The STATE of Soccer in Washington
Source: RUTH NICHOLSON: INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR NOMINEE - GoalNation Being an innovator has many definitions but generating the opportunity for change is always an intrinsic part. The leading video analysis company, Hudl, has partnered with SportsEngine, Soccer.com, Sklz, and United Soccer Coaches and created the inaugural Innovator of the Year award. After 100s of applications, four finalists were selected who embodied... Continue Reading →
Is the non-profit model for youth soccer clubs fatally flawed? This week’s goalWA.net “Off the Pitch” column by Ruth Nicholson looks at a key source of dysfunction in the volunteer boards of directors that govern our youth soccer clubs. Ruth is an internationally-certified facilitator, organizational alchemist, and the founder of GO!, the expert resource for... Continue Reading →
What can you do to make your next board or committee meeting be more focused, take less time, and produce better results? The secret to an effective meeting lives in the word WHY. This week’s goalWA.net “Off the Pitch” column by Ruth Nicholson looks at the three critical elements that make for a good board... Continue Reading →
Join our GO! On Demand experts for FREE weekly webinars in February, March, and April 2018 at 11:00 am Pacific time every Wednesday For more information, contact Ruth Nicholson at Ruth@NicholsonFacilitation.com February 21: Coaching Conversations – Minimizing Discomfort when Navigating the Inevitable We often dread conversations about choosing a team or discussing playing time. Why... Continue Reading →
Ruth Nicholson, author of the column “Off the Pitch” which appears on goalWA.net, has sent us a schedule of free webinars happening in the month of February, 2018. They would be an excellent opportunity to learn about each topic but also to experience what “GO!” can offer your organization. Why not be the best soccer organization you... Continue Reading →
Ruth Nicholson Dives into What Is Wrong in American Youth Soccer. She is a systems expert in the areas of operations/administration. Source: RUTH NICHOLSON - THE TOP 5 MISTAKES YOUTH SOCCER CLUBS MAKE - GoalNation With good intentions present, sometimes all that is needed is a clear plan. Check out Nicholson’s top 5 mistakes to... Continue Reading →
Ruth Nicholson, author of the column “Off the Pitch” which appears on goalWA.net, has sent us a schedule of free webinars happening in the month of January, 2018. They would be an excellent opportunity to learn about each topic but also to experience what “GO!” can offer your organization. Why not be the best soccer organization you... Continue Reading →
Who is the most important person in your sports organization? A coach? A player? An owner or board member? A volunteer? A behind-the-scenes staff person? This week’s goalWA.net “Off the Pitch” column by Ruth Nicholson looks at the often thankless job of field schedulers and the many things they juggle that enable our athletes to... Continue Reading →
Ruth Nicholson, author of the column “Off the Pitch” which appears on goalWA.net, has sent us a schedule of free webinars happening in the month of December, 2017. They would be an excellent opportunity to learn about each topic but also to experience what “GO!” can offer your organization. Read the press release posted after the webinar... Continue Reading →
What are the six steps to identifying sponsors for your organization? This week’s goalWA.net “Off the Pitch” column by Ruth Nicholson outlines the steps to identifying prospective sponsors from the founders of X! PROMOS, the marketing and sponsorship experts from GO!. Ruth is an internationally-certified facilitator and the founder of GO!, the go-to expert resource... Continue Reading →
Ruth Nicholson, author of the column “Off the Pitch” which appears on goalWA.net, has sent us a schedule of free webinars happening in the month of November, 2017. They would be an excellent opportunity to learn about each topic but also to experience what “GO!” can offer your organization. Read the press release posted after the webinar... Continue Reading →
How does your club provide feedback and performance evaluation to its coaches? This week’s goalWA.net bi-weekly “Off the Pitch” column by Ruth Nicholson interviews Bobby Howe, former Director of Coaching for US Soccer, regarding the major components of a performance evaluation for a coach. Ruth is an internationally-certified facilitator and the founder of GO!, the... Continue Reading →
Join the GO! On Demand experts for free weekly Wednesday webinars in October 2017 at 11:00 am Pacific. October 4 – Developing an In-House Coaching Education Program Discover how to build a cost-effective, in-house coaching education program. Learn the four easy steps to develop a program that meets your coach and player needs. Join former... Continue Reading →
Join the GO! On Demand experts for free weekly Wednesday webinars in September at 11:00 am Pacific. September 6 – The Committee Conundrum: Shorter Meetings. Better Results. Learn how to assess the need for a new committee or validate that you still need an existing workgroup. Discover how to set up and manage a committee... Continue Reading →
Do you know the secret to move beyond positions and into solutions when you are in conflict? This week’s goalWA.net bi-weekly “Off the Pitch” column by Ruth Nicholson outlines the three steps for addressing and resolving conflict, including the secret behind moving beyond positions and into solutions. Ruth is an internationally-certified facilitator, trained mediator, and... Continue Reading →
Much of our work is done in groups and committees, but few of us enjoy slogging through meetings. How do you know which committees you really need? How can you set them up for success? This week’s goalWA.net bi-weekly “Off the Pitch” column by Ruth Nicholson outlines the four reasons for convening a committee and... Continue Reading →
Ruth Nicholson, author of the column "Off the Pitch" which appears on goalWA.net, has sent us a schedule of free webinars happening in the month of August. They would be an excellent opportunity to learn about each topic but also to experience what "GO!" can offer your organization. Read the press release posted after the... Continue Reading →
This week’s goalWA.net bi-weekly “Off the Pitch” column by Ruth Nicholson examines how improving customer service can result in increased membership and improved volunteer retention for your organization. Ruth is the founder of GO!, the go-to expert resource for youth sports governance and operations. by Ruth Nicholson How many points of contact does your club... Continue Reading →
In light of the resurgence of the Me, Too movement, this week’s goalWA.net “Off the Pitch” column by Ruth Nicholson is a re-publication of her article addressing sexual and other types of harassment and the three things needed to effectively uncover and address it. Ruth is the founder of GO!, a go-to expert resource for... Continue Reading →
You have worked hard to build your club – but what are the three simple secrets to making it even better? This week’s goalWA.net bi-weekly “Off the Pitch” column by Ruth Nicholson reveals the three critical elements that make or break an organization’s success on and off the field. Ruth is the founder of GO!,... Continue Reading →
Welcome to another bi-weekly installment of the goalWA.net “Off the Pitch” column by Ruth Nicholson. Ruth is a trained mediator and the founder of GO!, the go-to expert resource for youth sports governance and operations. Now that teams are playing in leagues and tournaments, the uncomfortable conversation about playing time begins to appear. Read on... Continue Reading →
This time of year, we begin the annual ritual of forming and reforming expectations for parents as our youth teams form in the spring and prepare for summer tournaments. This week’s goalWA.net bi-weekly “Off the Pitch” column by Ruth Nicholson is the condensation of a piece on parent expectations written by Bobby Howe some years... Continue Reading →
May is tryout and team formation month across Washington state, so this month’s two installments in the goalWA.net bi-weekly “Off the Pitch” column by Ruth Nicholson focus on team meetings and parent expectations. Ruth is the founder of GO!, the go-to expert resource for youth sports governance and operations. A well-designed meeting at the beginning... Continue Reading →
April is National Volunteer Month. As teams are formed in the spring, many clubs and organizations are now recruiting volunteers to staff summer tournaments. This week’s goalWA.net bi-weekly “Off the Pitch” column by Ruth Nicholson identifies the keys to recruiting tournament volunteers and the value they offer. Ruth is the founder of GO!, a go-to... Continue Reading →
