All-Star To Coaches, Judges, And Parents - How Do You Communicate? Text, Facebook, Email?

[King]

How do you all communicate? The USASF with their recent voting emailed out 4,000 emails to their 4,000 registered coaches. Only 700ish ended up voting. I am willing to bet most of those were Fierce Board readers. I also think it would be easier to get out a message on here so that everyone reads as opposed to any other way. This isn't a post about bragging, but finding out ways to better communicate with everyone in case there are last minute rule changes or what not.

How do you all do it? How would you all like to see new information?

 

[Brenner]

I think we should be able to sign up for some sort of mass text.
It is great to get information via text when we attend Cheersport.
I love the fierce boards, but I think more coaches have a cell phone, than check the fierce boards.

 

[travnation80]

agreed King, when I saw the voted numbers I was extremely disappointed considering there are 4,000 people coeachs, judges, event produces alike that are all USASF Certified. I received their email and voted but i think the text situation would help a lot especially for things like in the other post regarding the Alternate number change.

 

[King]

I think we should be able to sign up for some sort of mass text.
It is great to get information via text when we attend Cheersport.
I love the fierce boards, but I think more coaches have a cell phone, than check the fierce boards.

So being able to sign up, as a coach, for a mass text type alert from the USASF?

 

[Brenner]

Yes, you sign up when you register your gym or when coaches become credentialed (sp?)

 

[proudpapa]

Mass text work great..I currently do this at my daughters gym! I have all the cheerleaders and moms phone numbers in my phone and when needed can in minutes send out a mass text to a team or teams. Alerting them of any changes in times, meeting places or a need someone may have. The owners/coaches/team moms and cheerleaders love it. Our team parents can do the same, the systems is easy, efficient and cost effective. No new equipment or programs to buy or upload, everyone has a phone and everyone text....simply add the numbers and your off!

 

[socratesofcheer]

How do you all communicate? The USASF with their recent voting emailed out 4,000 emails to their 4,000 registered coaches. Only 700ish ended up voting. I am willing to bet most of those were Fierce Board readers. I also think it would be easier to get out a message on here so that everyone reads as opposed to any other way. This isn't a post about bragging, but finding out ways to better communicate with everyone in case there are last minute rule changes or what not.

How do you all do it? How would you all like to see new information?

Morse code.

 

[King]

-.-- --- ..- / .- .-. . / ... --- / .-- .. - - -.--!

 

[SharkDad]

.... .- .... .- ....

I think it depends on how immediate the information is you need to get out.

These are all good options:
- Text for information you need to get out immediaitely like competition updates, but those are usually not USASF-wide.
- Text to alert people to be on the lookout for more information: links to the rules change votes, updated USASF information (with a link), etc.
- E-mail alerts for more in-depth information
- USASF Facebook page alerts would show up on everyone's news page if they belong to Facebook
- Message Board e-mail alerts (here, Cheer Parents Online, any of the other message boards on the Fierce Board Network, etc)
- Spirit Post or other cheer-news related websites

 

[King]

I am going to say from my experience at Rays (and I think we happen to be on the upper end of being aware of technology) we even have some employees who are not everyday email checkers. I think email just isn't overly important in our industry, therefore not a viable way of distributing information.

 

[SharkDad]

True, but a good way to communicate when you go beyond the length of a normal text. Facebook or message board messages work well and send out alerts, I think the only key with any of these is to have everyone be on the lookout to recieve them. If your gym does not, then that method is not effective.

We send out lots of e-mails to keep everyone up do date, then use text very heavily at competitions or for last minute practice changes/immediate information

 

[ChelleShocked]

Personally, and I know I'm a little behind the times as far as phones go, I hate texting. I won't even read a text until hours (sometimes days) later because I don't look at my phone very often. I check my email at least once an hour, though, so I'd prefer getting information that way. I also use Facebook, but only because when everybody started using it, it became necessary for communication with certain people.

As a coach, we send out emails to parents with updates and information and we have team moms that handle the texting/facebook/everything else.

 

[King]

True, but a good way to communicate when you go beyond the length of a normal text. Facebook or message board messages work well and send out alerts, I think the only key with any of these is to have everyone be on the lookout to recieve them. If your gym does not, then that method is not effective.

We send out lots of e-mails to keep everyone up do date, then use text very heavily at competitions or for last minute practice changes/immediate information

Texts alert you there IS new information. Finding a central place to display that information is the smartest thing.

 

[SharkDad]

Agreed. . .a focused plan on how to post/display/alert everyone about new information would be great. Almost like everyone is working together to make things better for the sport. . .

 

[King]

Agreed. . .a focused plan on how to post/display/alert everyone about new information would be great. Almost like everyone is working together to make things better for the sport. . .

Fierce Board? Make things better? NEVER I say! ANARCHY!