After working for Chelsea FC for 14 years and using Teamworks Hub for daily operations for three years, Zak Wooster transitioned from being a user to managing user experience. Zak joined Teamworks as a Product Success manager focused on the UK. We sat down with him to learn more about his long-time connection to Teamworks and the opportunity to use his Chelsea experience to help multiple elite sporting organisations transition into more efficient systems.
Tell us about your previous experience working for Chelsea FC?
I began working for Chelsea FC in 2009 and most recently managed the operations of the academys games programme and International tour & tournament schedule. This involved working closely with the Premier League, the FA as well as other professional clubs to arrange the weekly games programme and cup competitions. As a club, we would be creative to make additional fixtures and tournaments to continue to stretch our athletes against the best players in their respective age groups across the UK and Europe.
The International tour programme involved extensive travel across the world to play in high-level competitions ranging from the MLS Futures Tournament in the USA, The Intercontinental Cup in Dubai, to the Premier League Next Generation Cup in India. We would compete in excess of 30 European tournaments in a single season across the different age groups, and I would be responsible for ensuring the operations of taking players and staff abroad were of the highest level.
I combined this role with being an age group coach within the academy, working with the players on a day-to-day basis to develop and nurture the next generation of players under the philosophy of the club. As an academy, Chelsea FC have a fantastic record of developing future players who have achieved the highest of levels in the professional game.
How was your experience using Teamworks at Chelsea Academy?
We began using the Teamworks Hub product in the summer of 2020 after a period of searching for software to help us communicate efficiently with the players and parents, as well as ensuring we had a central calendar for all training, fixtures and the typical day-to-day events.
Teamworks helped transform the operations department giving everyone clarity on what was going on day to day as well as being a central hub for all information, from sending forms and storing vital profile information for the players. The app very quickly became pivotal for athletes, parents and staff, and its hard to remember a time of working without the software.
Why have you decided to join Teamworks?
Having worked with Teamworks for a number of seasons, I had built great relationships with the team of staff and became a champion of the software. I am excited by the growth of the company to date and can see the future being extremely exciting as we are starting to build the first full Operating System for Sports. I felt the opportunity to work with multiple elite sporting organisations across different sports as well as becoming the first Product Success Manager in the UK, was a great opportunity for me to develop professionally and take my career to the next level.
What would you recommend to anyone in charge of a Football academy?
Having worked in an academy for a number of years, the day-to-day running of the football operations plays a vital role. Teamworks Hub really does streamline the processes and creates a centralised system for the needs of the club. There is a dedicated support network to ensure the staff at the club are efficiently trained, as well as ensuring parents and players are shown how to use and maximise the software.
Teamworks Hub offers a centralised system for staff to instantly message players and parents, as well as storing important player details, such as registration cards and passports, all at their fingertips. Features such as forms allow the gathering of information, from transport logistics to kit sizes, to be collected quickly. It also plays a very important role in safeguarding our players, which is a major priority at the club. The software will save the business and its staff time as well as make communication very clear for all involved.
What’s your experience so far working at Teamworks?
My first few weeks at Teamworks have been great and everyone has been so welcoming and friendly, which has really helped me to settle in. The products and internal systems are extremely efficient and easy to find and use. I have a detailed onboarding plan and have been able to shadow a number of different staff to assist my learning.
If you would like to connect and learn more from Zaks experience, get in contact with him.
