push forward their own, favorite professional for the position. Ladies Teams, which can often consume a Director and a committee, add their input and sometimes threaten to take their spending and team elsewhere. Indeed, management often has an ulterior motive in the candidate that is selected.
Industry standards are constantly changing as well, in terms of salary and stipends, allowable expenses within the department, health and insurance benefits, housing benefits and more. Here at Beyond The Baselines, we are on the cutting edge of the industry and constantly researching and experiencing what is new inside and outside the committee rooms and in the industry across the nation and the world.
