How to make a post-mortem of your sports season: A guide for schools, coaches and associations

Every sporting season is an opportunity to gain valuable experience, make progress and forge links. Once the season is over, it’s essential to take the time to reflect and analyze the successes and challenges encountered to improve the experience for seasons to come. In this article, we offer you a guide to carrying out an effective post-mortem, using the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) method and involving all stakeholders.

The SWOT method is an analysis tool that helps you identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of your sporting season. This approach will help you identify areas for improvement and strengths to capitalize on.

Think about the highlights of the season, the successes achieved, the skills acquired and the team spirit developed. Also assess problem areas, such as communication, time management, lack of resources or organizational issues. Finally, identify opportunities and threats to anticipate challenges and solutions for the next season.

In order to carry out the post-mortem, it is important to set up a committee representing the various stakeholders: parents, coaches, volunteers, scorekeepers/referees and athletes. This committee will enable us to gather a variety of perspectives and ensure a complete and balanced analysis. A diversity of viewpoints makes it easier to understand the issues and make informed decisions.

Once the committee has been formed, it’s essential to gather the opinions and impressions of stakeholders. Don’t hesitate to organize meetings, surveys or questionnaires to gather their feedback. Questions should address positive and negative aspects of the season, expectations, concerns and suggestions for improvement. This step is crucial to fully understand the issues and expectations of each stakeholder.

Once the information has been gathered, the committee must analyze the results and draw up an action plan for the coming season. This plan should include clear objectives, deadlines and responsibilities for each committee member. This ensures that the improvements identified are implemented in an effective and coordinated way.

In conclusion, a successful sports season post-mortem helps to improve the experience of all stakeholders and prepare for the next season in the best possible way. By using the SWOT method and involving all stakeholders, you can learn valuable lessons and implement positive changes for next season.