The Benefits of a Blog

Account Manager at SportsEngine

November 3, 2023 | 3 minutes, 10 seconds read

There are many long-term benefits to starting a blog for your business, including using your content for social media posts and sharing updates with your customers. Whatever your goal may be, here are SportsEngine Motion’s top five reasons why starting a blog will be beneficial:

1. Generate and nurture leads

Having a blog on your website with easy-to-find information about what you offer will assist new customers in finding everything they need. By simply writing one paragraph in your blog about a current class you offer, or an upcoming event at your facility, new customers will have plenty of places to read about the great experiences you can offer their child.

2. Build relationships with current customers

Your current customers are always hungry for new information. Starting a blog will assure them that their needs are at the top of your mind. Like new customers, your current ones are interested in knowing everything from your schedule of programs to your business plans for an expansion. Providing information in a blog for current customers will help you develop long-term relationships.

3. Develop your brand’s voice

Branding for your business is very important; your brand is everything from your color scheme to your targeted customer base. Your brand's voice can be a way to shout about the different programs and events you offer from the rooftops. A blog is the megaphone you need to project the voice for everyone to hear.

Learn more about ways to develop your brand here

4. Direct traffic to your Site

Posting a monthly or bi-monthly blog on your website will drive more traffic. In not-so-technical terms, the search engines higher powers will recognize the information on your website, thus improving your ranking in Google or Bing’s algorithms. This means that if your blog covers a topic a user searched for, the search engines will pull your blog into their search results which the user can then click into, taking them to your website and bringing you new traffic.

5. Market product and services

You shouldn’t rely solely on email marketing to promote your teams, camps, and classes. Getting lost in all the emails your prospective customers get daily is easy. You need to leverage multiple marketing channels to get your story across, and the easiest marketing channel to start with is showcasing at least one of the services you offer per blog.

Learn how SportsEngine Motion gives you complete control to run your studio

How to start blogging for your business

You’ve seen the benefits your business blog can get you — more traffic, leads, authority, and a better relationship with your audience. Now you’re undoubtedly itching to get started, but don’t worry. You don't need an English degree to get going. Using SportsEngine Motion’s News feature will help you get started in no time! This tool can post a blog to your website or mobile app and can email it as a newsletter with just a few clicks.

About Kristin Weingarden

Account Manager at SportsEngine

Kristin was a competitive gymnast for 15 years and an NCGA Qualifier from 2002-2005 while at Hamline University in Minnesota. She has coached at Mahtomedi High School since 2005—winning Assistant Coach of the Year honors in 2012, 2014, and 2019—and also coached at Hamline University from 2012-2014. Kristin is a current USAG judge. Kristin now lends her experience as an Account Manager for SportEngine Motion.

Connect with Kristin Weingarden

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How to Collect End of Season Competition or Recital Fees

by Kristin Weingarden

Account Manager at SportsEngine

November 3, 2023 | 2 minutes, 56 seconds read

Congratulations, you are approaching the end of another successful year. That means it is time to travel to nationals or host your end-of-year recital. Using SportsEngine Motion features, collecting payments for these events is easier than you think.

Use online registration

Providing an online registration link to collect participant information and event payment is the perfect way to stay organized and ensure everyone gets signed up. Promote your end-of-year show on social media using your SportsEngine Motion website. The Social Feed and Newsletters features will come in handy as they put your registration directly in the mobile app for your families to sign up.

Another wonderful way to promote your registration is by hanging QR codes in your lobby so parents get a reminder to sign up while watching their star student in class. Try doing an early bird registration discount as well; it is a perfect way to provide urgency for a captive audience to register.

Do not forget to use the Video Producer to send your athletes any choreography they need to practice at home!

Team qualification

If you had a team or individual qualify for nationals, adding additional charges to their accounts or payment plans is a simple solution to collect the funds required quickly. Parents and guardians can review and pay for any new charges through the SportsEngine Motion mobile app.

