Messages: direct messages, event threads, notifications... - 🖥️ 📱

SportEasy's messaging system is available on the mobile app (iOS and Android) as well as on the website. 

You can use the messaging system as soon as you are member of a team (or the parent of a member). 

This article explains how to make the most out of the messaging system: 

• Differences between the event thread and a normal message 
• How to send a message to the whole team (via the Messages tab)
• How to send a message on the event thread 
• Add/Delete members from a conversation 
• Share documents (PDF, Excel, videos, photos...)
• Manage your notification preferences 
• Delete/Edit a member's message
• Send a newsletter to all club members 

Differences between the event thread and a normal message 

You can send messages differently depending on the context: 

• Send a message in an event thread 
• Send a message as a normal conversation 

It's important that you understand the differences to make the most out of SportEasy's messaging features. 

Send a message in an event thread 

Every time an event is created by a coach (or an admin), an event thread is automatically created and associated to this event, regardless the type of event: pickup game, recreational, practice, championship game, non-sporting event... 

All team members (and their parents) can view the messages exchanged AND send messages in the thread, even if they have not been selected for the event. Even members who have a friend or occasional player role, can see and send messages. 

The thread is available from the associated event's page, as well as in the Messages tab of your team's main menu, both from the SportEasy mobile app and from the website. 

Warning: A thread who's event has passed and where there has not been a new message for 15 days, is automatically archived. The thread will only be accessible from the event page but will no longer be in the Messages tab. If another message is sent in this event thread, it will reappear in the Messages tab for another 15 days. 

Send a message as a normal conversation 

In order to send messages without linking them to an event, each member can decide to create a conversation from the Messages tab. They can add/or remove any other team member from the conversation. 

Messages are limited to 8000 characters; beyond that, you will need to cut the message into multiple parts and send them individually. 

A member who is not in the participants list will not see the conversation appear in their Messages tab and thus will not be able to view and/or send messages in the conversation. 

This conversation will therefore only be visible to participants invited to the conversation. They will be able to access the conversation from the mobile app and the website. 

Warning: A conversation in the Messages tab will never be deleted automatically. Only one of the creators can delete the conversation and thus, delete it from everyone's messages. 

How to send a message to the whole team (via the Messages tab)

Regardless of your role, whether you're a player, a coach, or even a player's parent, you can easily send a message to all or part of the members of your team, without linking it to a particular event. 

Here's how to send a message to your whole team: 

• from the website 
• from the mobile app 

Warning: A conversation in the Messages tab will never be deleted automatically. Only one of the creators can delete the conversation and thus, delete it from everyone's messages. 

From the website 

To send a message to all or some of your team's members from the website: 

• Go to the Messages tab 
• Click on the envelope to create a conversation 
• Select the recipients and enter the message subject 
• Write your message and send it to the team

From the mobile app 

To send a message to all or some of your team's members from the mobile app: 

• Go to the Messages tab 
• Click on Create 
• Select the recipients and add a thread title 
• Write your message and send it to the team 

How to send a message on the event thread 

Regardless your role, player, coach or player-coach, you can very easily send a public message in one of your team's event threads.  

Here's how to send a message in the event thread:

• from the website  💻
• from the mobile app 📱

Warning: A thread linked to an event that has passed and in which there has not been a new message for 15 days, will automatically be archived and will not longer appear in the Messages tab.  

However, you can still access the event thread from the event page. If a new message is sent, it will also reappear in the Messages tab. 

From the website  💻

To send a public message to all team members, concerning a specific event, you simply need to send it in the event thread. 

The event thread is available from the event page but also from the Messages tab, on the website and on the mobile app. 

From the mobile app 📱

To send a public message to all team members concerning an event, you can go to the event sheet and open the event thread. 

Open the chat. 

Add/Delete members from a conversation 

If you are the creator of a conversation, or if you have been name an administrator of the conversation, you can add or delete participants as you wish. 

Here's how to add/delete participants:

• from the website  💻
• from the mobile app 📱

Warning: This only applies to messages created in the messaging tab, NOT to event threads. 

It's impossible to add or delete members from an event thread as all team members will be able to access this thread, whether or not they were invited. The only way to block someone from a thread is by removing them from the team. 

From the website  💻

Go to the conversation thread you want to edit from the Messages tab in the main menu. 

• Click on the three dots to the right of the conversation name 
• Click on + Add recipients 

• To delete someone, click on the three dots next to their name and select Delete from conversation

From the mobile app 📱

Go to the conversation from Messages tab in the main menu.

• Click on the settings icon ⚙️ on the top right of the screen
• Select Add participants 
• To remove someone, click on the three dots next to their name and select Remove from the discussion 

Share documents (PDF, Excel, videos, photos...) 

With SportEasy, you can share all types of files via a conversation in the Messages tab in the main menu or an event thread. 

Here are some examples of files you can send: PDF, videos, photos, Excel... 

Warning: Avoid sharing overly large files, especially long videos or too many photos. You might need to cut the video shorter and send it separately. 

SportEasy allows you to occasionally share important files for your team (training programs, a video of the best goal, photos of your wins...) but if you want to stock thousands of files, we recomment you use a third-party storage service. 

Manage your notification preferences 

When a new message is added to a conversation you participate in, or to an event thread, you will receive a notification to inform you. 

This notification is categorized as "minor", unlike other types of notifications that are "major" (such as event invitations). 

You can choose to change your general notification preferences to receive more or fewer new message notifications. 

You can also decide to put a conversation or event thread in "Silent mode" to no longer be notified of new messages associated with it. 

You can also Leave a conversation, but you can't leave an event thread. 

To leave a conversation: 

• Click on the thread settings button 
• Select Mute or Leave the conversation 

 

Delete/Edit a member's message 

As a team member, you can edit or delete all messages YOU send in an event thread or in a conversation from the Messages tab. 

As a team coach (or club admin), you can edit and delete all messages anyone sends in an event thread or a conversation you are a participant of. 

To do so:

• Go above the message you want to edit or delete and a pencil and bin will appear
• Click on the corresponding icon 

Warning: It's impossible to disable the messaging features (conversations or event threads). If you want to moderate certain comments from members, you need to delete them one by one.

It may happen that a member continues to write intolerable messages despite your numerous deletions and warnings. A member who exhibits this kind of behaviour will write the same comments, no matter which messaging tool is used. 

We encourage you not to penalize the entire team by considering to stop using SportEasy's messaging system. This would only shift the problem elsewhere. 

However, in this case, a radical solution would be to remove the member from the team. this would directly penalize them in their sports practice, as they would no longer be able to organize their activities via SportEasy. Perhaps this will encourage them to change their behaviour.  

Send a newsletter to all club members 

If you are a club manager and you want to send an official message to all club members or to specific teams, you can do so if you have a SportEasy Club subscription. 

Find out how to send an official message here.