Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

A coup at the sports club - who is BU?

5 replies

appleAndFizz · 25/06/2018 19:16

My DC has attended a sports club for a couple of years, and has mostly been trained by Bob (NC) who we understood to be the founder of the club, as well as its only full time coach. He referred to himself as the "director" of the club, implying it was a business. He ran evening training sessions, after school clubs, weekend tournaments and holiday camps. But it seems that as the 'club' has grown over the years Bob has relied more and more on volunteer coaches to train some of the teams. Some of the teams are very successful, bringing a lot of recognition to the club. The kit is covered in logos from various sponsoring organisations.

Recently we became aware that a schism was on the horizon between the volunteer coaches, who wanted the club to be a non-profit organisation, and Bob, whose income is presumably dependent on the existing model. We were told by one of the volunteers that the club was likely to split into two as they couldn't agree.

Anyway, now we've received an email from an official club email address saying that an AGM has taken place, a committee has been appointed and Bob has left the club. This was a surprise, because we expected the volunteers to start up under a different name. We're not entirely sure whether Bob knows he's 'left' the club, or whether he thinks he's still running it as a business and the newly appointed committee has simply stolen the name and the email distribution list. Time will tell, I suppose, but I have visions of our DC turning up at training this week to find Bob and another coach arguing at the door about exactly who is supposed to be doing the training. I'm assuming the venue is booked in the name of the club.

We can see both sides to this. Bob seems to have been naive in thinking he had a sustainable business model, but if he started the business, surely the name is his? I did look the business up on Companies House and the name registered there is an abbreviated version, so maybe the volunteers have every right to take over the name the club is known by publicly.

We're staying neutral. Our DC just wants to play the sport. Our only concern is that the volunteers may only be interested in teaching their own kids' age groups, may not have capacity to cover all the things Bob did if they also have full time jobs, and that the supply of volunteers may at some point run out.

Any opinions on who is BU?

OP posts:
CoughLaughFart · 25/06/2018 19:22

How much do you know for definite about the structure? Could Bob be the hands-on face of the club, but part of a board/committee running it? AGM sounds rather grand for him and a couple of volunteers.

TroubledLichen · 25/06/2018 19:24

This is between ‘Bob’ and the club. Continue to take your children to their training as scheduled. If Bob goes out on his own then you can decide then whether to go with him or stick with the original club. But for now do what you’ve said about staying neutral and just continue to take the kids to practice. If there’s a fight outside the door then ignore it and perhaps look for a new club if they’re that unprofessional.

But as for who is being unreasonable, it’s impossible to tell based on your very limited knowledge of what’s happened, especially given you weren’t at the AGM.

Sharkwithknees · 25/06/2018 19:25

Is Bob listed as the director on Companies House?

mickeysminnie · 25/06/2018 19:29

So Bob was running a business dependent on other people volunteering their work?
Bob is a cheeky fucker! Don't be like Bob.

itsbritneybiatch · 25/06/2018 19:44

Bobs very money supermarket

New posts on this thread. Refresh page