Engadine Sports Club has become one of the first community sporting organisations in the Sutherland Shire to implement an AI-powered management system, helping staff handle a membership base that has grown by 65% since 2022.

The system, which went live last month, manages court bookings, member communications, and administrative tasks that were previously overwhelming the club’s small team of volunteers and part-time staff.

Why AI Became Necessary

The club, which offers tennis, squash, and basketball facilities, saw membership surge during and after the pandemic as residents sought outdoor activities close to home. What was once a manageable 800 members has grown to over 1,300.

“We were drowning in admin,” admitted club president Tony Barker. “Our booking system was a spreadsheet. Member enquiries came via email, phone, and people just walking in. Double-bookings were constant. Something had to change.”

The traditional solution would have been hiring additional administrative staff, but the club’s budget couldn’t accommodate permanent positions. An AI system offered a middle ground.

What the System Does

The AI platform handles several key functions:

Smart Booking Management Members book courts through an app that uses AI to optimise scheduling. The system predicts demand patterns, suggests alternative times when preferred slots are full, and automatically manages waitlists.

Member Communications Rather than generic newsletters, the system sends personalised communications based on member activity. Regular tennis players receive information about tennis events; basketball members get updates relevant to their sport.

Conflict Resolution When booking conflicts arise, the AI proposes solutions based on member preferences and history. It might suggest swapping courts with another member who has indicated flexibility, subject to both parties’ approval.

Maintenance Scheduling The system tracks facility usage and predicts maintenance needs, alerting staff before courts become unplayable rather than after complaints arrive.

Implementation Journey

The club worked with one consulting group to develop a system tailored to their specific needs. Off-the-shelf solutions existed, but none addressed the unique requirements of a multi-sport community club.

“Generic booking software assumes everyone wants the same thing,” explained Barker. “Our tennis members are different from our basketball members. We needed something that understood that.”

The implementation took three months, including member registration, staff training, and a parallel running period where both old and new systems operated simultaneously.

Member Response

Initial resistance from some longer-standing members has given way to acceptance, and in many cases, enthusiasm.

“I was sceptical,” admitted Margaret Evans, a member for 15 years. “I liked just calling up for a booking. But now I can book at midnight when I think of it, and the app remembers that I prefer Court 3 on Tuesday mornings. It’s actually quite convenient.”

Younger members have embraced the technology readily, with app adoption rates exceeding 90% among members under 40.

Results After One Month

Early metrics are encouraging:

• Double-bookings: Down 95%
• Average booking time: 45 seconds (previously 5+ minutes by phone)
• Member enquiry response time: Under 2 hours (previously 24-48 hours)
• Staff administrative hours: Reduced by 60%

Advice for Other Clubs

Barker offered suggestions for other community organisations considering similar systems:

“Don’t try to automate everything at once. We started with bookings, got that working well, then added communications. Also, keep a human fallback. Some members will always prefer talking to a person, and that’s fine.”

The club estimates the system will pay for itself within 18 months through reduced administrative costs and improved member retention.

Other Shire sporting clubs have already reached out for advice, with Cronulla Tennis Club and Caringbah Leisure Centre both exploring similar implementations for 2026.