William Buck Breakfast focus on governance

Alisha Min

Governance; it’s a concept on all of our radars at the VAFA due to the participation growth in our sport. Given the ever present need to cultivate sustainable football clubs both on and off the field, how exactly can good governance practices be adopted in club land considering all the other seemingly competing challenges?

To help address this question, William Buck and the VAFA proudly hosted a breakfast event on Wednesday 2 May for the VAFA community centred on “Managing Governance & Growth in Amateur Sporting Clubs”. The near 50 strong crowd were privileged to hear from special guests Mr Steven Burrell, CEO of the Governance Institute of Australia, as well as AFL Victoria CEO, Mr Steven Reaper, who shed light on the means to achieving effective governance from a practical and professional viewpoint.

Hosted by William Buck Director, Jeffrey Luckins, Steven Burrell kicked off the formalities of the event with his insight into the growing relevance of governance in sport. With his communications and public affairs background at the Australian Institute of Company Director, and his 20+ years’ experience serving on the committee of his local amateur cricket club in Sydney, Steven Burrell was uniquely familiar with the challenges surrounding the successful governing of a sporting club.

“Good governance is vital to the sustainability of all clubs and ultimately all sports, particularly at the local grassroots level…understanding how to properly govern and administer community based clubs is vitally important and its absence can actually threaten their survival”

After Steven Burrell’s presentation, both he and Steven Reaper formed a panel and invited questions from the crowd. Eager for more, the group keenly questioned both panellists on the subject, with a particular focus on the growing need for good governance with the rising prominence of the women’s competition. With his diversified experience working at AFL Victoria and AFL Vic Country, as well as his input with Sport and Recreation Victoria in directing successful governance practices in sport throughout the state, Steven Reaper was open about the need for diversity on boards, particularly regarding gender balance in sports like AFL which have historically had a male prevalence.

Throughout the entirety of the event it was evident that there was no magic wand which created football clubs who practiced good governance – though what was abundantly clear was the need to equip anyone with a governance role within a club with the skills, expertise and confidence to fulfil their responsibilities.

As both Steven Burrell and Steven Reaper unanimously agreed, the process of having the right governance structures, processes and procedures in place is just as important in community sporting clubs as the playing infrastructure.