AYSO ↔ PlayMetrics Terminology Guide

What This Is PlayMetrics was built for competitive travel clubs, not recreational organizations like AYSO. Many concepts are the same — but the names are different, and the organizational hierarchy is structured differently. This guide maps AYSO and SportsConnect terminology against PlayMetrics equivalents, with notes on where the concepts don't map cleanly. This is a living document — contributions welcome.

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System-Level Concepts

AYSO / SportsConnect	PlayMetrics	Notes
SportsConnect (BlueSombrero)	Club System	The registration and operations platform your region uses day-to-day. Sometimes called "Club OS." The interface is blue.
Sports Affinity	Governing System	The national-level system for background checks, certifications, and member IDs. In PM, this is a separate interface you toggle into — same login, different account. The interface is purple. Import Staff → Governing System
AYSO National	Governing Body	The organization above all regions. Operates the Governing System and pushes requirements (waivers, NPF) down into your Club System via "embedded registration."
Region	Club	Your AYSO region = one PM club instance. Introduction to the Club System
Area / Section	No direct equivalent	PM's hierarchy is Governing Body → Club. AYSO's Area and Section layers don't have a structural representation, though regions can be grouped.
(no SC equivalent)	Embedded Registration	The connection between Club System and Governing System. AYSO National's requirements (waivers, NPF, birth certificate lookup) are automatically injected into your regional registration flow. You don't build these manually.

Organizational Hierarchy

The biggest source of confusion: SC and PM use some of the same words to mean different things, and the nesting order is different.

SportsConnect

OrganizationAYSO Region 58

↓

Programe.g., "2025 Fall Core"

↓

Divisione.g., "10UB - Boys Under 10"

↓

Teame.g., "10UB-01 Zamani"

PlayMetrics

ClubAYSO Region 58

↓

SeasonSets dates & age classifications

↓

ProgramThe registration container

↓

Package= AYSO Division

↓

TeamCreated in Team Assignments

⚠️ "Program" and "Season" mean different things In SC, the Program was the top-level container and Season was a label. In PM, Season is the top-level container and Program sits inside it. Create the Season first — it sets date ranges and age classifications that Programs and Leagues inherit.

AYSO / SportsConnect	PlayMetrics	Notes
Program	Program	Same word, shifted meaning. In PM, a Program lives inside a Season. It's the registration container where you build packages, questions, and pricing.
Season	Season	In PM, the top-level container. Sets the date range and age classifications that all Programs and Leagues underneath inherit.
Division	Package	The most commonly confused mapping. A PM "package" defines the age group, gender, price, and linked questions — what families select at registration. Confirmed in the PM webinar: "Program Package = AYSO Division."
League (Area play)	League	Similar concept but PM uses it more broadly. In-house games and interregional play would be separate Leagues within the same Season.
Team	Team	Same concept. Created within Team Assignments or within a League.
Membership Year (MY26)	Season	AYSO's MY runs Aug–Jul. Your PM Season would span this period, or you'd create separate Fall and Spring seasons.

Registration & Payment

AYSO / SportsConnect	PlayMetrics	Notes
Registration	Registration / Subscription	Signing up = "registration." The ongoing record (with payment tracking) = "subscription." Registering with PlayMetrics
Order	Receipt	SC called each registration an "order." PM uses "receipt" for the payment record.
Order Number	Subscription ID	The unique registration identifier.
Open Order / Pending	Overdue Subscription	PM tracks unpaid registrations as overdue subscriptions. The export has an "overdue only" filter.
Order Balance	Outstanding Balance	Amount still owed. Available in subscriptions export (column added Oct 2023).
Payment Plan	Payment Schedule	PM has a payment schedule builder that automates installment creation.
AutoPay	AutoPay	Same — automatic monthly charges to card on file. Same
Registration Fee	Program Fee / Package Fee	The price for a specific package.
National Player Fee (NPF)	Club Fee / National Membership	The $25 AYSO National fee. In PM, this comes down automatically through embedded registration — you don't build it manually.
Non-Resident Fee	Non-Resident Fee	Same concept. PM does not support a "resident discount" (the inverse). Same
Multi-Player Discount	Sibling / Multi-Player Discount	PM supports percentage or flat discounts for additional players on the same account.
Early Bird Discount	Early Bird Discount	Set start/end dates per package. Same
Late Fee	Late Fee	PM supports flat or percentage-based late fees. Same
Financial Aid / Scholarship	Financial Aid	PM has a built-in financial aid request and distribution workflow. AYSO sometimes says "scholarship" — PM calls it "financial aid."
Account (parent/guardian)	Player Contact / Account Owner	SC's "account" = PM's "player contact." The primary contact is the "account owner." Account Types & Roles
User Email	Contact Email	The parent's login email.
Additional User / Secondary Contact	Additional / Family Contact	SC had "Additional User" fields. In PM, you add contacts to the player's account — each gets their own login.
Waitlist	Waitlist	Same concept. Enabled per package. PM has built-in waitlist management with invitation emails, expiration dates, and extensions. Same
Accounting Codes	Accounting Codes	Set under Program → More Actions → Accounting Codes. PM added categories and required-code enforcement. Same

