ULSTER GAA: The role of the club secretary

THE main purpose of the club secretary is that of principal administrator for the club. The secretary carries out for delegates all of the administrative duties that enable the club and its members to function effectively.

The secretary has a pivotal role within the club, with a close involvement in the running of the club.

The secretary of the club will work closely with the club chairperson and treasurer and if required will make important decisions between executive committee meetings.

The role of the secretary includes good communication skills and a good knowledge of the official guide, county and club byelaws.

The secretary is usually the first person an outsider contacts, and a good secretary is vital to the successful management of the club. As the principal administration officer, the secretary provides a link between the members, the executive committee, the players, team management, county board and other clubs.

The role of secretary is diverse and varied and they will often be at the forefront of a mix of duties all of which are as important as each other.

Meetings

– Club executive/management meetings should be held once a month, on a specific day i.e. First Monday of each month, etc.

– The secretary calls the meeting, an agenda and minutes of the previous meeting should be sent to the committee members at least three days in advance.

The secretary and all committee members should be proficient in the use of ICT and all correspondence should where possible be done by email.

The qualities to be good a Secretary are:

– Be methodical and reliable.

– Good communication skills.

– Be impartial.

– Good planning.

– Good organisation skills.

– Good decision maker.

– Be able to maintain confidentiality.

– A reasonable knowledge of the Irish language.

The duties of the secretary are:

– Receiving and dealing with all correspondence.

– Attending meetings to represent the club, i.e. county fixture meetings, local sports council meetings.

– Organising and attending executive meetings.

– Organising and attending all annual general meetings/emergency general meetings.

– Taking and distributing minutes and maintaining accurate records.

– Ensuring meeting action points are carried out.

Things to Remember:

– You need to be motivated to do a good job.

– You need to be well organised and conscientious.

– All correspondence must be dealt with quickly.

– Follow meeting guidelines to ensure they are productive.

– Remind yourself that the important thing about keeping records is keeping the right records and being able to find them quickly and easily. Have hard paper copies, store on a computer and have back up facilities available.

– It is good practice for a secretary to serve no more than five years in office, (three years would be preferable) to encourage other committee members to serve in the position.

In brief, the secretary……

– Is the administrative hub of the club.

– Acts as the point of club contact.

– Sends and receives correspondence on behalf of the club.

– Takes and keeps minutes of executive committee meetings and AGMs.

– Keeps club files and records.

– Works closely with the chair.

– Knows how to say “no” to extra work (too often club secretaries are expected to do everything).

– Contributes at county level as appropriate.