What We Support: Definitions and Scope
Headcount Buddy is a text-message assistant for amateur sports organizers and players. No app to download, no website to log into — everything happens over SMS. This page explains exactly what Headcount Buddy supports today: the sports, the types of groups, the kinds of events, how gender formats work, the RSVP states a player can be in, and the organizer roles.
Sports
Headcount Buddy works for groups playing any of these sports:
- Tennis
- Softball
- Baseball
- Pickleball
- Other (for anything that doesn’t fit the list above)
Types of Groups
When you set up a group with Headcount Buddy, it falls into one of two categories:
Competitive team — a league team with eligibility rules, like a USTA adult league team. Think rosters, match schedules, and official standings.
Pickup / informal group — a scrimmage crew, club gathering, or any recurring casual game. No eligibility enforcement, no formal roster requirements. This is the default when you start a new group.
Both types get the same core experience: RSVP outreach, headcount tracking, and schedule communications over text.
Event Types
An event is whatever you’re gathering people for. Headcount Buddy recognizes these event types:
- Practice
- Match
- Game
- Scrimmage
- Clinic
- Combined coed event
- Hitting session
- Other
When you create an event, you tell the assistant what kind it is (or describe it in plain language and it figures it out). Here’s a quick example:
You: Create a practice for Saturday at 9am, Riverside courts, need 8 players.
Headcount Buddy: Got it — practice Saturday at 9am at Riverside courts, aiming for 8 players. I’ll reach out to your group now.
Gender Formats
Gender format works at two levels:
For your group or team
Your team can be set up as Men’s, Women’s, or Mixed. Mixed means the event format requires at least one man and one woman per side per court — common in coed doubles tennis, for example.
For individual players
Each player in your group is listed as Male or Female. This matters when you’re running a Mixed-format event and Headcount Buddy needs to check whether the right gender balance is in place before confirming a lineup.
RSVP States
When Headcount Buddy reaches out to players, their response gets tracked as one of six states:
| What you see | What it means |
|---|---|
| Yes | Confirmed in — they’re coming. |
| No | Confirmed out — they’re not coming. |
| Maybe | They’ve responded but can’t commit either way yet. |
| Leaning yes | They’re likely in but not 100% certain. |
| Leaning no | They’re likely out but haven’t fully closed the door. |
| No response | The assistant has reached out and hasn’t heard back yet. |
Players don’t have to reply with a rigid “Yes” or “No.” Natural replies like “I should be able to make it” or “Probably not this week” are understood and recorded appropriately.
Here’s how that looks in practice:
Headcount Buddy → Player: Hey Sarah, practice is Saturday at 9am at Riverside courts. Are you in?
Sarah: I think so, just depends on traffic.
Headcount Buddy → Organizer: Sarah is a leaning yes (traffic-dependent). Current count: 5 confirmed, 2 leaning yes, 1 no response.
Organizer Roles
Within a group, Headcount Buddy recognizes two leadership roles:
Organizer (Captain) — the person who sets up and runs the group. Full authority: creates events, adjusts headcount targets, sends communications, and manages the roster. This is you, if you’re reading this page.
Co-organizer (Co-captain) — a second person who shares leadership responsibilities. Same authority level as the organizer for day-to-day coordination.
Every group has exactly one organizer, and you can designate one co-organizer to help share the load.
A Quick Note on Scope
Headcount Buddy handles the operational side of running your group — RSVPs, headcount, schedule changes, and communications. It is not a scorekeeping app, a stats tracker, a team chat replacement, or a payments processor. It’s the assistant that makes sure the right number of people show up.
Questions or Ready to Get Started?
Reach out at help@headcountbuddy.com — whether you want to set up your first group or just have questions about whether Headcount Buddy is the right fit for your team.