Players & Teams

AYSO / SportsConnect	PlayMetrics	Notes
Player	Player	Same. PM player profiles include team history, attendance, evaluations, and documents. Same
Birth Date	Birth Date	Same field. PM uses it with "age classifications" (birth year, age group, or grade) to determine package eligibility. Same
Birth Certificate Verification	Embedded BC Lookup	When a returning SC player registers in PM, the system looks them up in the Governing System. If verified in SC, the verification carries over. Ongoing verification stays with the region.
Division Assignment	Package Registration	When a player registers for a package, that's their division assignment.
Team Assignment / Allocation	Team Assignment	Same concept. Drag-and-drop interface in PM. Lives under the Program.
Unallocated	Unassigned	Players registered but not yet placed on a team.
Player Evaluation / Rating	Tryout Evaluation	In SC, evaluations were a field on the player record. In PM, evaluations run through a dedicated Tryout feature with sessions, check-in, and evaluator scoring (max 10). Tryout Evaluations
Jersey Number	Jersey Number	Set per team. PM added an option for whether updating a team jersey number also updates the player's default. Same
Player Photo	Player Photo / Resource	Can be required during registration. Admins can crop photos. Also stored as a "resource" on the player profile.
Association Player ID	Member ID	The AYSO national player ID (XXXXX-XXXXXX). Lives in the Governing System, not the Club System.
Buddy / Friend Request	Player Question (custom)	Not built-in. Build as a custom player question if wanted.
Coach Request	Player Question or Coaching Request	Two options: custom player question, or PM's built-in Coaching Request feature under Leagues. Coach Request Link
Play Up	Manual Exception	No automated play-up workflow. Handle case-by-case by manually registering in a different package.

Volunteers & Staff

This is where terminology diverges most. SC treated everyone as a "volunteer" with a role. PM has a structured staff hierarchy with four designation types.

💡 The Four Staff Types in PlayMetrics Every volunteer must be categorized into one of these types before they can flow to the Governing System for background checks: Admin (board, RC, registrar), Director (division coordinators), Coach (assigned to a team), or Team Staff (everyone else — referees, team parents, etc.). Account Types & Roles

AYSO / SportsConnect	PlayMetrics	Notes
Volunteer	Staff	PM's umbrella term. Split into four sub-types: Admin, Director, Coach, Team Staff.
Regional Commissioner	Admin (System Administrator)	Full system access. Added under Staff → Admins. Auto-syncs to Governing System. Adding an Admin
Division Coordinator	Director	Oversight of a subset of teams. Added under Staff → Directors. Auto-syncs to Governing System.
Registrar	Admin (with permissions)	No separate "Registrar" role — it's an Admin with appropriate permission flags.
Treasurer	Controller	PM has a specific "Controller" role for financial management. Controllers no longer need to be System Administrators (changed May 2024).
Head Coach	Coach	Assigned to a team via League → Assignments. Becomes "staff" automatically. Notified immediately when assigned. Adding Coaches & Team Staff
Assistant Coach	Coach	Same pathway as Head Coach — assigned to a team.
Referee	Team Staff	Must be associated with a team — this is why you create hidden "container teams" (Referee Team, Board Team, etc.) for non-coaching volunteers. Importing Team Staff
Team Parent / Manager	Team Staff	Assigned to actual player teams, not container teams.
Board Member	Team Staff or Admin	Board members who need system access → Admin. Board members who just need compliance tracking → Team Staff on a container team.
Volunteer Interest (registration)	Volunteer Sign-Up	Three capture pathways: (A) role checkboxes during player registration, (B) standalone Coach Request Link, (C) separate Volunteer Sign Up (beta — must request activation).
Association Volunteer ID	Member ID	The AYSO national volunteer ID (XXXXX-XXXXXX). Lives in the Governing System, not Club System exports.
Risk Status	JDP Background Check	See Compliance section. SC pulled this from Sports Affinity. In PM, this flows through JDP integration — not yet available as of April 2026.
Team Staff Titles	Team Staff Titles	Managed under Staff → Team Staff → More Actions → Manage Titles. Adding Staff Titles

Compliance & Background Checks

⛔ Governing System Not Yet Accessible Pilot regions do not yet have access to the Governing System (purple interface). JDP (background checks) and AYSOU (certifications) integrations are expected summer 2026. In the meantime, returning volunteers continue using AYSOU through Sports Connect.

