Whether it’s a venue change or an emergency rainout, youth sports administrators need fast, simple ways to communicate updates with players and families. Unfortunately, it’s easy for parents to ignore all those pings and alerts. If you’re using group chats or a Facebook page and your notifications aren’t getting through, it might be time to switch it up.
If you’re looking for a better communication tool to streamline your messaging, these top five apps will not only make your life easier—they can also make for more successful seasons.
Key features to look for in sports communication apps
Before you pick a communication app, you’ll want to compare the features against your needs. Do you need a solution for your club or league? Or do you just need an app to communicate with one team?
Some apps are available for both iOS and Android while others are built for the web only. You’ll want to make sure you find a system that provides the major functionality your organization needs, not just the most popular product.
Here are some features you should consider depending on the needs of your organization:
SMS and email broadcasts
SMS (or text messaging) is the fastest and most reliable way to get in touch with large groups of parents. You don’t need to worry about parents downloading an app, enabling notifications, or checking their email. Text message open rates are over 90%, and messages are read within just a few minutes of when they’re sent.
Email is the second most reliable communication channel if you need to get a message out to a large group of parents quickly.
Schedule sharing
Real-time schedule sharing helps parents plan out every practice, game, and special event. With a better sports management platform, coaches can rework the schedule as quickly as they can type in the changes.
If scheduling is a struggle, real-time sharing gives parents a heads-up so you have more predictable attendance and fewer missed RSVPs. When you know which kids will show up, it’s easier for your admin staff to prep.
Notifications
Whether it’s a traffic delay or an unexpected forfeit, notifications streamline unfolding events. Even if coaches don’t always have the full story, they can fill parents in as it develops.
When most parents have their smartphones on them at all times, better notification systems can cut back on frustration and complaints. At the very least, parents can see that you did everything you could.
File sharing
From playbooks and manuals to rosters and waivers, you likely create and send plenty of docs. With the right file sharing app, you won’t have to worry about splitting up larger files or finding other workarounds. Parents can reference these documents if they have questions and raise concerns before they turn into problems.
Integrated contact manager
A good team communication system will automatically create contact lists from the team’s registration program. Apps with a contact manager import emails and phone numbers, so you can include everyone at your organization.
If your students often have multiple family members (e.g., grandparents, aunts, etc.) running them around, an integrated contact manager keeps all the details straight. Plus, you can add the same contact info under different player names if you have sibling sets in the same league, club, or team.
Group message boards
Group messaging boards can put team members, admin, volunteers, and parents on the same thread. Parents can quickly check in for updates, so they can see and respond to any major changes.
Ideally, you’ll choose a one-to-many tool, where coaches or volunteers create one post and send it to multiple people via email or SMS. Whether that’s a practice schedule PDF or a digital registration link, a good message board will be flexible enough to handle it.
5 apps for improving coach and parent communication
Every sports communication app offers its own communication functionality, but each has features built for different types of organizations. As you explore different tools, consider how different features support your messaging and help you build a stronger community.
1. Jersey Watch
Jersey Watch is a leading sports team management software, powering 2,400+ youth leagues in North America. This all-in-one software solution is easy to use and offers real solutions for time-strapped volunteers.
If you’re looking for a complete team organization solution that streamlines communication, registration, payments, scheduling, and more, Jersey Watch is the tool for you.
Key features
- All-in-one tool: Build your website, set up registration and payments, and send messages all within one platform. Jersey Watch is primarily used by clubs and leagues that have over 50 athletes to run the entire organization.
- Simplified registration: Send registration forms and reminders, so parents never miss a deadline.
- Real-time schedule updates: Ensure everyone has access to the latest details without resending schedules every time a change is made. You can also generate sports schedules for your league.
- Superior contact organization: Group information and create target lists by season, age group, or sport. Add contacts to multiple lists if parents have several kids in the organization.
- Flexible communication. Send group SMS or email notifications from any device or keep messages private to protect confidentiality.
- Easy giving: Jersey Watch includes donation prompts, both on the website and on registration forms, to encourage supporters to give.
- No-code websites: Design a team website with your logo, colors, team photos, and schedule. Post last-minute updates on the website and send push notifications to get the word out.
2. TeamSnap
TeamSnap is a top team and club management platform with a strong reputation. With 25 million users, the app covers nearly all youth and adult sports, including softball, lacrosse, and hockey. So it’s a good match for larger organizations with multiple sports under their umbrella.
Key features
- Program management: TeamSnap’s program management helps coaches keep up with multiple sports and activities throughout the season.
- Auto-scheduling: The auto-schedule functionality syncs events with tools like Google Calendar and iCal.
- Payment dashboard: Group all payment, deposit, and outstanding balance data and send reminders to parents.
3. Heja
Heja is a free mobile app that brings coaches, friends, and community supporters together. It’s a collaboration tool that relies on everyone’s opinions and ideas to create a better team. Heja is a user-friendly app, but it doesn’t offer the same robust functionality as other platforms, so it’s a better fit for small teams with predictable schedules.
Key features
- Schedule syncing: Heja syncs the team’s schedule to your personal calendar.
- Reduced spamming: The app sends individual reminders to parents to reduce spam.
- Segmentation: Heja makes it easy to separate contacts by team, so coaches and parents get to choose what gets shared and when.
4. BAND
BAND is a communication app for all groups and clubs, including nonprofits, youth sports, faith organizations, and hobbyists. Described as part email, part text, and part social post, it can help you cut back if you have a lot of messages flying around on different channels, like Facebook, email, and text messaging.
Key features
- Media sharing: Privately share videos, files, and photos for stronger communication.
- Response collections: Ask questions and get quick, real-time responses, so it’s easier to schedule and plan events.
- 1:1 and group chat: Communicate individually or with subgroups.
- Admin control: Monitor your posts, comments, and chats to reduce friction or fighting.
5. sportsYou
SportsYou is a secure platform that helps athletes get more out of their teams. In this app, you can share colorful photos, simplify your scheduling, and organize forms and files. It could be a good option if you want to boost team culture or drive more program interest.
Key features
- Engagement tools: Share content, create announcements, and chat with parents.
- Schedule and map sharing: Post and update schedules and share locations via Google Maps.
- Centralized library: Share and track all important documents with a central library.
Keep coaches and parents on the same page with Jersey Watch
Youth sports are always going to be a tangle of parents, players, coaches, and volunteer staff. To get everyone on the same page, you need more than standard texts, emails, or social media messaging.
With Jersey Watch, you can share files, make website announcements, send out individual reminders, update schedules, organize contacts, and so much more. In a world of endless pings, we introduce better communication strategies so you can have a smoother season.
Sign up for Jersey Watch today if you’re ready for better communication tools!
