Member Retention Analysis

Solucio was engaged by the South Metro Junior Football League (SMJFL) to undertake a detailed retention research project. The goal was to better understand why players and volunteers leave the sport and identify opportunities to improve retention across the league.

The project involved a combination of online surveys and interviews, gathering input from over 600 participants including players, administrators, and volunteers. This allowed us to analyse both individual experiences and structural barriers affecting long-term participation.

The methodology for this project has involved:

• Online survey with 618 current and former SMJFL players.
• Online survey with 170 parents of Under 17.5 players.
• In-depth interviews with 15 key stakeholders including Club Administrators, players, and local government.
• Data analysis across multiple experience factors: club environment, grading systems, fitness relevance, and volunteer burden.

The final outcome was a clear set of insights identifying key drivers of player and volunteer attrition, backed by strong participation data.