Keeping Your Club and Members Safe Online
Grassroots clubs run on trust. Volunteers give their time, parents share personal details, and players expect their information to be handled responsibly. As more of a club’s day-to-day admin happens online, keeping everyone safe digitally is just as important as locking the clubhouse door at night.
The good news? A few simple habits can significantly reduce the risk to your club, its volunteers, and its members.
Use strong, secure passwords (and don’t reuse them)
Passwords are still the first line of defence for most online systems. Weak or reused passwords make it far easier for accounts to be compromised.
Every volunteer with access to club systems should:
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Use a unique password for Pitchero and other club tools.
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Avoid using easily guessed details, such as club names, birthdays, or simple patterns.
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Change passwords if there’s any suspicion they may have been exposed.
Password managers (also known as password vaults) make this much easier. Tools such as OnePass or LastPass can generate strong passwords and store them securely, meaning volunteers don’t need to remember dozens of logins or write them down.
Regularly review who has admin access
Clubs change constantly. Volunteers move on, roles evolve, and new helpers step in. That’s why admin access should never be a “set and forget” job.
It’s good practice to:
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Periodically review who has admin or editor access on Pitchero.
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Remove access for volunteers who are no longer involved.
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Make sure new committee members or team admins have the right level of access to do their role properly.
Keeping admin access up to date reduces risk and helps ensure everyone is working with the right tools and responsibilities.
Store member information in as few places as possible
The more systems you use, the harder it becomes to keep data secure and up to date. Spreadsheets, personal inboxes, and messaging apps can quickly become a data protection headache.
Where possible:
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Collect and store member details in one secure system.
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Avoid duplicating data across multiple tools.
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Make sure volunteers know where the “single source of truth” is.
Using Pitchero’s secure club management tools helps keep member information organised, controlled, and accessible only to those who need it.
Share less personal information publicly
It’s tempting to publish contact details to make life easier, but publicly visible phone numbers and email addresses can attract spam, scams, and unwanted contact.
Consider:
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Using generic club email addresses rather than personal ones.
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Limiting the personal details shown on public pages.
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Keeping sensitive information behind login-only areas.
Sharing only what’s necessary protects volunteers while still allowing members to get in touch.
Stay alert to scams and spoof emails
Unfortunately, volunteers at grassroots clubs are increasingly targeted by scammers. These emails often look convincing and may appear to come from leagues, suppliers, or even fellow club officials.
Common warning signs include:
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Urgent requests for payments or login details.
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Slightly misspelled email addresses or unusual wording.
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Requests that don’t match normal club processes.
If something feels off, pause, double-check, and verify with another committee member before taking action.
Club and team management tools you can trust on Pitchero
Pitchero has got your back, and has so many club and team management tools to help keep your club's members safe online.
Member role applications and moderation
Any member can apply for the roles they need with the club using the mobile app or a web browser. The role application needs to be moderated by a Webmaster or Team Admin, depending on the role application.
Tailored access for club volunteers
Not all club volunteers require the same access. The club's Treasurer needs access to financial areas of Pitchero, but they may not need access manage content and design of the website.
The club's Primary Webmaster(s) can tailor the access of each Webmaster for the sections they need access to.
Parent and child messages
Parents/guardians securely manage their child(ren)'s information, payments, and schedule in one place on Pitchero.
Any messages sent to an under 16 are relayed to the child's connected parents/guardians, giving the parent full visibility.
Public/private photo albums, videos, and documents
Clubs can choose whether to share media publicly to all visitors, or private only to authorised members of the club.
Team display and privacy settings
The club's senior and junior teams may have different needs. The team display and privacy settings in the club admin dashboard are managed at a per-team basis, allowing each team to show/hide as much/little information as desired.
SSL on all Pitchero websites
Each webpage is served securely with an SSL certificate regardless of whether the club is using the Pitchero URL or a custom domain name.
The SSL certificate is provided by Pitchero at no extra charge.
GDPR compliant
Rest assured all of the Pitchero software is fully GDPR compliant.
The Pitchero production system runs exclusively in Amazon Web Services data centres. AWS maintains the highest standards of security compliance and certification. AWS Cloud Security information
Small steps, big protection
Online safety doesn’t require technical expertise or expensive tools. Strong passwords, sensible access controls, secure data storage, and a cautious mindset go a long way in protecting your club and its people.
By building good digital habits into everyday club admin, you’re helping create a safer environment for volunteers, players, and parents alike — on and off the pitch.