With the structure of the app in place and the first prototype running smoothly, it was time to bring one of the most important parts of ClubAssemble to life — Team Management.
For most clubs, teams are at the heart of everything: they’re where friendships are made, where the competitive spirit thrives, and where the real admin workload lives. Managing fixtures, tracking availability, and keeping everyone informed is where a club’s digital system really earns its keep.
Designing the Structure
We began by defining a simple but powerful relationship model:
- A Club can have multiple Teams
- Each Team can have multiple Fixtures
- Each Fixture can collect Player Responses (available, not available, maybe)
- Once a fixture has taken place, it can also store Post-Match Information — including the result, player of the match, and a match report
This structure needed to be flexible enough to work for any sport or club, regardless of size or competition level. A small junior cricket club should benefit just as much as a large multi-sport organisation.
Generic but Adaptable
To achieve that, we built a team definition capability that allows each club to configure its teams according to their specific rules.
For each team, administrators can define:
- Minimum and maximum squad sizes — to suit different formats (from 5-a-side to full 15-player squads)
- Gender restrictions — such as female-only or mixed teams
- Age limits — using a simple rule like “born after [date]” to enforce junior or youth categories
This flexibility meant that ClubAssemble could serve as a platform for all kinds of sporting organisations, while still enforcing the practical rules that matter to each one.
Expanding the Role-Based Access Model (RBAC)
As functionality grew, so too did our role model. It was important to maintain clear, secure permissions — giving people the access they needed without overexposing sensitive areas of the app.
Two new roles were introduced to reflect how real clubs operate:
- Fixture Admin — A club-level role with permission to manage all fixtures across every team in the organisation. Perfect for fixture secretaries or administrators who oversee scheduling.
- Team Captain — A team-specific role that allows a captain to manage only their team’s fixtures and select the lineup for each match.
This refined the permission model and mirrored real-world club hierarchies while keeping the system intuitive for users.
Focusing on Workflow and Engagement
With the data model and permissions in place, the next challenge was creating a smooth and engaging user experience. Members needed to see fixtures that actually mattered to them — not an overwhelming calendar full of irrelevant matches.
We implemented filters so that users only see fixtures for the teams they belong to. Each fixture clearly indicates whether a player has responded, using simple visual cues:
- Green highlight – Available
- Red highlight– Unavailable
- Grey highlight – Awaiting response
This design kept the interface friendly and functional, while gently nudging members to confirm availability. The result was a clean, informative experience that reduced confusion and improved team organisation.
Post-Match Features
Another layer came after matches concluded: adding post-match details such as results, player of the match, and short match reports. This wasn’t just about data — it was about storytelling. Clubs could celebrate achievements, share highlights, and build a sense of continuity and community within the app.
The Result
By the end of this development phase, Team Management had evolved from a simple concept into one of ClubAssemble’s core strengths. It provided a structured, flexible system for defining, managing, and celebrating teams — all while keeping members connected and informed.
It was the first true glimpse of how ClubAssemble could reduce the admin load while strengthening the human side of club life: participation, recognition, and belonging.