Customer Success Story: Legends FC

From Outdated to Ahead of the Game: Legends FC's Journey to Becoming a Forward-Thinking Organization

CHALLENGE - When More Tools Mean More Problems

Since joining the organization in 2017 as a coach and admin support, Taylar Sklar-O’Sullivan has worn many hats - giving her a unique view into the operational challenges Legends FC faced. The main one? Their patchwork of systems was creating more work, not less.

The Paper Trail Nightmare

“During the registration process, we were collecting handwritten checks or cash. It made it difficult to track payments and who was past due,” said Sklar-O’Sullivan. “We also were handling physical copies of birth certificates and other legal documents, which was an added liability for us. Plus, all registrations and player evaluations were done on paper, so if we misplaced forms before entering them into the system, it was a huge headache.”

The logistics made everything worse. With offices separate from playing fields, that crucial stack of evaluation forms had to be physically transported after every tryout, multiplying the chances of losing critical information or missing a player in the team formation process.

The Integration Gap

In addition to the paper chaos, the Legends FC team was juggling multiple software systems, and none of them were integrated. They were using:

• One platform for collecting registrations
• Another to track player data
• A third for communicating with families
• Endless file folders - both physical and digital - holding sensitive information

“Nothing was speaking to each other,” Sklar-O’Sullivan explained. “Information had to be manually transferred from emails, sheets, and texts, making it more likely that something would get overlooked or lost in translation.”

To add insult to injury, the existing platforms were “outdated and very minimal” in terms of what functionalities they could perform, adding unnecessary time to already packed schedules for Taylar and the rest of the staff. 

The need for a platform that could centrally manage everything had never been higher. 

The Technology Problem

In a crowded market of software vendors promising to solve every youth sports management problem, Taylar and the team quickly realized none could deliver. The so-called “all-in-one” platforms left out critical pieces, while others couldn’t even meet the club’s basic needs because their technology was outdated. And to make matters worse, even the most routine tasks took far longer than they should.

“Making sure our rosters were accurate for different events and collecting money were two things I was spending the most time on previously,” said Sklar-O’Sullivan. “That and logging into a different app to communicate with families and monitor conversations.”

For a club constantly on the move, desktop-only software created major roadblocks. “With a lot of these software systems, you could only access certain things on a desktop. For example, our previous systems required you to complete your registrations through a website, which wasn’t easy for families to navigate on their phone.” 

This created barriers for families who may not have had a computer at home. They either had to find a way to access one or struggle through a clunky mobile site experience. A dedicated mobile app was quickly becoming essential - yet few, if any, software providers could deliver.

SOLUTION - Finding Calm Among the Chaos

During the height of COVID - when frustration at the club was at its peak - a well-timed Social Media ad caught Taylar’s boss, CEO Josh Hodges, at just the right moment. He scheduled a demo for them with the PlayMetrics team. Their first impression? “Wow, this solves a lot of problems right now that could help us communicate more effectively to our entire membership and organization. In addition, this would allow us the ability to support every aspect of our operations and streamline a more efficient way to manage everything.” They quickly realized that a switch to PlayMetrics meant more efficiency and a better way of doing things.

Decision Time

“I remember when we brought PlayMetrics to our board of directors, they asked us how it would affect our families,” said Sklar-O’Sullivan. “We were able to tell them with confidence: ‘This is going to replace the three other services we’re paying for, and now all we have to ask our families to do is to download one single app.’” Having that single source of truth was going to change how the club operated and provide a more positive experience for families and staff.

What sealed the deal wasn’t just technology; it was the relationship the club was able to build. Says Sklar-O’Sullivan: “Throughout both the whole sales and onboarding processes with PlayMetrics, we really felt supported and listened to. That was important because I really value relationships and people.”

Implementation, Impact, and Results

When asked how long it took for the team to see value after making the switch, Taylar’s response was instantaneous. “Immediate! It was immediate value. I could see who’s paid and who hasn’t, who’s on the team and who hasn’t accepted yet. It was all right there; I didn’t have to go hunting people down.”

The communication improvements were equally dramatic. Taylar was excited to see that she no longer had to copy email addresses and send messages one by one. With PlayMetrics, she could reach the entire club in a fraction of the time it took previously.

Field scheduling quickly stood out as another major win. “Being able to have the fields in one spot and be able to see where everybody is on any given day. Game-changer!”

But perhaps the biggest benefit was the fact that they could officially retire the outdated systems that were holding them back in favor of one single software. According to Taylar, this consolidation of tools to PlayMetrics led to 80% time savings that just couldn’t be found anywhere else. “That efficiency is unmatched,” she said. “Everything is easier. Communication, registration, reporting - even financials. We run a lot of outside programs, so now I know what those are bringing in. Even running our rec league, we see a huge improvement with being able to manage that in the same place as our competitive side.”

Other areas where the club saw marked improvement include team management and Team Accounts. “That was my ‘aha’ moment,” she said regarding the addition of Team Accounts to the suite of solutions PlayMetrics provides. Now, the club has real-time visibility into and control over individual team financials in the same place they manage everything else.

CLUB UPDATE - A New Standard of Operations

Today, Taylar has officially hung up her tracking gear. Where she once constantly chased after families and staff, trying to collect forms and payments, she now manages everything in her PlayMetrics app. With one click, she can make the adjustments she needs, shifting players’ statuses and sending communications to those who are behind schedule. “The beauty of having one operating system is that we can all work in it without having to be in the same location,” she says. “Our business runs faster and more efficiently because I don’t need to sit down with people to do tasks. Everything is at our fingertips.”

Thinking Ahead

Taylar and her team at Legends are looking forward to their future with PlayMetrics and the continued innovations to the platform. “It’s clear to us that PlayMetrics is driven to continue providing a complete, all-in-one platform for clubs. We see that with each new feature launch or product update that brings new ways to use the software. It’s exciting to be with them at the forefront of progress.”