THE OSE ADVENTURE HANDBOOKS Handbook 1  •  The Art of Making the Right Choices
SHEET 1

CHOOSING THE RIGHT CLUB

“

An OSE exchange can never be better than the club that carries it.

”

Introduction

The first choice made by an OSE Country is not the ambassador. It is the club.

Why?

  • Because everything begins with the club.
  • It is the club that decides to embark on the OSE adventure.
  • It is the club that will host the ambassador.
  • It is often the club that will put forward the host family.
  • It is the club that will appoint the OSE mentor.
  • It is the club that will support the young person throughout their stay.

The club is the basic unit of OSE.

Choosing the right club already accounts for much of the exchange's success.

The Five OSE Keys

1 Icon representing commitment to the OSE educational and sporting project - Handbook 1, Sheet 1: Choosing the Right Club
COMMITMENT TO THE OSE PROJECT Question to ask

Does the club simply wish to welcome a talented player, or does it genuinely embrace OSE's educational, sporting and human project?

2
SHARED VALUES Question to ask

Does the club share OSE's vision and values?

  • Respect for the individual
  • Trust
  • Exemplary conduct
  • Openness to others
  • Responsibility
  • Contribution to the common good

Are these values genuinely lived out on a daily basis?

3
CAPACITY TO HOST Question to ask

Does the club have the human and organisational resources needed to host an ambassador under good conditions?

Does the club have:

  • committed officials
  • a coach open to the project
  • a caring environment
  • a reliable organisation
  • genuine capacity for support?
4
LONG-TERM COMMITMENT Question to ask

Does the club wish to build a lasting relationship with OSE?

Is it ready:

  • to host ambassadors on a regular basis?
  • to send ambassadors of its own in future?
  • to gradually become a true OSE Club?
5
EDUCATIONAL POTENTIAL Question to ask

Will this club genuinely help the ambassador grow?

Will the young person be able to become:

  • a better athlete
  • a more independent person
  • a more open-minded citizen
  • a true OSE ambassador?

MISTAKES TO AVOID

  • Choosing a club solely for its sporting standard.
  • Being swayed by its list of achievements.
  • Relying on a single motivated individual.
  • Overlooking the human atmosphere.
  • Confusing sporting performance with educational quality.
  • Wanting to move too quickly.

GOOD PRACTICES

Before making any decision:
  • meet the club's officials;
  • talk with the coach;
  • visit the facilities;
  • attend a training session;
  • share a friendly moment with club members;
  • observe how players, volunteers and officials interact together.
A club is better understood through its atmosphere than through its record of achievements.

The OSE Checklist

Before selecting a club, can we answer YES to the following statements?
The club understands OSE's purpose.
A host family can be found.
The officials fully embrace the project.
An OSE mentor can be appointed.
The coaches support this approach.
The club wishes to build a lasting relationship with OSE.
The club is able to host an ambassador.
We would be glad to entrust a young person to this club.

If the answer to an essential question is « NO », it is best to continue the search.
Time spent choosing the right club is always an investment in the success of the exchange.

THE FOUNDER'S PERSPECTIVE

« A club does not join OSE because of its sporting performance. It joins OSE because it shares a common vision of the person, of sport and of education. This vision holds that sport is a privileged means of helping people grow, of bringing peoples closer together, and of helping to build a more fraternal humanity.

Sporting results build a club's reputation. The values it instils shape generations. »

Luis Fernandez Founder of OSE

✦A sheet is not meant to be read. It is meant to be lived. Take the time to talk it through before deciding.✦