Team websites

[Proud Papa]

Ok so I am by no means a web designer but I just completed a website for my daughters 16u comp team. I didn't have much to go on so I was wondering if you guys had some links to other sites so I could get some more ideas. I would love your opinions as well on what I could add or take off if you would like to stop by and check it out. Utah ScorcherZ Softball Team

Oh we will be doing skills videos in a couple months and will add them as a link in the roster section.

 

[sluggers]

I think you did a good job.

*BUT*--you asked for a critique, so it wouldn't be fair to not give you some suggestions.

(1) The writing banner on the home page is to close to the top. "Utah" is too far up on the page. You might want to think of making the top banner "float" so that it always visible, even when someone scrolls down the page.
(2) The mission statement is too long. No one is going to read it. It needs to be about half as long. Three sentences max.
(3) The top of some of girls heads are cut off. While that part of the skull may be empty, nevertheless it would be more appropriate to show the entire head in the hopes that some day it will be fully utilized.
(4) On the "about the SorecherZ" page, there is too much about "Coach Evans" rather than the girls. The better approach would be to list past players and where they played college ball. Put the biographical information about the coaches on the "coaches" page.

 

[Proud Papa]

Thanks for the critique, I will have to check into the "float" option I had absolutely no experience prior to starting on the page so there are tons of things I didn't even know exist. we are currently planing on doing bios for the coaches but they have been to "busy" and I didn't want to wait any longer for them before launching the site. Once I have them, I will change the "About" page some to reflect more about the team as you stated. Ive already got requests from some of the players to put a different pic up (you know how girls are) so we are planning on doing a new photo shoot once HS gets out. Thanks again for your opinion, its good to hear them.

 

[Ken B]

Can't say I've seen many sites, but I did like the spirit of this one: Northwest Speed Girls Fastpitch - 12U Home Page

 

[WaSpeed02]

Can't say I've seen many sites, but I did like the spirit of this one: Northwest Speed Girls Fastpitch - 12U Home Page

Hey, that website looks familiar.

Hometeams Online made our team page one of the "example" websites on their home page last year. Pretty cool, eh?

 

[riseball]

Keep in mind that for a team site most of your traffic is going to be coming from mobile devices. If you re designing for display on a PC that will become more and more of an issue.

 

[goinglefty]

Both sites above are pretty nice. It's nice for players to have a team website they can be proud of.

Personally, I prefer websites with no music or at least no auto start. Its kind of embarrassing when Taylor Swift or whomever starts blasting over my speakers at work.

 

[WaSpeed02]

Both sites above are pretty nice. It's nice for players to have a team website they can be proud of.

Personally, I prefer websites with no music or at least no auto start.

I couldn't agree more.

 

[Elk Grove Hurricane]

I liked it. I took the lazy way and used TeamSnap.

 

[JoeKC]

In general, I think you did a great job with the site. The key now will be keeping it fresh and interesting.

A couple of minor issues:

Home Page: When one clicks on one of the scrolling pictures, it always takes you to the "Roster" page. I would assume you would like to have the the picture enlarged, or if one of the athletes, take the visitor to her section of the roster page. I clicked on one of the team pictures hoping to enlarge it so I could see it better, and was just dumped at the top of the roster page....

Roster Page: The header titles (Player, Positions, Bats, Throws, Skills Videos / Player Profile Sheets ) are not discernible because the titles are black (same as the header). That header and the "16U Roster" should be anchored so that the header titles are not lost when one scrolls down the page.