Himalaya Tasman Football Club started in Hobart in June 2026. I'm the founder and secretary, so this was the one project where I was the client and the web designer at the same time. That turned out to be useful: I found out exactly what a volunteer committee needs from a website, because I was the volunteer committee.
The starting point
A brand-new club has nothing. No members list, no sponsors page, no fixtures, and a lot of questions coming through Facebook messages. Registrations were heading towards a Google Form and a spreadsheet, which works until three people on the committee each have a different copy.
We also had four sponsors who'd put real money behind a club that didn't exist a few months earlier. They deserved more than a logo in a Facebook post.
What I built
Eight pages: Home, Club, Fixtures, Join, Gallery, Sponsors, Games and Contact. Built around the club crest in navy, gold, red and blue.
Social and community members, senior players and volunteers each get their own path. Players fill in the full form (emergency contact, medical details, position). Volunteers just leave a name, phone and email.
Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze partners each get a logo, a write-up, contact details and links, plus a "Put your name on the kit" pitch for new sponsors.
A penalty shootout, a 10-question football quiz with 15 seconds per question, and a Team of the Week builder that makes a shareable graphic.
Next match, results and a top scorers table, all in one place instead of a group chat.
Many players are kids, so the games only ask for a display name, and names and scores drop off the leaderboard after 6 months.
It runs on the club's own domain and accounts, with separate emails for general enquiries and match requests. If I step back from the committee, the club keeps everything.
What happened next
The gallery now holds photos from the club's first Interclub Tournament in August 2026, and online sign-up opens for the 2027 season in January.
Add when you have them: number of members signed up online, page visits in the first month, and a short quote from a committee member or sponsor.
What I'd tell another club
- Put the website in the club's name, not a volunteer's. Committees change every year. Logins shouldn't walk out the door with whoever set them up.
- Make sponsors look good. A sponsor page with logos, links and a line about each business is the easiest way to get renewals.
- Collect as little personal info as you can. Especially with kids involved. Display names are plenty for a leaderboard.