There are a few different scenarios where you might want to arrange an amateur sports competition.

If you have children who are involved in a sports team, you might want to get more involved. Depending on the coach and the other parents, this could mean arranging a competition with other local kid’s teams. These kinds of competitions help children to make friends, stay active, and have fun with some healthy competition.

Or you might want to arrange a competition or sports day for your colleagues. Again, this can work very well as a team-building activity.

Or, if you play sports with other people to keep fit, arranging a competition between other local teams might be a lot of fun and it will give you something to work for as a team.

Setting Up Teams

If you’re part of an existing team or are arranging a competition for existing teams, this step is a lot easier.

But in some cases, you need to set up the teams before you can arrange the competition. Perhaps you want to start a sports team for work.

Figure out who would be interested in playing and get together well before the competition so you can work out how well you work together.

This is best done in advance, so you can ensure different teams are well-balanced.

Whether it’s a friendly competition to build team spirit or a more serious competition that involves skill and even money, it won’t work without willing teams and players. Contact other teams so you have a competition ready to go and arrange a time and place that suits everyone.

Finding a Venue

You also need a place to play and host the competition.

Depending on the type of sports the teams are playing, you’ll need different facilities to suit their needs. Are you hosting an athletics competition with races? Or are you planning on a basketball competition with multiple teams? How large is the competition? Will you need some teams to play simultaneously?

Once you’ve answered these questions and determined your budget, you will be able to narrow down your options for a sports facility where you can host the competition. From there, you can contact your options and find the best deal.

Funding and Tickets

Funding a sports competition isn’t easy. Ideally, the teams will be able to provide their own kit and the venue might have some equipment on hand. But the chances are that you will have to provide some spare equipment, as well as refreshments for the players.

Depending on the teams, you may also need to find a way to get them all to the venue.

First, set a budget and include the cost of the venue. The chances are that this will be the largest expense to deal with. From there, you can figure out how much you need to spend and where you can shave off costs.

You can find funding by asking the participants to chip in. Even a small amount of money each can make a big difference, especially if there are a fair amount of people playing.

You can also arrange for tickets and prices. Invite the player’s family and friends to the event, as well as other interested parties. Some people enjoy cheap, local matches and competitions, so get the word out. Again, don’t overcharge and you’ll be more likely to sell more tickets.

Scheduling

One of the hardest parts of arranging an event like this is scheduling the different matches. The larger the event or competition, the more complicated it will become.

A small event can be over and done with in a day, especially if you’re able to play some games simultaneously. Otherwise, you might need a few different days for a more extensive tournament.

Give each match slightly more time than it will need in a perfect world, so you can cater for overtime or other issues and delays. This prevents delays from spilling over and potentially ruining later matches.

Tell the teams well in advance when they are playing and where. Get some other people to help you arrange and organize things.

Awards and Trophies

Finally, people want something to play for. Trophies are a very popular option because they give the players something to display and be proud of.

In some cases, it’s appropriate to offer a prize as well as a trophy, especially for larger and more serious competitions. A cash prize usually works well, but you can look into other options as well, such as a gift card.