Pro shop sales

During the year-end show or recital, do not forget to capitalize on additional same-day revenue. A small pro shop for flowers, T-shirts, good luck grams, or snacks will bring in additional revenue for your business. SportsEngine Motion’s Point of Sale feature can provide you with the sales tools you need to generate additional profits from the palm of your hand.

Clean up your finances

Finally, cleaning up your finances is always important, but there is no better time than heading into the end-of-year event to ensure everything is in order. This will help you start next year fresh.

SportsEngine Motion’s financial reporting tools and capabilities will assist you at every step. Using the Overdue Charge Summary report will help you reduce your overdue balances. SE Payments Payouts is the perfect way to reconcile your bank deposits, and requiring auto payments will make the collection of tuition even easier in the future.

This is great, but I need help executing

You’re in luck! SportsEngine Motion’s support team is available six days a week to assist you with anything – from your reporting needs to communication setup. Connect with our team directly using the Need Help button on your website.

About Kristin Weingarden

Account Manager at SportsEngine

Connect with Kristin Weingarden

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The Importance of Taking Attendance for your Studio or Gym

by Kristin Weingarden

Account Manager at SportsEngine

November 3, 2023 | 2 minutes, 48 seconds read

Taking attendance is an essential aspect of successfully managing any organization or educational institution. While it may seem like a mundane task, there are several critical benefits that impact the success of any youth sports business.

Customer Experience

Taking attendance helps build relationships between a coach and athlete. When a coach takes attendance, they acknowledge each individual's presence and create a sense of community. Not to mention, they're learning all of the students' names.

Attendance is crucial in a youth sports setting, where building relationships between athletes and coaches can contribute to a positive learning environment and improved sports outcomes.

Retain Participants

Retaining customers is always a priority; tracking attendance can help keep your customers engaged. By using SportsEngine Motion's mobile attendance, you can quickly look at attendance percentage. If you see a drop in an athlete's attendance rates, you can quickly connect with the family to ensure everything is okay and that they are still interested in engaging with your programs. You may need to help them find a class that suits their family schedule, interests, or skill level.

Remember to track your 100% athletes. A small prize or even newsletter shoutout for your perfect attendance athletes is an easy way to reward your most dedicated families.

Learn how SportsEngine Motion can help you manage your business >

Credibility

Using attendance is a quick way to build credibility that participation matters at your organization. By promoting participation through attendance taking (and make-ups), each athlete will continue to grow in their youth sports journey.

This is a simple way to show your paying families that your organization is invested in their children's development. That investment will give you additional credibility to keep them coming back session after session.

Safety and Security

Another critical reason for taking attendance is for the safety and security of your members. In an emergency, knowing who is present and who is not is essential. For example, in the event of a fire drill, it's important to be able to quickly account for all athletes present to ensure that everyone has safely evacuated the building.

Taking attendance may seem like a small task, but it plays a crucial role in maintaining accountability, structure, and progress within your facility. It helps to identify behavior patterns and ensure everyone knows their responsibilities. Attendance records can also be used for documentation and evaluation, making them essential for success in any organization.

About Kristin Weingarden

Account Manager at SportsEngine

Connect with Kristin Weingarden

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3 Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Onboarding Experience

by Kristin Weingarden

Account Manager at SportsEngine

November 3, 2023 | 4 minutes, 8 seconds read

Technology has worked its way into everything we do. We can no longer deny that. Whether you’re running a business, booking a vacation, or managing your daily budget— there is tech that makes it quicker and more efficient.

Using technology daily doesn’t mean it’s simple for everyone to pick up immediately, and when it comes to using software to run a sports business, it’s essential to take the time to learn the ins and outs so you can get set up for success. At SportsEngine Motion, you will get a dedicated onboarding representative to walk through each step of setting up your platform. They’ll provide the guardrails to keep you on track to set up your system correctly. Here are some quick tips to get the most out of your new software onboarding experience.

Set aside time in the first few weeks to learn the system

Immediately after purchasing your new technology, you will be contacted by an onboarding representative or customer success manager to schedule a time to chat. Do them a favor and do not ignore them! They aren’t emailing you for fun; they genuinely want to help you get started.

