TeamSnap now features evaluation tools via TeamGenius, used for tryouts, mid-season and post-season evaluations, player identification, and much more, as their official player evaluation software provider. Player development and better roster management are at the core of this sports technology database partnership. The Sports Techie community blog chatted with Chris Bowen, Account Executive, originally hailing from the UK, about the deal as he worked for TeamSnap in Boulder just four months ago before being hired by TeamGenius located in Minneapolis, giving him insights about both sports tech companies. Integrating the TeamGenius cloud based service into their sports management platform enables more than 2 million coaches, teams, clubs and leagues using TeamSnap’s software since 2009 to have the ability to administrate a tryout, feedback and performance data integrated into existing registration and roster tools for a more robust and comprehensive offering via an innovative mobile app.
Tryouts Meet Optimization
The term tryout is exciting for players, parents and coaches alike however all the tasks associated with the process can require hours and hours of administrative work someone has to do. Not every sport organization has a full-time administrator to handle the heavy workload as the season begins, often times admin is handled by a volunteer or two. In steps new partners TeamSnap/TeamGenius ready to support tryouts with immediate access to imported rosters and player evaluations while enabling real-time feedback and team creation with the simple click of a few buttons.
“While tryouts are extremely stressful for athletes and their families, they can be equally as demanding for coaches and administrative staff,” said TeamSnap co-founder and CEO Dave DuPont. “Partnering with TeamGenius is one step we’re taking to help alleviate some of the administrative hassle and give our coaches the tools needed to deliver immediate feedback and performance data to help players continue on their development path.”
In addition to assisting with youth sports sign ups, scheduling, communication and coordination, the newly enhanced digital product now takes sports management to another level via the ability to better manage tryouts, camps and development programs while providing player feedback.
“Our customers frequently share their love for TeamSnap’s club and team management tools with us,” said Chris Knutson, CEO of TeamGenius. “We are excited to expand our reach and bring these critical tools to even more youth sports organizations across TeamSnap’s network of 2 million sports teams, clubs and leagues. This partnership is a great example of how two platforms that simply make sense together can create huge management efficiencies for busy coaches and volunteers.”
TeamGenius: Athlete Evaluations the Easy Way
Hockey, Soccer and Beyond
Minnesota is the US hotbed for youth hockey so dominating the sport in their backyard with their wares is exactly what TeamGenius did landing Forest Lake as an initial customer.
In fact, the company was founded in 2015 as a tryout app because of the frustration founders had with the entire process.
The Girls Elite Clubs National League (ECNL), the nation’s premier female youth soccer platform, partnered with TeamGenius recently to further enhance the developmental experience of female youth soccer players throughout the United States. ECNL uses best practices, competitions and a national league, as well as identifying and scouting top talent for college and youth national teams, while improving training and organizational approaches for members, to make it so. ECNL is sanctioned by US Club Soccer and sponsored by Nike Soccer.
More than 500 orgs are TeamGenius users mostly on the East coast. I asked Chris about any international push by the startup company and he responded, “We are making inroads in Sydney, Australia and across Canada, particularly with hockey in British Columbia.”
Interesting enough, Bowen indicated they are slow to make sales in the UK. The reason being, parents do not spend as much on youth sports. He told me his parents paid for $200 for Chris to play while can cost as much as $2,000 or more to play travel sports here in the USA. The culture in Great Britain does not place as much value on youth sports expenditures as in America.
He added they are making real headway with youth volleyball, lacrosse and baseball.
American football is not as penetrated by TeamGenius as these other sports because of the larger sized organizations that run the sport compared to youth soccer, hockey and the rest using more of a club or recreational model.
Sports Techie, the new software workflow is to first upload rosters into TeamGenius, followed by evaluating players as they tryout, ending with syncing final rosters back into an existing TeamSnap account. Custom reports are their newest bread and butter feature.
Cost for TeamGenius is $4 per player a year with unlimited assessments. This business arrangement with TeamSnap is not exclusive as TeamGenius also partners with SportsEngine, owned by NBC Sports.
In terms of an exit strategy, Bowen says they are looking to continue growing while raising more money. They have ten employees to date.
The TeamGenius app is available in both iOS and Android.
It is free to get started with no credit card required.
Is load management the next frontier these partners will target together? Youth sports especially needs help with this growing issue (as do the Golden State Warriors) because so many kids and young adults either play one sport only, or are stretched thin playing multiple sports on a variety of select, travel, and rec teams and clubs leading to often times, preventable injuries. Customizable reports for both quantitative and subjective player performance analysis though TeamGenius just might do it, eh TeamSnap.
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