Club Profile
We recently caught up with Leanne Downes, who has managed administration and player registration for Aisling Annacotty AFC for over five years. During that time, she oversaw the club’s growth from around 800 members to more than 1,100 registered players, making it one of Munster’s largest grassroots clubs.
With multiple underage teams and a busy academy, keeping track of registrations, payments, and communications was a constant challenge, until the club adopted Clubforce Connect, which has become the central hub for compliance, messaging, and club administration.
Achieving 100% Registration and Payments Compliance
Before adopting Clubforce Connect, achieving full player registration was “basically impossible.” Unmanaged WhatsApp groups, walk-ups at sessions, and manual tracking created gaps that were difficult to close.
The impact of Connect:
- 100% player registration: For the first time in the club’s history, every player is fully registered, a milestone maintained for two consecutive seasons.
- Payments made simple: Club administrators can instantly see who has paid, who is in arrears, and ensure that only fully registered players are included in team communications.
- Compliance as a communication lever: By linking registration and messaging, Connect turns club communications into a powerful tool for compliance, reducing administrative workload and minimising errors.
Replacing WhatsApp with a Single, Safe Club Channel
Aisling Annacotty AFC deliberately moved all underage teams (U6–U18) off WhatsApp and onto Connect.
Key benefits:
- Controlled access: Children and parents join team groups only after registration, closing the loop between membership, payment, and communication.
- GDPR-compliant: Phone numbers and personal details are visible only to administrators, protecting privacy and giving parents and coaches peace of mind.
- Eliminates informal channels: No more scattered group chats – Connect is the official, secure communication hub.
“Connect is tailored specifically for sports- unlike WhatsApp.” – Leanne
Managing Large Age Groups and Weekly Logistics
With some academy groups exceeding 60-80 players, managing team logistics was a major challenge.
Connect’s features transformed this process:
- Events & polls: Coaches can quickly gauge availability for matches and split players into teams efficiently.
- Central hub for updates: Training times, fixtures, and club news are all shared in one place, ensuring no member misses key information.
A Partnership with Clubforce
Leanne, the club administrator, highlights responsive support and continuous platform improvements from Clubforce:
- Enhanced group features (images in groups, auto-follow for club members)
- Simplified event setup
- Rapid implementation of user feedback
The combination of Clubforce and Connect has been a key driver for member growth and full compliance, demonstrating the value of an integrated club management platform.
Change Leadership: Driving Adoption Internally
Successful adoption required strong leadership:
- Championing the change: Leanne positioned Connect as the club standard, guiding coaches through initial resistance.
- Aligning the committee: Clear benefits for compliance and future club infrastructure secured full buy-in from all.
Leanne’s advice to other clubs:
“Connect can deliver 100% registration and unify all informal channels into one streamlined, club-controlled system- all it takes is a little patience and a strong champion to drive early adoption“
Conclusion
Aisling Annacotty AFC’s journey demonstrates that Clubforce Connect is more than a messaging app. By unifying membership, fundraising, and communication in one secure platform, clubs can streamline operations, protect privacy, and focus on developing players and strengthening the club community.
Get in touch
Interested in transforming your club’s communication with Connect? Get in touch today to get your club set up and ready for success.