Now, you’re probably purchasing this software because you are already short on time, so carving out extra space to meet with someone to learn new technology may not be high on your priority list. Resist the urge to put it off. If you never properly understand the system, it will be hard for it to save you time down the road.

Plan for at least three 30-minute virtual meetings with your onboarding representative. That way, they can break up the learning into digestible pieces and give you small tasks to complete between calls, allowing you to ask questions in the next meeting. Don’t try to be a hero and learn the whole system in a single 90-minute session. Breaking up the onboarding meetings keeps everyone on schedule to get set up right.

See how SportsEngine Motion can help you save time >

Have examples of your organization’s class structure available

Once you’ve scheduled your first onboarding session with the representative, it will be beneficial for you to send them examples of your class or program structure ahead of your first meeting. This will be helpful because your representative should get a chance to strategize the best way to set up your programs within the system. They will be able to show you specifically on your site how to get started with managing your classes.

Helpful information to send will be:

Class schedules
Lists & descriptions of program offerings
Length of each session
Billing & payment plan structure
Any details that make your classes unique

Prepare the information needed to set up online payment processing

Setting up online payment processing with SportsEngine Motion is quick and painless. However, you will still need to provide some of your business information to enable online payments on your new system.

Typically, the information you’ll need to provide is:

Business type
Official business name
Tax ID number
Bank account information (routing & account number)

In some cases, you will also need to provide a social security number and government-issued ID in the application for payment processing. This would be necessary to verify your identity as an anti-fraud measure. The bank account information you should provide is the information to whichever account you want money deposited into when your members make payments on your site.

The onboarding period is a valuable and exploratory time as you find out how a new system will help make your life easier. Please don’t take it for granted; utilize all of the time offered to you. Here at SportsEngine Motion, there is no cap on the time you spend learning the system with your representative, so use these tips to take full advantage of their knowledge to learn everything you can.

About Kristin Weingarden

Account Manager at SportsEngine

Connect with Kristin Weingarden

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Dealing With Problem Payers at Your Business

by Kristin Weingarden

Account Manager at SportsEngine

November 3, 2023 | 3 minutes, 58 seconds read

Dealing with 'problem payers' for tuition can be difficult and stressful, especially for youth sports organizations that rely on tuition fees.

It's important to note that not all problem payers are intentionally neglectful or malicious. Some may genuinely forget or underestimate the importance of timely payments, while others may face unexpected challenges that make it difficult to keep up with their obligations. However, regardless of the cause, it's crucial for those who are owed money to establish clear expectations and boundaries with problem payers to protect their financial health and stability.

Here are a few strategies to help you handle these situations and ensure that your business receives timely payments (and keeps athletes in your program).

Establish clear payment policies

The first step in dealing with problem payers is to establish clear payment policies that outline when tuition is due, acceptable payment methods, and consequences for late or missed payments. These policies should be communicated to athletes' families at the beginning of the season and regularly reiterated throughout the year. Consider having the families sign a financial requirement agreement at the beginning of the season so they understand the upcoming season fees well.

Communicate early and often

Early communication is critical to preventing payment problems from escalating. If a payment is missed, contact the family immediately to inquire about the payment status and offer support or resources to help them catch up. Regular communication, whether by phone, email, or in-person meetings, can help build a positive relationship and prevent misunderstandings. SportsEngine Motion offers multiple tools to assist you with overdue accounts, like bulk emailing and financial reporting.

Offer flexible payment plans

Offering flexible payment options can help families of athletes who have fallen under financial hardship. Offering payment plans, financial aid, or work-study programs to assist athletes are fantastic options that will help keep kids active in your program and take some stress away from the family in need.

See how SportsEngine Motion can help you level up your business >

Require autopay

Did you know only 53% of small businesses require AutoPay for a reoccurring fee? There is a reason why large companies require it; it works to grow your organization and keep the cash flowing in. Using SportsEngine Motion's tools to require autopay takes the time and stress out of chasing down payments. SportsEngine Motion's billing settings and communication tools to make sure every account gets set up correctly.

