“SPORTS SCHEDULER”
Sports Scheduler will schedule any number of leagues or divisions containing 4 to 22 teams in each (schedules both an even or odd number of teams).
If a single division has more than 22 teams, simply divide the teams into two or more divisions (ie., east and west) then create a schedule for each.
It takes less than 3 minutes to create a full season division schedule with Sports Scheduler. Each schedule can have multiple round robins containing up to 850 games. All teams play the same number of games, are distributed equally as home and visitor, and distributed to play equally in the time slots.
EDITING A SCHEDULE – On-Screen Editor
Any time a division schedule is displayed on the screen, the built-in, on-screen edit commands allow you to make unlimited changes to a schedule for special situations. The edit commands allow you to:
- Flip flop the positions of any two selected “teams”.
- Flip flop the positions of any two selected “team pairs”.
- Insert extra games (non-league or crossover games).
- Insert notes anywhere on the schedule.
- Change the date, time and location of games.
- Search & Replace a team name with a different name.
- Remove and save games in the “makeup area”.
Each time an edit command is used, the program automatically re-checks the schedule to see if you moved teams into playing twice on the same day. If a same day conflict is created, the program displays a warning message and highlights the team name(s) with a conflict. You can press ESC to return the game to its original date, time and location, or press ENTER to accept it (intentional double-header).
EQUAL DISTRIBUTION
The quality of any sports league is directly related to the quality of the schedules the league produces. A good, balanced fair schedule (for all teams) is a must. If you have little or no scheduling experience, it is important to select a program that creates “good schedules”.
Unlike other league scheduling programs on the market that use lookup tables or randomly place teams on a schedule, Sports Scheduler mathematically distributes teams properly to play equally against other teams in the division, as Home & Visitor, and most importantly distributes teams to play equally in the time slots.
Most complaints from players, parents, and coaches happen when teams are scheduled unequally in time slots. It’s not right and not fair when some teams to play most of, or more than their fair share of, games at undesirable locations, and/or time slots while other teams play most of their games at the most desirable locations and time slots.
The quality of the schedule should be the number one consideration when trying to decide which program to buy. Don’t get caught in the “extra features trap”. Extra features such as, printing mailing labels, team registration forms, inventory control, etc., have nothing to do with creating good round robin schedules.
When selecting a program, carefully review actual schedules created by each program. To make the right decision you must see samples of actual schedules containing a minimum of at least one round robin for both an even and an odd number of teams. Check the distribution patterns of teams, time slots, home & visitor status, number of games each team plays, bye’s, etc.
Sports Scheduler created the two round robin schedules below. Each schedule was saved as a file then imported into this document. The first schedule is a single round robin for 11 teams (odd number). All teams play each other once in ten games, and all teams have one bye. The analysis chart below the schedule shows how many times each team plays in the five time slots on their schedule.
The second schedule is for an even number of teams (12). The analysis chart below the 12 team schedule shows the distribution of teams playing in six time slots each week.
