In a recent blog for sports administrators, Outside the Lines, News and Information for Sports Adminstrators, noted the following 10 tips for implementing an online sports registration system.  One key piece of information they neglected however was to simply ask for a company who has experience in online sports registration.  Ask who is handling the major tournaments in the area.  Ask who is handling the league, club, and camp management.  In short if you find those with experience, you'll find that many of your questions have been answered.

Here are the 10 tips:

1.  Run a test registration (in other words, make sure it works!)

2.  Check and double check your sessions, age groups, entry fees, registrations fees for accuracy.  Enough said.

3.  If you have custom questions, unique to your tournament, club or league, make sure those questions are clear.  Make sure you have all the possible drop downs.

4.  Make sure your custom questions are necessary.  Less is more.

5.  If you allow paper mail in (which we at HTG Sports don't recommend), make sure the correct mailing address is listed.  Make sure you've told people who to make the check payable to--this is one that is often overlooked.

6.  Have a clear refund policy.  You don't want to haggle with anyone.

7.  Add key administrators to the account.  Choose wisely here.

8.  Each program should have a popluated consent page and some post purchase options.  Post purchase represents the value add.

9.  Have an officer review and electronically sign the agreement.

10.  Ask for periodic audits of your account.

--William F. High is a freelance writer.