Recommended Channel Setup for Athletic Departments

Organizing channels helps athletic departments stay efficient, reduce miscommunication, and ensure the right people see the right updates. Below is a suggested starter pack for departments.

 


1. Department-Wide Channels

dept-announcements
Who: All coaches, AD, compliance, trainers, staff

      • Official announcements (deadlines, policies, weather closures).

dept-operations
Who: All staff

      • Daily logistics (bus delays, gym conflicts, uniform drops).

dept-compliance
Who: ADs, compliance, head coaches

      • Eligibility reminders, document requests, NAIA/NCAA updates.


2. Facility Update Channels

Helpful Tip: Use facility channels to keep everyone in sync with quick updates — like weather changes that move practice, notes when a space is blocked for a campus event, or operating updates about a facility. For requesting event space, it’s faster and easier to use the WinWon Calendar event request process.

facility-main-gym
Who: Basketball, Volleyball, Cheer, Facilities Ops

      • Updates → Last-minute changes, special event coordination, setup/tear-down reminders.

      • Coordination → Preseason discussions as coaches set up recurring practice times.

facility-weightroom
Who:  Strength coaches, coaches of each sport

      • Equipment status → Letting staff know if something new is available.

      • Space availability → Flagging when the room is closed for cleaning, maintenance, or special use.

      • Coordination → Sharing context like “football wrapping early, women’s soccer can move in 15 minutes sooner.”

      • Schedule updates → Quick notes if a team lift shifts times, or if groups are swapping slots.

facility-turf-field
Who: Football, Soccer, Track, Facilities Ops

      • Updates → Weather relocations, game-day setup notes, practice overflows.

      • Coordination → Preseason discussions as coaches set up recurring practice times.

facility-athletic-training
Who: Athletic trainers, AT staff, coaches

      • Treatment availability → Updates if trainers add extra hours or open additional slots for athletes.

      • Schedule changes → Notices when treatment hours are adjusted (early closure, extended hours, holiday changes).

      • Capacity updates → Quick heads-up if the training room is at capacity or able to take walk-ins.

      • Resource updates → Notes on new rehab equipment, taping stations, or supplies available.

      • Reminders → Seasonal check-ins like physicals, concussion baseline testing, or clearance deadlines.


3. Sport-Specific Channels

(Recommend starting with one “staff” channel per team, and expand to recruiting/ops as needed.)

      • sport-football-staff

      • sport-mens-basketball-staff

      • sport-womens-basketball-staff

      • sport-baseball-staff

      • sport-softball-staff

      • sport-volleyball-staff

      • sport-mens-soccer-staff

      • sport-womens-soccer-staff

      • sport-track-staff

      • sport-crosscountry-staff

      • sport-golf-staff

      • sport-tennis-staff

(Expand if needed: swimming, wrestling, lacrosse, etc.)

👉 Each channel should include the head coach, assistants, GAs, the AT assigned to that sport, and sport-specific ops staff.


4. Functional Role Channels

ops-facilities
Who: Facilities coordinator, ops staff, AD

      • Shared space conflicts, gym rentals, turf/lights scheduling.

ops-sports-medicine
Who: Trainers, strength staff, coaches

      • Injury updates, treatment schedules, clearance notices. Reminders for medical eligibility. 

ops-sports-info
Who: SIDs, media staff, coaches

      • Stats uploads, media day coordination, press releases.

ops-recruiting
Who: Recruiting across all sports 

      • Best practices, any compliance updates, recruiting messages or ideas that work well.

ops-admin-support
Who: Admins, AD, coaches

      • Budget, reimbursements, HR, paperwork.


5. Special Event Channels

event-game-day
Who: Game ops staff, facilities, trainers, SIDs

      • Live coordination during home events.

event-media-day
Who: SIDs, marketing, coaches

      • Planning media shoots, headshots, hype content.

conf-callouts
Who: AD, compliance, commissioner reps, head coaches

      • League reminders, reporting deadlines, meeting prep.


📌 Quick Recommendations

    • Naming convention: Stick with dept-, sport-, ops-, and event- for clarity.

    • Onboarding new staff: Add them into department + functional channels. Sport-specific is opt-in by role, managed by the coaching staff.

    • Pin and share policies: Travel handbooks, recruiting calendars, and facility protocols should be posted in relevant channels.