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Prep calls

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by NobodyLovesRaymond, Jan 24, 2015.

  1. Batman

    Batman Well-Known Member

    This what we do. A few still call, and some have parents that e-mail the scorebook picture, but I'll send out the mass text on game day and it's worked much better than anything we've ever done. It's easy, the response rate has been a lot better (really the most important thing), I can engage them a little bit if some more detail is needed, and if it's the head coach texting in I can even snag a quote or two.
    The text-in has been a godsend.
     
    ChipSouza likes this.
  2. Madison Sports

    Madison Sports New Member

    Take a look at JotForm · Form Builder We used it this year for coach preview questionnaires, and will add forms for live results starting next school year. It's free for limited use, or $10 a month for plenty of usage. They also have a sale around New Year's -- $45 for the year.

    Here's a prototype basketball box form. Hopefully next year it will automatically insert the rosters when teams are chosen.
    Form

    Here's the season preview form for boys basketball. It was well received.
    Form

    Note that the forms allow coaches to cut-and-paste from a word document or upload a file (PDF, photo, whatever).
     
  3. Kolchak

    Kolchak Active Member

    We have a few coaches who like to fax or photograph their illegible game books. I'm sure that's fun for the prep department.
     
  4. Bud_Bundy

    Bud_Bundy Well-Known Member

    We have coaches and scorekeepers who send in photos of scorebooks, which is fine if they can be read. We had a coach complain one morning that his team's box score wasn't in the paper, so we sent him the blurry photos that we received the night before from his scorekeeper. Cured that quickly. We have another guy, from a tiny private school, who knows our style for box scores and always e-mails his team's box in using our style.
     
  5. Tarheel316

    Tarheel316 Well-Known Member

    We have one school who has a guy keeping stats and a spotter. They produce a college-style full box score for every game. Doesn't get any better than that.
     
  6. Sports Guy

    Sports Guy Member

    Having a coach email a box score and some quotes has worked well.
     
  7. HanSenSE

    HanSenSE Well-Known Member

    Boys team from our two smallest schools call things in, still. Everyone else (well, the ones that do turn in results) emails in a box or uploads stat sheets from Iscore or a similar program.
     
  8. SFIND

    SFIND Well-Known Member

    We get a mix. I much prefer email. It's quicker. Too many coaches/scorekeepers want to rehash all aspects of the game when they call in. For 90 percent of the games (games where it doesn't go down to the wire), that's not necessary. Email keeps everyone on point.
     
  9. MNgremlin

    MNgremlin Active Member

    What kind of deadline do you give coaches to submit their stats in relation to when pages must be sent?
     
  10. NoOneLikesUs

    NoOneLikesUs Active Member

    I've been getting quite a few coaches who have been e-mailing an image of the book. Most of the time it works out just fine, but then sometimes those taking the picture know nothing about how photography works and well you're stuck with an out of focus image with shadows all over the place. Some schools have a copier/pdf interface where they copy the book and it comes over in a crisp and clear pdf file (gold standard in my opinion).

    The ipad stat programs are universally a disaster and I end up having to call when those pieces of trash are sent in more times than not. I like calls if the person on the other end is coming from a landline and knows what is needed. Faxes work if you have good toner and everything is written or printed in a clear manner. A lot of times that just does not happen.

    I always tell coaches/stat reporters to get their stuff in right after the game is finished or shortly thereafter. If you give them a specific deadline, they will abuse it. Nothing pisses me off more than getting a call on a game at 10 p.m. when that game was finished late in the afternoon.
     
  11. HanSenSE

    HanSenSE Well-Known Member

    Generally, I say 20-30 minutes before we have to send copy to the design center, so we can process and format it, but if one of my "regulars" sends it or calls it in a little late, I'll push it a bit.
     
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