AYSO / SportsConnect	PlayMetrics	Notes
Sports Affinity Portal	Governing System	The purple interface. Handles background checks, certifications, member IDs. Import Staff → Governing System
Admin Credentials Report	Connected Systems (Club)	Once volunteers complete requirements in the Governing System, compliance status flows back to the Club System via "Connected Systems." Export capability TBD.
Risk Status: Green	Background Check: Cleared	JDP integration pending. Exact terminology for statuses TBD.
AYSOU Certifications	AYSOU Integration	Safe Haven, Concussion, SafeSport, coaching certs — will be pulled from AYSOU into the Governing System. Not yet live.
USSF License	USSF License	Already integrated — PM displays USSF licenses via the Learning Center. AYSOU grades pending. Live
ID Verification	Identity Verification	Volunteer provides personal info (gender, DOB, address), agrees to waivers, uploads photo in the Governing System.
LiveScan / Fingerprinting	Migration Process TBD	No current PM workflow. Data migration to be defined once additional functionality is built.

Program Setup & Configuration

AYSO / SportsConnect	PlayMetrics	Notes
Creating a Season	Season → Program → Packages	In PM: create Season first (dates, age classifications), then Program (registration container), then Packages (one per division).
Division Setup	Package Setup	Each AYSO division = one PM package. Set age range, gender, price, and capacity per package.
Registration Questions	Player Questions / Program Questions	PM distinguishes: Player questions (asked per player) vs. Program questions (asked once per session). Both support short text, dropdown, radio, checkbox, and file upload.
Custom Questions	Custom Questions	Questions can be linked to specific packages. Responses exportable to CSV. Same
Waivers	Agreements	PM calls them "agreements." Standard AYSO waivers come down through embedded registration. You can add region-specific agreements.
Refund Policy	Refund Policy (checkout)	PM has a built-in refund checkbox and policy link at checkout. Optional additional refund policy agreement.
Confirmation Email	Subscription Confirmation	Sent automatically. Customizable templates with variables like $$TeamName$$.
Waitlist Expiration	Waitlist Expiration Date	When expiration passes, the player doesn't auto-drop — you can extend or cancel manually.
Volunteer Discount	Volunteer Discount (optional)	Available in PM but not recommended for AYSO — volunteers cannot be paid/compensated. Just leave it disabled.

Reports & Data Exports

⚠️ No API — Manual Exports Only PlayMetrics does not offer a public API, webhooks, or scheduled exports. All data extraction is through manual CSV downloads from the admin interface via "More Actions" menus.

AYSO / SportsConnect	PlayMetrics	Notes
Saved Reports	No equivalent	SC let you build and save custom reports via Report Wizard. PM has fixed-format exports per section — you can't customize columns.
Report Wizard	No equivalent	PM doesn't have a report builder.
Enrollment Details	Export Players + Subscriptions Export	Two separate PM exports replace one SC report. Players: Programs → More Actions → Export Players. Payments: Subscriptions tab → Export.
Open Orders	Subscriptions Export (overdue filter)	PM can filter to overdue subscriptions only (added July 2023).
Volunteer Details	Staff Exports (Coaches / Team Staff)	Separate exports for coaches vs. team staff. Staff → Coaches → More Actions → Export. Staff → Team Staff → More Actions → Export.
Admin Credentials Report	Governing System (pending)	Not available until Governing System access is granted. Export capability TBD.
Financial Summary	Financial Summary / Programs Dashboard	Real-time view of registrations, revenue, overdue fees, financial aid, discounts. Exportable.
Transactions Report	Transactions Export	Includes payout_id and payout_date. Filterable by payment date or due date.
Data Export (CSV/Excel)	More Actions → Export (CSV)	All PM exports are CSV. Accessed via "More Actions" dropdown in each section.

Communication

AYSO / SportsConnect	PlayMetrics	Notes
Email Blast	Messages	PM has multi-channel: email, SMS text, push notifications (via app), and in-app chat.
(no SC equivalent)	Chat	Real-time chat between team members, coaches, and parents. New
(no SC equivalent)	Alerts	Automated notifications for field changes, overdue payments, form requests, roster changes. New
SC Website	PM Website (Duda)	Drag-and-drop editor with templates. Mobile-responsive. Auto-updates from PM data.
Registration Link	Program Registration URL	Each published program has its own registration URL. Can be embedded on your website or shared directly.