Enforce consequences for late or missed payments

While it's essential to be empathetic and understand athletes' financial situations, it's also important to be firm and enforce consequences for late or missed payments. This may include late fees, not allowing the athlete to practice, or even legal action if necessary. By enforcing consequences, you send a clear message that timely payment is a priority for your institution.

Keep accurate records

Keeping accurate records of payments and communication with athletes' families can help you stay organized and track the status of outstanding payments. SportsEngine Motion's Billing Manager can provide you, and your athletes' families, with an accurate picture of their Invoices and Payments with your organization. Plus, as a bonus, you can find all these tools in the mobile app.

Consider ending the business relationship

If the customer continues to be a problem, consider ending the business relationship. This should be used as a last resort after all other options have been exhausted.

Overall, dealing with problem-paying customers requires patience, communication, and a willingness to find a solution that works for both parties. By implementing these strategies, you can ensure that your youth sports organization receives timely payments and maintain a positive relationship with the athletes and their families.

About Kristin Weingarden

Account Manager at SportsEngine

Connect with Kristin Weingarden

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5 Tips for Running Your New Sports Business

by Kristin Weingarden

Account Manager at SportsEngine

November 3, 2023 | 2 minutes, 54 seconds read

Congratulations, you are opening a business that will impact many youth athletes! While you are no stranger to hard work and dedication, opening a gym, studio, or club can feel daunting. If you are asking yourself, where do I even start? Here at SportsEngine Motion, we have 5 tips to help you when starting out.

Develop a strong brand identity

Your brand identity is what sets you apart from your competitors. It's the way your customers perceive you and your organization. Take the time to develop a strong brand identity that aligns with your personal and professional values and resonates with your target audience. This could include creating a logo, choosing a color scheme, and developing a unique voice and tone for your marketing materials.

Learn how to create an engaging brand for your business >

Build a strong online presence

In today's digital age, an online presence is crucial for any business. This includes having a website that is easy to navigate, mobile-friendly, and optimized for search engines. You should also consider social media platforms to reach out to your audience and engage with them regularly.

Develop a solid financial plan

Starting a business requires a lot of capital, and it's essential to have a solid financial plan in place to ensure that you can cover your expenses and make a profit. This plan could include creating a budget, forecasting your revenue and costs, and developing a plan for financing your business.

Learn how SportsEngine Motion's financial tools can help you maximize revenue >

Surround yourself with the right team

As the saying goes, "Teamwork makes the dream work." When starting a business from scratch, it's important to surround yourself with the right team members who share your vision and are committed to your success. Hiring employees, contractors, or consultants with the right skills and experience to help you achieve your goals will be crucial in the early stages of your business.

Continuously learn and adapt

Finally, running your youth sports organization is a learning process, and it's important to be open to feedback and willing to adapt as needed. You should continuously evaluate your business's performance, listen to customer feedback, and make changes to ensure that you meet your customers' needs and stay ahead of the competition.

At SportsEngine Motion, we are here to help you through this challenging but rewarding experience. By focusing on developing a strong brand identity, building a strong online presence, developing a solid financial plan, surrounding yourself with the right team, and continuously learning and adapting, you can set yourself up for success and achieve your business goals.

Learn how SportsEngine Motion can help you tackle your business goals >

About Kristin Weingarden

Account Manager at SportsEngine

Connect with Kristin Weingarden

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SWIMMING ORGANIZATION MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

Make a splash with cutting-edge tech

Upgrade your aquatics center or swim team with our all-in-one technology platform. Say goodbye to paper forms and hello to increased efficiency with time-tested features like online registration, class management, and real-time communication—all from one dashboard and mobile app.

Create swim meet schedules
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TECHNOLOGY FOR EVERY SWIM PROGRAM

Maximize participation. Improve experiences.

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Take your swim club to the next level with SportsEngine Motion

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Grow your program with software built for swim schools

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Essential features for unstoppable growth

Automated billing

Handle payments for lessons, team membership, or meet fees without breaking a sweat.

Performance tracking

Track and log swim times, skill progression, and more. Keep families up to date on their swimmer's progress.

