Sports Club Website FAQs

Club Member Logins and Accounts

How do members log in?

Each member has their own account with an email address and password. On a bespoke club management system, that login gets them to their profile, their session bookings, their subs status, the fixtures, and anything else the committee has chosen to make available to members. On a simpler subscription site we can also lock specific pages (like a members' area or a documents library) behind a single shared login if you'd rather keep it simple.

Can parents manage junior accounts?

Yes. For junior sections this matters - a parent has their own login and can see and manage their child's account, including consent forms, emergency contacts, and event sign-ups. Built into the OTRC system from day one and easy to add to other club builds.

What about coaches and committee members?

Role-based access. Admins see everything. Coaches see their squad. Treasurers see the money. Members see their own stuff. The committee decides who sees what.

What if someone forgets their password?

Standard "forgot password" flow - they get a reset link by email. You won't be fielding password resets on a Sunday evening.

Club Subs, Entries and Payments

Can we take subs online?

Yes. Card payments, direct debit via GoCardless, or both - depending on what the club prefers. Members renew through their account, the system records the payment, the treasurer gets a tidy report at the end of the month. No more chasing.

Can we take race or event entries online?

Yes. Open events, head races, regattas, club championships, social nights, training courses - any event with a sign-up, a list of entrants, and (optionally) a fee. Entry forms, payment, automatic confirmation emails, an entries list the organisers can export. The system handles late entries and refunds too.

Where does the money go?

Straight into the club's bank account, via the club's own Stripe or GoCardless account. I don't touch your money. You set up the merchant account, the system links to it, you keep full control of payouts.

What about Gift Aid?

If your club is a CASC (Community Amateur Sports Club) or registered charity, Gift Aid declarations can be captured at sign-up or at any payment point. The system stores the declaration and produces an export ready for your annual HMRC claim. Saves the treasurer a lot of typing.

Are there transaction fees?

The payment processor (Stripe, GoCardless) takes their standard fee - typically 1.4% + 20p for cards in the UK, lower for direct debit. I don't add anything on top. The subscription fee covers the system itself.

Member Data and GDPR

How do you handle GDPR for member data?

The club is the data controller, Nene IT is the data processor. Standard stuff. I provide a data processing agreement, hosting is in the UK, member data isn't shared with anyone else, and members can request their data or deletion through the system.

Where is member data stored?

UK servers, encrypted at rest, daily backups. No data leaves the UK.

What about photo and video consent?

Built in. Each member (or parent for juniors) records their own consent preferences when they join, and the system surfaces those preferences to anyone managing photos or the social account. Saves having "do not photograph" sticky notes on the noticeboard.

What happens to a member's data when they leave?

The club decides the retention policy - common pattern is to anonymise after a defined period rather than hard-delete, so historical results and crew lists still make sense. Members can also request immediate deletion in line with GDPR.

Running a Sports Club Website

Can volunteers update fixtures without breaking the site?

Yes - that's actually the whole design brief. Adding a fixture, posting news, uploading a photo, updating a results table, swapping out a sponsor logo - all from a simple admin area that doesn't look like a developer's tool. Two committee members get walked through it before launch, written notes follow, and I'm on the end of WhatsApp if anyone gets stuck.

What happens when the committee changes?

The new chair, treasurer and secretary get their own logins, the old ones are switched off, and I'll happily run a short call to show new people round. The club's domain, data and accounts all stay with the club - nothing's tied to an individual volunteer.

What if Jason gets hit by a bus or wins the lottery?

Fair question and one a few committees have asked. Source code is escrowed, the site can be moved to another developer if you ever need to, and all hosting is on standard providers (not anything proprietary I've cooked up). You're never locked in.

Is there a member-facing mobile app?

For bespoke club systems, yes - native iOS and Android apps sit on top of the system so members get a proper app icon on their phone and push notifications for sessions, fixtures and announcements. More on the mobile apps.

What's the response time when something breaks?

Day-to-day questions and updates: within one working day. Site down or members can't log in: as fast as I can get on it, usually inside a couple of hours during working hours. Out of hours, WhatsApp is the quickest route.

Switching Your Club Website

Can we keep our existing domain?

Yes. The domain stays in the club's name. I'll point it at the new site for you - it's a 24-hour DNS change, no email disruption, no loss of search rankings if it's handled properly.

We're stuck with another provider on a long contract - what now?

Happens more than you'd think. I'll build your new site in parallel, ready to go live the day your current contract ends. We can also run both for a short overlap so there's no gap. Realistic about it - sometimes the answer is "see this one out, switch in November".

Can you migrate our content?

Almost always, yes - news posts, member records, photos, fixtures history. The harder one is when your current provider locks data behind an export they don't actually offer; in that case I'll tell you upfront what's recoverable and what we'd have to rebuild.

Do you switch us across mid-season?

Only if you really want me to. Generally I'd rather plan a launch around the off-season or a quiet period in your fixture list - less stressful for the committee, less risk of breaking something on race week. We'll talk through the timing.

Sports Club Pricing and Working Together

Do you do clubs outside the Nene Valley?

Yes. I'm based in Northamptonshire but I work with clubs all over the UK. Almost all of the work is remote anyway - email, video, WhatsApp - and the occasional in-person committee meeting if you're within reasonable driving distance.

What kinds of clubs do you work with?

Rowing, sailing, cricket, rugby, tennis, golf, bowls, hockey, netball, athletics, football, cycling - any sport with members, subs, fixtures or events. Also non-sports member organisations: scout groups, rotary clubs, women's institutes, choirs, music societies, history societies, allotment associations, and small charities. If a committee runs it, I can probably help.

What if our club is tiny?

Subscription websites from £30/month exist exactly for that. Small clubs deserve a proper online presence too, and a tidy site with a contact form, news and a fixtures page is genuinely affordable at that price.

How do we get started?

Send a message via the contact form. I'll come back inside a working day with some questions, we'll talk through what your club actually needs, and you'll get a clear written quote before anything starts. No pressure, no obligation.