Games & Scheduling

AYSO / SportsConnect	PlayMetrics	Notes
Game Schedule	League → Games	Games live within a League. Create manually or import.
Game Card	No built-in equivalent	PM doesn't have printable game cards. Export roster data and populate your Area's template externally.
GotSport Format	GotSport Import	PM supports importing games in GotSport export format. Supported
Field Assignment	Field Schedule / Field Plan	Dedicated module with drag-and-drop, automated closure alerts, and auto-notification on changes.

New in PlayMetrics (No SC Equivalent)

PlayMetrics Feature	What It Does	AYSO Relevance
Coaching Requests	Standalone form for coaches to express interest and answer qualification questions. Shareable via a dedicated Coach Request Link.	Recruiting coaches who aren't registering a player.
Tryouts / Evaluations	Structured evaluation sessions with check-in, evaluator assignments, scoring (1–10), and notes. Results feed into team assignments.	Replaces informal evaluation processes.
Curriculum Builder	Season-long coaching plans with training phases, weekly goals, and drill recommendations. Assignable per team.	Available for regions that standardize coaching.
Practice Planner	Drag-and-drop session builder with a drill library and illustrator. Coaches can print plans.
Forms Builder	Custom forms with tracking, eSignatures, multi-step workflows. Distributed to groups and tracked for completion.	Could replace manual form distribution (medical forms, etc.).
Team Accounts	Per-team financial accounts with budgets, transactions, reimbursements, and a team credit card.	Relevant for regions with team-level spending.
Player Attendance	Track attendance per event with team-level summaries and individual history by event type.	New capability
Attribution Tags	Marketing tracking for registrations and revenue tied to campaigns.	Track which outreach drives registrations.
Duplicate Detection	Player contacts are given options to identify duplicate player situations when adding a player.	Helps prevent duplicate registrations.
Program Duplication	Programs can be copied from one season to the next. Saves significant setup time after year one.	Confirmed in the webinar: "Programs are easily duplicated."

Common Gotchas

"I can't find Divisions"

In PM, divisions are called "packages." Look under your Program → Packages tab.

"Where's the Season setup?"

Create the Season first — it sets dates and age classifications. Then build Programs within it. The Season is the top-level container, which is the reverse of SC.

"I created a Program but can't open registration"

Registration can't open until NPF functionality is connected through embedded registration. This was being finalized for the MY2026 launch.

"Where are my volunteers?"

PM doesn't have a single "Volunteers" tab. Staff are split across Admins, Directors, Coaches, and Team Staff — each under the Staff menu. Volunteer interest captured during registration shows under Programs → Export Volunteers.

"How do I see all coaches and their teams?"

Export coaches from Staff → Coaches (includes team assignments). Or view League → Assignments for a visual drag-and-drop roster. Adding Coaches & Team Staff

"Where's the auto-team builder?"

Not available in PM's initial release. Use the drag-and-drop Team Assignment interface with player data (age, evaluations, question responses). Some regions export to Excel, use a tool like Bravaia, and re-import. PM confirmed balanced team tooling is under review.

"Can I duplicate last year's setup?"

Yes — programs can be duplicated from one season to the next. Saves significant setup time after year one.

"When a season ends, do volunteers disappear?"

Similar to SC — you'll want a Season that spans Fall through Spring so volunteers remain visible. Confirmed in the webinar: "You will likely want to create a Season that extends the full length of Fall and Spring."

"What's a 'Director' — is that our Division Coordinator?"

Yes. PM's Director role maps to AYSO's Division Coordinator — oversight of a subset of teams. Account Types & Roles

"Can coaches see the admin notes/medical info?"

No — admin questions (like evaluations and medical notes) can be hidden from player contacts but visible to admins doing team assignments. Confirmed in the webinar: "the coaches will not see the notes."

Reference Links

Contributing

If you discover a terminology mapping that isn't listed here, add it and share back with the Superusers group. The goal is for this to become a comprehensive reference that any AYSO volunteer can use when they encounter unfamiliar PM terminology.

No PlayMetrics screenshots are included in this document, consistent with current guidelines. All PM configuration is described in text only (field names, navigation paths, question labels).

PlayMetrics Help Center (Club System)

PlayMetrics Help Center (Governing System)

AYSO Resources

Region 58 Migration Docs