Self-service Check-in

Save administrative time by allowing swimmers to check in for their swim slots via a tablet.

Attendance monitoring

Easily view and log attendance for both swim teams and classes directly from the mobile app.

Seamless communications

Send limitless text messages, emails, and push notifications to your team or swim class with ease.

Event & Meet management

Simplify event management. Create waivers, collect fees, and access reports from your dashboard or mobile app.

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What our customers have to say

SportsEngine Motion puts everything in one place. We had job signups, volunteer tracking, meet declarations, with a single click, and I can email an entire roster group all at once."

Northglenn Fusion Swim Club

Setting up the billing was a little trickier for us, but our customer success representative has been there for us from the get-go and has really made the entire transition to SportsEngine Motion run very smoothly."

Mei's Typhoons Swim Club

“Before SportsEngine Motion, I would get bombarded with emails when I opened registration. Our families need to register multiple kids for multiple classes, and now they can do that with no problems. It’s been life-changing and has saved me HOURS of work.”"

Sides Sisters Swim School

There’s a lot of different things that go into running a swim team whether it’s membership or billing. SportsEngine Motion handles all these things for us in one place."

Pleasanton Seahawks Swim Team

Before SportsEngine Motion our billing was chaotic. With it our monthly income went up drastically and we were able to collect payments in a more timely manner."

Santa Maria Swim Club

Using SportsEngine Motion for our Swim-A-Thon helped us surpass our goal and every expectation we had! We have not had to run fundraisers previous to this year, so this is a first for us. We are thrilled with the results and the Swim-A-Thon will be our cornerstone fundraiser every year."

Peoria Area Water Wizards

The billing system with payment processing continued to be a tremendous time saver for us and has continued to scale with us. Now I only spend about 1 hour per month on billing."

Rockingham Area Youth Swim Team

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Manage poolside or on the go

Don't be tied to a desk. Use our mobile app to:

Send updates
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Generate invoices
Share pictures and videos

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Fill out this form and one of our experts will show you how SportsEngine Motion can take your organization to the next level.

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Unlock New Revenue Streams Using Bookings for Your Business

by Simon MacKenzie

Sr. Manager, Product Marketing at SportsEngine

November 1, 2023 | 3 minutes, 32 seconds read

In today's ever-evolving business landscape, class-based and studio organizations are continually challenged to go beyond their core curriculum of classes or group instruction. Staying relevant, meeting the demands of clients, and sustaining growth have become paramount objectives. The pressure to innovate, expand, and avoid plateauing is more significant than ever.

Thankfully, your management tools have evolved and are available to meet these industry demands. With SportsEngine Motion’s cutting-edge Bookings and Reservations solution, you'll discover a versatile resource that can supercharge your revenue potential, enhance convenience, and deliver exceptional experiences to your members.

So, how can Bookings & Reservations empower your organization?

Add an impactful revenue stream

Who said your business can only thrive during class hours? With our Bookings feature, you can open new revenue streams by offering private lessons, birthday parties, renting existing resources, and special events. Imagine the possibilities and opportunities of your studio becoming a sought-after venue for celebrations and gatherings!

Maximize your space, staff, and time

Running a studio means managing every inch of your space efficiently. With customizable booking slots, you can optimize your studio's usage by making it available for private events or renting it out during off-hours. Plus, you'll be able to make the most of your talented staff by offering tailored private lessons and specialized sessions.

Enhance your members' experience

Your members are at the heart of your business and giving them an exceptional experience is critical to retaining their loyalty. Bookings & Reservations allows members to conveniently reserve space in their favorite areas of your venue, time with otherwise expensive equipment for them to purchase outright, or book private lessons with their preferred instructors. This level of personalization creates a stronger connection between your business and its customers.

How exactly could you use Bookings and Reservations? Consider these scenarios:

Birthday parties: Turn your studio into the coolest party venue in town! Parents can reserve the space for their child's special day, complete with a customized class and celebration.
Reserving unused space for private events: Why let your studio sit idle during non-class hours? Let businesses or individuals book your space for workshops, meetings, or other events.
Reserving resources or renting equipment: Got specialized equipment? Members can book resources like mats, props, training gear, or even entire rooms to use during classes.
Private lessons: Cater to individual needs by offering private lessons that you can book online, maximizing the time and expertise of your roster of instructors.

