It is vital for sports organisations to have a clear strategy defining:

• what they are about
• their aims
• how they are going to achieve external targets and internal goals. 

It is really important that every sports organisation takes the time to set a strategic direction that is appropriate and relevant for their organisation, and one which is lived and celebrated by everyone involved in the organisation.

The nature of sport often focuses on the activity and the day-to-day challenges of running events or tournaments.  With this natural focus it can sometimes be difficult to take a step back to question and plan for the future. 

For example a lot of energy is directed towards running a tournament and making sure there are people to support each function at the event on a yearly basis. 

However sometimes organiations forget to ask whether the tournament is something they should be doing?  Is it something that helps the organiation achieve it's aims?  Is it structured in the right way? Could it be structured differently to help achieve the aims more effectively?  Should the event be changed? 

In an environment that is all about 'doing' and 'making things happen' it is difficult to step back to think about 'why' and 'how'? 

It is however increasingly important that organisations have a clear strategy which is separated from the day-to-day running and operation of the organisation.

This section of Smart Sport is designed to help organisations make the divide between strategy and operation.  It is structued into the following three sections:

Strategic plan - In this section you can find out more about what strategy means, how to create a strategic plan and what the difference is between vision and mission.  You can also find information on setting values and engaging with stakeholders as you create your plan.

Operational plan - In this section you can find out more about how to put your strategic plan into practice - what is needed to underpin a strategic plan and how you can bring your strategic plan to life.

Risk management - In this section you can find out more about risk management in sport from an organisational perspective.