How Should I Introduce SkillShark to My Evaluators?

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Athlete evaluation software is designed to eliminate the manual data entry that comes with a sports evaluation while generating insightful reports. Nevertheless, in order for athlete evaluation software to be utilized, it needs to be easy to use for the end users: the evaluators.

If evaluators find that software is too feature-heavy, difficult to navigate, or technically complex, they will simply hit the “delete” button and abandon usage. To help evaluators successfully implement SkillShark, a powerful athlete evaluation software, here are some tips to help get your evaluators acclimated.

1. Get their account set up

Knowledge is power. The first step to getting your evaluators familiarized with a new app is helping them with the account setup.

Once an event is created in SkillShark, emails will be sent out notifying your evaluators that they have been chosen to evaluate your next event (a tryout, camp, or mid-season/year-end evaluation). When evaluators open the email, they will follow the on-screen instructions to create a username and password for access.

After their profile is created, give your evaluators time to get informed about the event being held and the evaluation template that you have selected for your assessment (I.e., which skills and metrics will be evaluated).

2. Walk through how to score athletes

The next step in getting your evaluators ready to use SkillShark is showing them how to score athletes. Your evaluators must know exactly what you, as the coach, are looking for in terms of skills, attitude, and effort.

Next, show evaluators how to access player lists to begin conducting an evaluation. Once a player list is accessed, walk through one athlete as an example, showing the evaluator how to enter single and subjective scores.

Sample of an evaluation on SkillShark

3. Show them comment features

After the evaluators have the basics of SkillShark mastered, show them how to add comments under an athlete’s scores. There are multiple options for comments, including voice-to-text, pre-filled comments, and adding video. Adding comments to the evaluation template provides a newfound level of detailed feedback to your athletes, showing them what they excel at or what they need to work on. Evaluators will understand this means no more notes scribbled wherever there is room on the paper.

Customize comments for detailed athlete feedback

4. Choose to upgrade evaluators to admins 

Decide if you would like to upgrade one or more of your evaluators to an admin, which will give them the same permissions that you have within the group. Admins can do everything within SkillShark, including adding players, running reports, editing reports, and more, while evaluators only have permission to score players.

By briefing your evaluators about the SkillShark, you will set yourself up for a smooth, stress-free evaluation. Time and time again, evaluators instantly understand the ease of use and completely cast aside any preference they had for pen and paper.