Getting started with Bookings

The future of your studio or class-based business is brighter than ever with SportsEngine Motion’s Bookings and Reservations feature. Our team of experts is here to guide you through the process, ensuring that you make the most of this dynamic tool. Say goodbye to traditional scheduling and hello to a world of possibilities!

Ready to get started? Chat with our Bookings experts today >

Curious to witness Bookings in action? Dive into our latest webinar recap to gain a comprehensive understanding of how Bookings can work and visualize its potential for your organization.

In a world where convenience and personalization reign, your business deserves nothing less than the best. Embrace the power of bookings and reservations today and watch your studio shine like never before. Let's take your business to new heights – one booking at a time!

About Simon MacKenzie

Sr. Manager, Product Marketing at SportsEngine

Simon MacKenzie is a Sr. Manager, Product Marketing at NBC Sport Next. His work is focused on keeping the customer's voice at the center of the evolving SportsEngine platform and is also the co-host of the For the Love of Sport podcast, celebrating the stories and people who make youth sports happen.

Simon is a lifelong athlete in many different sports (from swimming, golf, and basketball to playing collegiate soccer, tennis, and lacrosse). You can find him cheering on the Minnesota Vikings, playing with his dogs, or absent-mindedly practicing his golf swing when not in the office.

Connect with Simon MacKenzie

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sportsengine motion for swim clubs and schools

Made for swimming

Power your swim club or school, in and out of the pool, all with SportsEngine Motion. Join more than 5,000 swimming organizations who trust us to enhance their events and operations.

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SwimOffice

$95/month, billed annually

And a one-time $295 setup fee

SwimOffice is the perfect package for clubs just getting started and needing help with the basics.

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INCLUDES

Member management

Website management

Financial tools

Events and meets

Club communication

Class management

BEST VALUE

SwimOffice Pro

$125/month, billed annually

And a one-time $295 setup fee

SwimOffice Pro is the package for clubs who are looking for full features to run their organization and grow their membership

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INCLUDES

Member management

Website management

Financial tools

Events and meets

Club communication

Class management

Coaching toolkit

Unlimited video sharing

Communication Hub

Social Feed

SportsEngine Motion TESTIMONIALS

What our customers have to say

SportsEngine Motion puts everything in one place. We had job signups, volunteer tracking, meet declarations, with a single click, and I can email an entire roster group all at once."

Northglenn Fusion Swim Club

Setting up the billing was a little trickier for us, but our customer success representative has been there for us from the get-go and has really made the entire transition to SportsEngine Motion run very smoothly."

Mei's Typhoons Swim Club

“Before SportsEngine Motion, I would get bombarded with emails when I opened registration. Our families need to register multiple kids for multiple classes, and now they can do that with no problems. It’s been life-changing and has saved me HOURS of work.”"

Sides Sisters Swim School

There’s a lot of different things that go into running a swim team whether it’s membership or billing. SportsEngine Motion handles all these things for us in one place."

Pleasanton Seahawks Swim Team

Before SportsEngine Motion our billing was chaotic. With it our monthly income went up drastically and we were able to collect payments in a more timely manner."

Santa Maria Swim Club

Using SportsEngine Motion for our Swim-A-Thon helped us surpass our goal and every expectation we had! We have not had to run fundraisers previous to this year, so this is a first for us. We are thrilled with the results and the Swim-A-Thon will be our cornerstone fundraiser every year."

Peoria Area Water Wizards

The billing system with payment processing continued to be a tremendous time saver for us and has continued to scale with us. Now I only spend about 1 hour per month on billing."

Rockingham Area Youth Swim Team

SPORTSENGINE MOTION

Have questions? Let's talk.

Every organization is assigned a dedicated onboarding coach who will have you up and running on SportsEngine Motion in as few as three days.

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