Once we began to use LTB, we found it to be so much more than we were initially looking for. Not only are our registrations done online, but our teams are developed through the website, our games/practices are scheduled, and so are our game officials.
The website and email is now the primary source for communication with our coaches, players and parents. Our coach’s primary contact with their team is though email and their team’s webpage. No longer do our coaches have to spend a few hours on the phone, just to inform everyone of “next weeks new practice time”.
When we made the switch to web-based in 2011 there was an initial “learning curve” for our administrators, coaches and parents. There is also the issue of parents (players) that do not have a computer or access to the internet or email.
To solve the problem of parents/players without computers we do still hold a couple of Registration Days each season, which are advertised in the local paper, but parents still do those registrations online. Our local Lions Hall has wireless internet- each Board Member brings one (more if they have them) Wi-Fi enabled laptops, and registration is up and rolling in no time. If parents are computer illiterate we are able to assist them through to process.
For parents/players without email- we use the pwsl email address- coaches are instructed that if they are contacting the team and see that they are sending an email to pwsl- that it is because that player does not have email and they will have to contact them by phone. Also our Administration will receive the email and can reply and remind the coach to call the parent/player. This is an issue for less than 1% of our parents/players.
Scheduling games and practices has never been easier. The “Resource Manager” will allow you to enter all of your fields and times they are available. The “Schedule Manager” will allow you to develop your game schedules and ensure that you do not “double book” a field or team in error.
If coaches are looking for an extra practice time, we allow them to schedule one, using the “schedule manager” knowing that it will not allow them to do so if the field is not available.
Gone are the days of noticing a scheduling error on our printed schedules, after they have been distributed to parents and coaches, and then having the nightmare of correcting the error, re-printing the schedules, re-distributing the new schedule, and praying that the parents/coaches are following the “new” corrected schedule. Now if an error is noticed after the schedule has been “published” on line- click the mouse- make the adjustment- and as soon as it is saved- instant email updates go out to all affected parents and the new schedule instantly appears though-out the system.
If we have to cancel a game because of field or weather conditions – a few clicks of the mouse will cancel the game and instantly email notify parents, players, coaches and game officials. We can re-schedule the game at the same time or keep it to be rescheduled at a later time.
The registration process is very customizable to each Leagues or Clubs needs. I now set up our own registration process, but when we first stated the techs at LTB were more than happy to do this for us.
Provided by Rick Jukes, President of the Port Weller Soccer League
