How Lafayette Little League Found Their Flow with the Sports Connect Scheduling Tool

Featuring Colby Powell, President, Lafayette Little League

When Colby Powell took over as president of Lafayette Little League in Northern California, he inherited a program rich in tradition and rooted in old-school operations. For years, the board had used a homegrown scheduling method built in Excel. It worked… until it didn’t.

After making the switch to Sports Connect, Colby and his board discovered not just a better way to schedule, but a smarter one. We sat down with Colby to learn how the scheduling feature changed the game, the unexpected benefits that came with it, and what advice he has for other leagues looking to modernize their approach.

Colby Powell, President

Meet Lafayette Little League: A Community Staple Since 1963

Founded more than 60 years ago, Lafayette Little League has long been a central part of the Lafayette, California community. Colby has been involved with the league in various roles over the years, and for the past five, he’s served as president.

“We’re a pretty tight-knit board,” Colby said. “We’ve had the same core group for a while, and we know what works for our league. But we’re also not afraid to evolve if it’s going to make things easier for families and volunteers.”

That openness to improvement led them to Sports Connect two seasons ago.

Why the League Started Using the Scheduler

Lafayette first dipped its toes into Sports Connect during a fall season, but skipped the scheduling tool at first. That changed in the spring.

“We used it for our first full spring season, and right away it solved one big problem and exposed another we didn’t even realize we had,” Colby said.

The first win was being able to easily create separate preseason and regular season schedules, all while taking field availability and balanced matchups into account.

“You click a button, and boom, you’ve got a schedule. No conflicts.”

The surprise bonus? A feature that helped resolve conflicts for parent-coaches with kids on multiple teams. Before Sports Connect, those coaches were often double-booked and had to rely on assistants to fill in. With the conflict-checking tool, that problem disappeared.

“It let us avoid putting coaches in two places at once. They could focus on coaching their game and still support their kid on another team.”

From Resistance to Results: Winning Over the Board

Like many long-standing leagues, Lafayette’s board was initially hesitant to abandon the system they’d used for two decades.

“We knew the tool we had, and we trusted it, even if it wasn’t ideal,” Colby admitted. “But Sports Connect really delivered. It did what it said it would, and gave us more flexibility than we expected.”

Colby noted that one of the key wins for the board was automated updates. Whenever a game or practice changes, parents and coaches get notified immediately. No more mass texts or phone calls.

“That alone saved us dozens of calls this spring.”

The Parent and Coach Perspective

The positive impact wasn’t limited to the board. Parents appreciated being in the loop, and coaches found value in the centralized communication features.

“They can message parents right in the [GameChanger] app, see their team’s schedule, and adjust if needed. It cut down on confusion and improved the overall experience for everyone.”

Best Practices: Colby’s Tips for Smarter Scheduling

When asked for advice, Colby kept it simple: don’t be afraid of the tool.

“The best thing you can do is get in there and try it. Build a test schedule, see what works, and then adjust. It’s a lot more forgiving and powerful than a spreadsheet.”

A few more of his best practices:

  • Use the conflict detection settings for coaches, players, and fields.
  • Separate preseason from regular season schedules for a more streamlined experience.
  • Turn off standings and scores during preseason to help families focus on fun and development.

“It’s nice not having everyone focused on standings before the season even really starts. Then, when the regular season hits, that data gets turned back on.”

Getting Help When You Need It

Colby emphasized that support from Sports Connect, plus community-made resources, helped ease the transition.

“We used YouTube and good old Google. That got us through some of the early bumps, especially on weekends when live support wasn’t available.”

Once the board got comfortable, they expanded admin access to more members, but kept it controlled at the start to ensure a smooth rollout.

Colby’s Advice for New Admins

Whether you’re brand-new to Sports Connect or just starting to explore the scheduler, Colby encourages admins to give it a shot, and not to worry about getting it perfect right away.

“Just try it. You’ll learn fast. And once you see what it can do, you’ll wish you’d started sooner.”

He’s also open to helping other admins who want to learn from Lafayette’s experience.

“Absolutely. We’d be happy to chat with other leagues and share what worked for us.”

Want to connect with Colby? Feel free to reach out at lafayettelittleleagueca [at] gmail [dot] com.

Want to learn more about the scheduling tool? Explore these helpful resources: