Creative Ways to Attract Athletes To Your Event

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Athletes have many options for events and tryouts to attend in their athletic careers. Offering a program that has great training programs, reputable coaches, and a proven track record is a sure way to continue the health of a program. In addition to this, there are other ways to impact the quality and quantity of athletes that come to your events. When setting up an event, there are many ideas that can be easily implemented to expand the reach. We outline our favorite creative ways to attract athletes to your next tryout, evaluation, or scored sporting event.

1) Say NO to boring pre-event emails

It is easy to fall down an administrative rabbit hole of Plain Jane emails built from templates or a “copy and paste” approach to last year’s material. Think outside this communication box and challenge yourself to understand what people paying for your event would like to see. Some examples are:

• Video links of drills or skills to prepare with

Send over links of drills or skills to work on leading up to the event. These might be the actual drills you will be running the athletes through, or just tips for certain skills to get them ready for the day. Parents will be impressed with the forethought put into these links and athletes will show up feeling confident and ready to put their best food forward! 

• Send a checklist of what to bring

This could be as simple as equipment required, or maybe something different like requesting athlete resumes in advance. Players can now create resumes right from skillshark.com by simply signing up for an account.

Having participants show up feeling organized will prove the validity and professionalism of your organization.

• Provide a list of skills that will be tested

Similarly to providing links to sample videos or drills, consider sending a complete list of skills that will be tested to the athletes. This does not require you to spill your secrets, and you may even choose to include things that will not be tested but make sense to have prepared. Showing a complex, granular list indicates that the tryout will be well-rounded and allow athletes to properly prepare and visualize the event.

2) Make it easy for families to attend

When an athlete is attending an evaluation or tryout, there is often a sibling or two that is dragged along to these events. By taking some time to show parents how easily these other kids could be entertained, the attractiveness of the whole event will increase. Examples are:

• Provide links to local attractions

Send activities to families that are attractive to all ages! Draft up a separate email that focuses on the family appeal. If most participants will be local, share fun things to do that you know of or have heard from friends. Maybe you are in a sporting complex that has other sports or options for camps or daily passes. Taking a personal approach will go a long way with athletes and their families who decide to attend your event.

• Email options for accommodations or restaurants in the area

Allow families to make plans easily by providing them with a list of hotels and good food spots prior to the event. If discounts are possible, send out codes or refer them to businesses’ websites right from your email. Understand that there are a lot of moving parts to bring a family into an event, and ensure that they feel all of their needs are met.

3) Use technology

Athletes and parents have been to many sport tryouts and recognize that pen-and-paper evaluations have always been the status quo. Join the trendsetter and early adopters in using athlete evaluation software. Among many benefits for both your organization and parents, it also lends itself to the creative aspect of an evaluation that can be visible by all. 

• Take headshots upon check-in (or anytime!)

Having the ability to take athlete headshot photos not only helps the administrative process of an evaluation but also offers a level of professionalism not seen before. It will add to the hype of the event and portray new age and energy even before athletes step into their zone.

• Record scores with mobile or tablet devices

The generation that you will be evaluating likely uses pen and paper for very few things in their life. When they see other sessions or events taking place where evaluators and coaches are using technology to record scores, videos, and notes, it will show them that the program is forward-thinking and adaptable to trends.

• Show player progress reports

Using athlete evaluation software, you can dynamically track and show player progress over time. This level of data reporting at a tryout or evaluation level is sure to add hype and excitement to your organization and event.

4) Send Reports

Sending instant, professional reports is possible with the help of evaluation software. These reports can be used to instantly send the customized scores that were collected in the event.

• Include videos of the athletes

Never before have athletes been able to see actual video footage that is tied to a score that they received. By using the SkillShark software, you can upload and attach unlimited videos to athlete reports.

• Include links to videos for drills

If there are certain skills that are lacking, send a link to a video that could be seen as the “perfect” output of the skill, or attach a video for a drill that will help get the athlete where they need to be.

• Send customized reports to the whole tryout at the click of a button

After scores have been uploaded, select which content you want to share with each individual athlete, and send an emailed link to a PDF report. Imagine the response from a parent that sees such fast results in a professional matter!

5) Check in regularly

Just because the evaluation or event is over doesn’t mean you should stop communicating with your participants. How can you continue regular communication?

• Send out links to performance drills or videos

If there is a particular drill or skill that seems to be lacking from the group as a whole, send drills, tips or videos to the group as a whole.

• Send stretches or performance-based articles

Partner with a local physiotherapist or personal trainer and send out links to age and sport-appropriate stretches, exercises, and weight-training resources.

• Let them know about upcoming events!

Be sure to communicate on a regular basis with current athletes or ones that have attended your events in the past. Be sure they have calendar dates well in advance and that they can plan to show you how they improved since tryouts passed.

When it comes to thinking outside the box for a unique tryout or evaluation event, embracing cutting-edge technology is a game-changer. That’s where SkillShark, the ultimate teams app and sports evaluation solution, comes into play. SkillShark offers a multitude of features to help you elevate your tryouts and evaluations, all while staying affordable. We provide free web demos for you to explore our capabilities. Our platform seamlessly integrates with other coaching apps and sports team management apps, making it an invaluable addition to your coaching toolbox. Parents and players alike can benefit from SkillShark’s user-friendly interface and real-time communication features. Join us today to see firsthand how SkillShark can transform your tryout or evaluation process, especially during Coach Appreciation Day and other key moments in your sports journey. Discover the power of SkillShark, the app that combines the best elements of coaching apps and evaluation software, making it a must-have for any sports team or organization.

6) Become a fitness mentor

Offering one-on-one training if a great way to meet meet potential athletes while earning more income. This will give you an opportunity to get to know the character of the athletes to you training to know if they’re a good fir for your program. Because you have a foundation with them, it should be fairly easy to gauge interest with your sporting program.

To learn if becoming a personal trainer is right for you, you can take a free practice exam and mock questions for your NASM CPT.

FAQ

Creative Ways to Attract Athletes to Your Event

What are some creative ways to attract athletes to my event?

There are several creative strategies to make your event more attractive: Create engaging pre-event emails that include video links of drills or skills to prepare with, checklists of what to bring, and lists of skills that will be tested. Make it easy for families to attend by providing information on local attractions, accommodations, and restaurants in the area. Utilize technology, such as athlete evaluation software, to modernize the evaluation process and impress athletes. Send instant, professional reports that include videos of the athletes and links to helpful drills. Maintain regular communication with participants by sending performance drills, stretches, and information about upcoming events.

How can I make my pre-event emails more engaging?

To make your pre-event emails more engaging, consider: Including video links of drills or skills for athletes to prepare. Sending checklists of what athletes should bring. Providing a list of skills that will be tested to help athletes prepare. These approaches show thoughtfulness and professionalism, enhancing the event’s appeal.

How can I make it easy for families to attend my event?

To make it easy for families to attend, consider: Providing links to local attractions to entertain family members during the event. Emailing information about accommodations and restaurants in the area. Offering discounts or referral codes for hotels and businesses to ease their planning process. By addressing their needs and interests, you can attract more participants.

How can technology enhance my event’s appeal to athletes?

Using technology, such as athlete evaluation software, can improve the event’s appeal by: Allowing you to take headshot photos of athletes for a professional touch. Recording scores with mobile or tablet devices, showing your program’s adaptability. Showing player progress reports and performance data, adding excitement to your event. Adopting modern technology signals that your organization is forward-thinking and dedicated to athlete development.

How can I continue communication with participants after the event?

To maintain regular communication with participants, you can: Send out performance drills, tips, and videos to help them improve. Share stretches, exercises, and resources from local physiotherapists or trainers. Keep participants informed about upcoming events well in advance. Continuous communication keeps athletes engaged and involved with your program.

How does SkillShark help improve tryouts and evaluations?

SkillShark is a sports evaluation solution that offers numerous features to elevate your tryouts and evaluations. It provides the ability to send customized reports with videos and drill links, create professional headshots, and monitor player progress. SkillShark’s user-friendly interface and real-time communication features benefit both coaches and athletes, making it an invaluable addition to your coaching toolbox.

How can I explore SkillShark’s capabilities?

You can explore SkillShark’s capabilities by requesting a free web demo. The platform seamlessly integrates with other coaching apps and sports team management apps, making it a must-have for any sports team or organization.

How can SkillShark benefit Coach Appreciation Day and other key moments in my sports journey?

SkillShark can benefit Coach Appreciation Day and other important events by providing you with the tools to enhance tryouts and evaluations, making them more effective and efficient. The platform’s features can help you create a memorable and professional experience for athletes, coaches, and parents. Check out these awesome coaches on social media. Join us today to see firsthand how SkillShark can transform your tryout or evaluation process, especially during Coach Appreciation Day and other key moments in your sports journey. Discover the power of SkillShark, the app that combines the best elements of coaching apps and evaluation software, making it a must-have for any sports team or organization.