Coaches

Step 1 of 24 Get the app and set up

Get the Royals app

On Android, open Google Play, search Essendon Royals SC and tap Install. On an iPhone, open Safari (not Chrome) and go to app.essendonroyals.com.au. Tap Share, then Add to Home Screen, then Add, and open Royals from your Home Screen.

What you'll see: the Essendon Royals SC app in Google Play, with the club crest.

The App Store version is on its way. When it arrives there is nothing to redo: your account carries across. Notifications on an iPhone only work when the app was added from Safari and opened from the Home Screen icon.

Step 2 of 24 Get the app and set up

Sign in with the email the club invited

The club adds you to your team by email. Open the app, go to Sign in, enter that email and tap the button to get a code.

What you'll see: the sign-in screen with your email filled in.

Use the same email the club has for you, or the app will not find your team.

Step 3 of 24 Get the app and set up

Type the 6-digit code

Tap the link in your email, or type the 6-digit code from it and tap Sign in with code.

What you'll see: "Check your email" and a box for the code.

Step 4 of 24 Get the app and set up

Start the setup

Open the setup link from your invite email, or the menu, then your team. The setup takes about 90 seconds. Tap Let's go.

What you'll see: a checklist: training, fixtures, roster and an optional team manager.

Coached this team last season? You will also see a Who is back? step listing last season's families or players to re-invite in one tap. The team in these pictures was new, so it is not shown here.

Step 5 of 24 Get the app and set up

Confirm your training nights

Check each session's day, start and finish time and venue. Remove anything wrong and tap Add session for anything missing. Then Continue.

What you'll see: one card per weekly session.

Step 6 of 24 Get the app and set up

Add families you know

Tap Add row and enter a name and email for each person you want to invite. On junior teams only parents and guardians can be added. Tap Continue when you're done, or Skip, add later if you'd rather share the team code.

What you'll see: the roster step with Parent as the only role on a junior team.

Only add people you know from your team. They get an email saying you added them, with a link to the club's privacy policy. Easier still: share the team code and let families join themselves.

Step 7 of 24 Get the app and set up

Invite a team manager (optional)

A team manager helps with comms and organising and has the same tools as you. Enter their name and email, or tap Skip.

What you'll see: the team manager step.

Step 8 of 24 Get the app and set up

Review and finish

Check the summary and tap Save + send invites.

What you'll see: how many sessions and invites you are about to save.

Step 9 of 24 Get the app and set up

Share your team link

Your team is set up. Copy the link or tap Share on WhatsApp to send it to your team group, then tap Open my team hub.

What you'll see: a green tick, what was saved, and the link to share. Your screen shows your team's name, and the link starts app.essendonroyals.com.au.

Step 10 of 24 Let your squad in

Find your team code

In your team hub tap Roster. Your team code is at the top. Families and adult players type it when they join.

What you'll see: the team code card, then coaches, team managers and families.

The full roster, with emails, is visible to coaches and team managers only.

Step 11 of 24 Let your squad in

Approve each family

Anyone who joins with the code waits for you. Tap the tick to approve them or the cross to decline.

What you'll see: your roster: each family shows their child label, such as "Parent of Sam K.", and anyone not yet in shows Pending.

Only approve people you know belong to your team.

Step 12 of 24 Let your squad in

Show the code on the team page (optional)

Switch on Show code on the team page if you want anyone who finds your team in the app to be able to ask to join. You still approve every request.

What you'll see: the switch turned on, with a note that you still approve every request.

Leave it off to keep joining to people you give the code to.

Step 13 of 24 Let your squad in

Junior teams and senior squads work differently

On junior teams, accounts are for parents and guardians only, so you will see Parents but never Players. Senior squads have Players instead, who join with their own account.

What you'll see: a senior squad's send options: Everyone, Players, Staff.

This is the club's child safety rule: junior players never get their own account.

Step 14 of 24 Talk to the team

Post a notice and ask for Got it

Tap Notices, then Post a notice. Write a title and the details. Tick Ask for a Got it to see who has read it. Send a notification to the team as well is on unless you untick it.

What you'll see: the notice form with the Got it and notification boxes.

Notices expire after 30 days. A notification sent with a notice counts towards your 5 a week.

Step 15 of 24 Talk to the team

See who has read it

Under the notice, tap the count to see who has tapped Got it and who is still to read it.

What you'll see: the count, such as "0 of 1 got it", opening to Got it and Still to read.

Step 16 of 24 Talk to the team

Send a quick notification

Tap Push to team. Choose who it goes to (Everyone, Parents or Staff on a junior team), write a heading and details, and tap Send push. Your team can send 5 a week, shared between all its coaches and team managers.

What you'll see: the send options and your message. The red line at the bottom only appears in our practice copy of the app. You will not see it.

Cancelling a session always notifies the team, even after you have used your 5 for the week.

Step 17 of 24 Sessions and attendance

Your weekly sessions

Tap Schedule to see your weekly training. The app sends families a reminder the day before, and everyone is counted as in unless they say otherwise.

What you'll see: each weekly session with its next date and "Everyone is in unless they say otherwise".

To change your weekly nights, run the team setup again.

Step 18 of 24 Sessions and attendance

Add a one-off event

Tap Add session. Enter a title, pick the type, date, time and venue. Choose Ask everyone to RSVP if you need an answer from each family, and tick Remind the team the day before for a reminder. Tap Save.

What you'll see: the event form with the two RSVP choices.

Step 19 of 24 Sessions and attendance

See who is coming

Tap Availability, then Squad on any session to see each person's answer and note.

What you'll see: each family's answer, such as Out, with their note.

Notes are for availability only. If a family puts medical details in a note, follow it up with them directly.

Step 20 of 24 Sessions and attendance

Nudge, then mark the register

If people have not answered, tap Nudge to remind just them (2 per session, not part of your weekly 5). On the day, tap Mark the register for this session.

What you'll see: the session's counts and the register button.

Step 21 of 24 Sessions and attendance

Tap names to mark who was there

Tap each name to switch between there and not there, then Save. It starts from what people answered, so it is usually a quick check.

What you'll see: the register with each person's name.

Season attendance on the Roster tab only counts sessions you have marked.

Step 22 of 24 Coaches' hub

Resources from the club

Open the menu and tap Coaches' hub. Resources has session plans, club policies, forms, match-day information and ground codes.

What you'll see: the resources list with a search box and categories.

Coaches' hub is for coaches, team managers and the football department only.

Step 23 of 24 Coaches' hub

The coach directory

Directory lists every coach and team manager with email and phone, plus the football department.

What you'll see: names grouped by team, with email and call buttons.

These details are for coaching business only. Please don't share them outside the club.

Step 24 of 24 Coaches' hub

Notices from the football department

From the TD shows notices meant for coaches and team managers, such as meeting times.

What you'll see: the latest staff notice.