Member Article

STCS's new sports app gives 'advantage' to tennis coaches

A NEW app aimed at sports coaches has been launched by a Gateshead-based software developer.

The ATTEND app and accompanying web software has been developed by STCS and is designed to reduce the time clubs, coaches and teachers spend promoting their courses and keeping their records. The smart-phone app means coaches can access important information and can instantly contact one or all course members effortlessly.

STCS Director John Wiseman explained: “I’ve been involved with Wylam Tennis Club for some time and I had a role in an administrative capacity. I could see how difficult it was logistically for coaches to keep track of where they needed to be and when, and to keep track of, and communicate with, their clients.

“I realised, as someone who has worked in the sector for some time, that there should be an IT solution, so we started working on ATTEND. One of the Wylam club coaches, Craig Little, is using it and says it has made his working life much easier and simpler. The app and software would be equally as applicable to any sports coach.

“Basically, ATTEND allows coaches to coach and spend much less time on paperwork.

“ATTEND’s popularity has spread through social media and those who are using it are full of praise. We’re also looking at other sectors – it could help anyone or any organisation struggling to maintain records and communicate with clients.”

Those signing up for courses enter their details and pay via their own browser, and that keeps the coach’s records accurate and up to date in the Cloud.

“Obviously the client records are absolutely secure and the ATTEND app works with the ATTEND web software to make your course, staff and member admin simple and quick. Using the app, a coach can view courses or sessions; tick to mark attendance at a session; view attendees’ details and medical flags; send text messages to one or all course participants simultaneously, or create a personal invitation to a course and send it via text,” explained John.

“You can also send your potential members a link to your course which they can use to register and pay for online, helping your courses grow. And lastly, you can call a participant or their emergency contact direct from the app,” he added.

Craig Little, who has been a tennis coach at the Wylam club for about ten years, said: “The app has certainly made my life easier. I can contact everyone on my courses very easily now and change arrangements when I need to very quickly. I’ve been using the app for four months and it’s taken a lot of stress and strain from the day-to-day admin workload.

“But perhaps the biggest difference, and biggest advantage in using ATTEND, is that it takes payment, which again makes things so much easier and smoother for me.”

John and fellow director John Clifford established STCS 30 years ago, originally training developers in building software. It is now a bespoke software and digital development agency working with public sector clients including Government departments, private companies of all sizes, and colleges and universities.

The company employs 16 people in a range of software designer, web developer and business analyst roles at its base at HYpoint, Saltmeadows Road, Gateshead. Entrepreneur Charlie Hoult bought up the former Gear House business centre in September as part of plans to roll out Hoults Yard hubs across the North East.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Hoults Yard .