Stand out at sports showcasing events
Using networks of more prominent sports associations allows you to present your sport to a broader audience. Additionally, sport-for-all associations are interested in expanding their portfolio, so they should be eager to be ultimately represented at their event. Having Gender Equity as a core message helps distinguish your sport from others.
Use gender equity to your advantage.
The biggest challenge is to stand out and be unique. Some choose to go with flashy signs and freebies, while others may prefer a more personable approach using friendly and outgoing representatives. Whatever method you choose, ensure that it is engaging and will target the people you want to recruit. After all, these events aim to recruit new athletes and introduce them to new sports.
Having Gender Equity as the core message in your association's public recruitment efforts gives you a competitive edge against your competitors but will also help you target like-minded people. These statements include politicians, journalists, and sponsors, not limited to potential new players.
To present gender equity, you could provide posters and flyers explaining how gender issues are valued and tackled within your association. Or you could encourage role models to come to people and share their stories. Be sure to have a diverse group present so that you have a representation of a diverse player base.
Highlight the sport
Physical demonstrations, small drills and games can be great tools to help you involve people in your recruitment efforts. To do this effectively, ensure you have a suitable space and coaches and recruiters with experience with new players. Getting people active and involved will increase engagement and encourage people to play.
Additionally, representation within your chosen recruiters will directly translate into the player base you recruit.
Recruitment efforts can seem more demanding than rewarding, especially for relatively new sports such as Ultimate, which has to compete with other more traditional sports. Ultimate's promotion and emphasis on gender equity will set you apart from the competition. Indeed Ultimate has a significant advantage since these are natural core values, thanks to the Spirit of the Game, the mixed division and the general promotion of gender equity in the community.