Almost 300 Club members responded to our annual survey and provided insights to help us improve. Thank you to everyone who participated! This is an invaluable tool for helping us foster a great culture and create the most positive experience possible for our members. We analyze the feedback and act on what we hear.
Communication at the Team and Club Levels
Communication, both at the Club level but also within teams, continues to be the top area for improvement.
- We are ramping up reminders and education across Club staff about the importance of being accessible and responding to email and phone outreach more promptly. All members are encouraged to call or email Colin Mackay, our Manager of Operations, if you do not hear from a member of our staff in a reasonable time.
- We are tracking high volume times (registration and team selection are big ones) and adding staff to handle the increased volume of calls and emails.
- We have new processes in place to ensure our Powerup communications are more effective, informative and streamlined.
- Continuous, drip education will be implemented to better equip our managers in performing their critical roles, including team communications.
Our Website and Social Channels
- Feedback on these has improved. However, we continue to hear that only select age groups, teams and families are represented. We need your help here as the majority of non-Club specific posts are generated because of materials shared by members to “marketing@gofoothills.ca.” Everyone is encouraged to share photos, videos, and information so that we can celebrate ALL Foothills family members on social and on our website. If you need help or have questions, send an email to marketing@gofoothills.ca and a member of our team will be in touch.
Coaching
Finding and retaining coaches is an ongoing challenge and one we are actively focused on resolving. Foothills has over 420 certified coaches. This is more than any other Alberta-based club by a wide margin. Our coaches invest in us and we invest in them. Tier 1-3 coaches put in 252 hours per year, and our Tier 4-6 coaches put in 108 hours per year. To help them develop, we provide them with formal coaching clinics and pay the costs of their certifications.
Some Good News
We had a record number of participants at our October Coaching Clinic. This included many new faces as well as many familiar ones. Attendees were keen and engaged.
Many survey participants provided very complimentary comments about coaching staff and we have shared a few in the graphic.
But We Have Work To Do
We have identified several groups in particular that need personalized attention. In tandem, here are some of the actions we have underway or plan to activate.
- We have ramped up our recruiting efforts, including building awareness through social media and the website.
- More workshops, friendly matches and coach development tools are planned to explain Foothills’ culture and the benefits of being a coach.
- We have additional coaching activities planned including a “Holiday Tournament and Social” in December.
- We are improving our Coach Development and Mentorship Program.
- And once again we are participating in the TELUS She CAN Coach program, which will help us attract and retain more female coaches.
We will continue to survey our members and staff. However, we encourage you to pass on your feedback and insights through your team managers, coaches, and to the Club directly by emailing us at colin@gofoothills.ca. Our aim is to foster a great culture and positive experience for all of our members and your support to help us achieve that is vital.
Related Posts
Foothills Alumni Accolades: Pro Signings, National Team Call-Ups, and Overseas Moves
Foothills takes immense pride in the players who have worn our crest and gone on to compete at the highest levels of the game. As alumni progress into professional environments around the world, their journeys continue to inspire the next generation and reflect the strength of our pathway. Below is
We’re Bringing the 2026 World Cup to Foothills
From June 11 to July 19, 2026, the world’s biggest sporting event is coming to our doorstep. For many of us, this may be the only time in our lifetime that the FIFA World Cup is played in Canada. It’s a once-in-a-generation moment for our country, and our Foothills community.
Elise Hornick’s Soccer Journey is Fuelled by Quiet Commitment
Elise Hornick recently committed to the University of Maine to play NCAA Division I soccer. But the real story isn’t where she’s going. It’s how she’s gotten there. If there’s one quality that keeps showing up in Elise’s journey, it’s her quiet, relentless commitment. Not the loud kind. The kind