Tools & Apps to Get Tennis Organized.

GroupMe to chat in a group and 1:1

There are many benefits to using some form of group chat for communications. We use GroupMe, free from Microsoft. Group Me provides quick and easy communications, and it has great functionality like calendaring to allow anyone to schedule matches, practices, social events, and more to track event RSVPs. You can send messages in the group chat, or create a direct message (DM) for a 1:1 chat, off the group chat. Download the app from your app store and create an online account (www.groupme.com). Both. Recommendation: **Do NOT agree to load your contacts when prompted.** During set up, it's important to go to your phone settings and turn ON the GroupMe app notification so you get alerted to new messages. Click to learn more here.

Google Sheet to collect player availability and share a player roster

In the spirit of transparency, using Google Sheets to know who can play when can be a lifesaver to not only the captain, but also to the players on a team. This system enables each player to own her schedule, so you, as block captain don't have to. The sheets can be shared to allow edit access to all players, and availability responsibility pushed out to each player. Click here to learn more about how to use Google Sheets. And to access a team roster template, click here to make a copy of your own to create a team roster. Remember to download the Google Sheets app from your app store.

Venmo to move money around and Splitwise to track shared expenses

Is your team captain collecting the fee? Need to pay a shared team expense when your team goes to an event, a tournament, league playoffs? Use two apps: Venmo (owned by Paypal) and Splitwise. Venmo allows players to move money quickly and easily. You can tie your Venmo account to your bank account, if you set it up that way. Splitwise is another app to help track a shared group expense as it, after the event is done, it settles up for you to say who owes what amount, to be paid to whom. Download the app from your app store.

Signupgenius to sign up for a spot in a clinic or an event

The biggest challenge for a tennis pro and an event planner is not knowing who or how many are going to show up. With this Signupgenius, an attendee can save a spot, have the correct date, time, and location without confusion, and receive notifications in case something changes. Plus, you can see who else has signed up. Be sure to update your "sign up," if your plans change. Accept clinic cancellations 24 hours before clinic start. Go here to Signupgenius.com to create an account and download the app.