The new year is here, and if you're a club coordinator or facility manager, your inbox is probably already filling up with questions about the upcoming season. Seniors are back at training, juniors are more than likely already gearing up for pre-season, and late MiniRoos registrations will come flooding in before you know it.
Getting ahead now means fewer headaches in March when everyone's scrambling. Here are 10 practical tips to set your club up for a smooth 2026 season.
1. Audit Your Facilities Early
Before teams hit the ground, walk your pitches. Check the basics: goal posts secure? Nets intact? Corner flags? Line markings visible? If anything needs council attention or repairs, lodge those requests now — not two weeks before the season when every other club is doing the same thing.
2. Know Your Numbers
Reach out to coaches and Technical Directors to get a rough headcount of teams for the season. Will you have three Under 10s teams or four? Is the women's squad big enough to split into two grades? These numbers directly impact how much pitch space you need and when. The earlier you know, the less reshuffling later.
3. Lock In Training Allocations Before the Rush
This is where most clubs lose hours every week. If you're still using spreadsheets to manage pitch allocations, now's the time to get ahead of it. Map out who needs what space, when, and for how long — and share it with coaches before they start booking in their own heads.
Tools like Pitchallo can help you visualise your whole facility, avoid double-bookings, and share schedules with coaches and parents in one click. Worth setting up now while things are quiet.
4. Communicate Coach Expectations Early
Send a quick note to coaches outlining what's expected this season: training night preferences, equipment responsibilities, communication channels. Getting alignment early prevents the "I assumed I had Tuesday nights" conversations in February. You could even set up an evening in Janurary, get all of the coaches together and talk it through. This is a great opportunity for the coaching group to socialise & build that positive club culture.
5. Set Up Your Communication Channels
Whether it's TeamApp, WhatsApp groups, or email lists — make sure you have a clear way to reach coaches, parents, and committee members. Test it now. There's nothing worse than sending a hot weather cancellation and realising half the club didn't get it. It's a huge reason why parents get frustrated and contributes to a poor culture and even in some instances, families taking their talented kids else where.
6. Review Your Volunteer Roster
Ground set-up, canteen shifts, first aid officers, match day coordinators — volunteers are the backbone of every club. Check who's returning this year and where the gaps are. Start recruiting now before the season swallows everyone's weekends.
7. Audit Your Equipment
Balls, bibs, cones, training markers — they have a habit of disappearing over the off-season. Do a stocktake now and order replacements before prices spike closer to the season. Check with coaches what they actually need versus what's been sitting in the shed for three years.
8. Update Emergency Contacts and First Aid Kits
Regulations change. First aid kits expire. Make sure your emergency contact lists are current, your first aid supplies are stocked, and your coaches know whats expected. It's a box-ticking exercise until you need it — then it's everything.
9. Plan for Wet and Hot Weather
Australian summers don't mess around. All federations will have clear policies for both wet weather cancellations and extreme heat. But from a club perspective, Who makes the call? When? How do parents find out? Know your state's heat guidelines — most federations have rules about modified play or cancellations above certain temperatures. A bit of clarity now saves dozens of confused text messages later.
10. Check Coach Accreditations and Working With Children
Before the season starts, confirm all coaches have valid Working With Children checks and any required coaching accreditations. Most states require this, and federations are getting stricter about compliance. Chase this up now — the paperwork takes time, and you don't want coaches sidelined in round one.
Quick checklist: Facilities audit ✓ Team numbers ✓ Training allocations ✓ Coach comms ✓ Communication channels ✓ Volunteer roster ✓ Equipment stocktake ✓ First aid ✓ Weather policies ✓ Accreditations ✓
Make This Your Smoothest Season Yet
The clubs that run well aren't the ones with the most resources — they're the ones that plan ahead. A little effort in January pays off in a lot less stress come April.
If pitch scheduling is one of those things that always takes longer than it should, give Pitchallo a look. We built it specifically for volunteer coordinators juggling too many teams and not enough time.
Good luck with the season ahead.
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