What Athletes Need from You Now: 3 Post-COVID Program Ideas

Let’s be honest: this year has been exhausting. As sport leaders, you’ve navigated a relentless storm of cancellations, public health orders, and heartbreaking uncertainty. Every time you’ve adapted, the rules have changed again. Your passion for providing a positive experience for kids is being tested like never before. 

As we head into a long and uncertain winter, the temptation might be to simply hibernate and hope for the best next spring. But our participants need us now more than ever. After months of isolation and disruption, the structure, connection, and joy of sport are not just nice-to-haves; they are essential for their mental and emotional well-being.

The question isn’t if we can serve our athletes, but how. The old playbook is gone. It’s time to get creative and meet the unique needs of this moment with courage and innovation. Here are three ideas you can adapt for your club right now.

One: The 'Sport Bubble': Focus on Pods and Small Groups

The reality of the pandemic is that large gatherings are risky. Instead of trying to run a traditional full-team practice, lean into the constraints. Create small, consistent training "pods" or "bubbles" of 4-6 athletes. This approach has several powerful benefits:

• Safety First: It drastically reduces the number of contact points, aligning with public health guidelines and reassuring nervous parents.
• Quality Coaching: Athletes get significantly more personalized attention and feedback than they would in a larger group, accelerating their skill development.
• Builds Connection: In a time of social isolation, these small pods can foster deep bonds and a powerful sense of team camaraderie that kids are desperately craving.

This isn’t a lesser version of your program; it’s a focused, high-touch alternative that is perfectly suited for our current reality.

Two: Go Digital: Virtual Coaching and At-Home Challenges

If there’s one thing 2020 has taught us, it’s that in-person access can disappear overnight. A smart programming strategy must include a virtual component to keep your athletes engaged even during a lockdown.

This goes beyond just posting a workout on social media. Think about creating a structured virtual program:

• Host weekly video check-ins to maintain team culture and connection.
• Run live, online sessions focused on sport-specific skills that can be done at home (e.g., ball handling, footwork, sport IQ sessions).
• Create fun, at-home skill challenges and encourage athletes to share videos of their progress.

This provides continuity and value for their membership fees, but more importantly, it sends a clear message to your athletes: even when we’re apart, we are still a team.

Three: Get Outside & Keep it Simple: The Low-Commitment Model

Families are facing unprecedented levels of financial and scheduling stress. Long-term, expensive commitments are a huge barrier to entry right now. This is the perfect moment to experiment with low-risk, high-fun outdoor programming.

Consider offering things like:

• Pay-as-you-go, weekend skill clinics held in a local park.
• Parent-and-child sessions that allow families to get active together in a safe environment.
• Short, four-week introductory programs focused entirely on fun and movement.

This model allows you to re-engage kids who have drifted away and attract new families who are looking for safe, affordable ways to get their children active. It meets the community where they are, replacing high pressure with pure, uncomplicated fun.

Your Leadership Matters More Than Ever

This is not a time for perfection; it's a time for compassionate, adaptive leadership. The clubs that thrive will be the ones who stopped mourning the season they lost and started building the best possible experience for the reality they’re in. By focusing on safety, connection, and flexibility, you can be a vital source of stability and joy for your athletes when they need it most.

What's Next?

• Brainstorm: Which of these ideas could you adapt and launch in the next month?
• Get Support: You don’t have to figure this out alone. If you need a sounding board to think through a practical and safe plan for your club this winter, schedule a free 15-minute brainstorming call with me. 
• Share Your Ideas: How has your club adapted? Share one success story in the comments below to help other leaders.