Sample 11 Team Division Schedule (actual program output)
Note: All teams play each other once (10 games) and all teams have one bye.
| 11 TEAM LEAGUE LEAGUE SCHEDULE: DATE: 5/29/96 | ||||
| DATE | DAY | TIME | LOCATION | GM HOME VS VISITOR |
| JAN 4 | THU | 6:00PM | CIVIC CTR | 1 HAWKS VS HUSTLERS |
| JAN 5 | FRI | 5:30PM | MEM FIELD | 1 TIGERS VS FALCONS |
| JAN 6 | SAT | 10:00AM | UNION-1 | 1 LIONS VS GATORS |
| JAN 6 | SAT | 12:30PM | UNION-2 | 1 KIWIS VS RAIDERS |
| JAN 7 | SUN | 3:00PM | CIVIC CTR | 1 COUGARS VS RAIDERS |
| 1 EAGLES VS BYE | ||||
| JAN 11 | THU | 6:00PM | CIVIC CTR | 2 EAGLES VS HAWKS |
| JAN 12 | FRI | 5:30PM | MEM FIELD | 2 GATORS VS HUSTLERS |
| JAN 13 | SAT | 10:00AM | UNION-1 | 2 PIRATES VS TIGERS |
| JAN 13 | SAT | 12:30PM | UNION-2 | 2 RAIDERS VS LIONS |
| JAN 14 | SUN | 3:00PM | CIVIC CTR | 2 KIWIS VS COUGARS |
| 2 FALCONS VS BYE | ||||
| JAN 18 | THU | 6:00PM | CIVIC CTR | 3 TIGERS VS COUGARS |
| JAN 19 | FRI | 5:30PM | MEM FIELD | 3 HUSTLERS VS RAIDERS |
| JAN 20 | SAT | 10:00AM | UNION-1 | 3 HAWKS VS GATORS |
| JAN 20 | SAT | 12:30PM | UNION-2 | 3 EAGLES VS FALCONS |
| JAN 21 | SUN | 3:00PM | CIVIC CTR | 3 LIONS VS KIWIS |
| 3 PIRATES VS BYE | ||||
| JAN 25 | THU | 6:00PM | CIVIC CTR | 4 FALCONS VS PIRATES |
| JAN 26 | FRI | 5:30PM | MEM FIELD | 4 LIONS VS TIGERS |
| JAN 27 | SAT | 10:00AM | UNION-1 | 4 HUSTLERS VS KIWIS |
| JAN 27 | SAT | 12:30PM | UNION-2 | 4 RAIDERS VS HAWKS |
| JAN 28 | SUN | 3:00PM | CIVIC CTR | 4 GATORS VS EAGLES |
| 4 COUGARS VS BYE | ||||
| FEB 1 | THU | 6:00PM | CIVIC CTR | 5 GATORS VS RAIDERS |
| FEB 2 | FRI | 5:30PM | MEM FIELD | 5 PIRATES VS EAGLES |
| FEB 3 | SAT | 10:00AM | UNION-1 | 5 COUGARS VS FALCONS |
| FEB 3 | SAT | 12:30PM | UNION-2 | 5 KIWIS VS HAWKS |
| FEB 4 | SUN | 3:00PM | CIVIC CTR | 5 TIGERS VS HUSTLERS |
| 5 LIONS VS BYE | ||||
| FEB 8 | THU | 6:00PM | CIVIC CTR | 6 KIWIS VS GATORS |
| FEB 9 | FRI | 5:30PM | MEM FIELD | 6 PIRATES VS COUGARS |
| FEB 10 | SAT | 10:00AM | UNION-1 | 6 EAGLES VS RAIDERS |
| FEB 10 | SAT | 12:30PM | UNION-2 | 6 FALCONS VS LIONS |
| FEB 11 | SUN | 3:00PM | CIVIC CTR | 6 HAWKS VS TIGERS |
| 6 HUSTLERS VS BYE | ||||
| FEB 15 | THU | 6:00PM | CIVIC CTR | 7 LIONS VS PIRATES |
| FEB 16 | FRI | 5:30PM | MEM FIELD | 7 RAIDERS VS KIWIS |
| FEB 17 | SAT | 10:00AM | UNION-1 | 7 COUGARS VS EAGLES |
| FEB 17 | SAT | 12:30PM | UNION-2 | 7 TIGERS VS GATORS |
| FEB 18 | SUN | 3:00PM | CIVIC CTR | 7 HUSTLERS VS FALCONS |
| 7 HAWKS VS BYE | ||||
| FEB 22 | THU | 6:00PM | CIVIC CTR | 8 COUGARS VS LIONS |
| FEB 23 | FRI | 5:30PM | MEM FIELD | 8 EAGLES VS KIWIS |
| FEB 24 | SAT | 10:00AM | UNION-1 | 8 RAIDERS VS TIGERS |
| FEB 24 | SAT | 12:30PM | UNION-2 | 8 PIRATES VS HUSTLERS |
| FEB 25 | SUN | 3:00PM | CIVIC CTR | 8 FALCONS VS HAWKS |
| 8 GATORS VS BYE | ||||
| MAR 1 | THU | 6:00PM | CIVIC CTR | 9 KIWIS VS TIGERS |
| MAR 2 | FRI | 5:30PM | MEM FIELD | 9 GATORS VS FALCONS |
| MAR 3 | SAT | 10:00AM | UNION-1 | 9 PIRATES VS HAWKS |
| MAR 3 | SAT | 12:30PM | UNION-2 | 9 HUSTLERS VS COUGARS |
| MAR 4 | SUN | 3:00PM | CIVIC CTR | 9 LIONS VS EAGLES |
| 9 RAIDERS VS BYE | ||||
| MAR 8 | THU | 6:00PM | CIVIC CTR | 10 FALCONS VS RAIDERS |
| MAR 9 | FRI | 5:30PM | MEM FIELD | 10 HAWKS VS COUGARS |
| MAR 10 | SAT | 10:00AM | UNION-1 | 10 HUSTLERS VS LIONS |
| MAR 10 | SAT | 12:30PM | UNION-2 | 10 TIGERS VS EAGLES |
| MAR 11 | SUN | 3:00PM | CIVIC CTR | 10 GATORS VS PIRATES |
| 10 KIWIS VS BYE | ||||
| MAR 15 | THU | 6:00PM | CIVIC CTR | 11 EAGLES VS HUSTLERS |
| MAR 16 | FRI | 5:30PM | MEM FIELD | 11 HAWKS VS LIONS |
| MAR 17 | SAT | 10:00AM | UNION-1 | 11 FALCONS VS KIWIS |
| MAR 17 | SAT | 12:30PM | UNION-2 | 11 COUGARS VS GATORS |
| MAR 18 | SUN | 3:00PM | CIVIC CTR | 11 RAIDERS VS PIRATES |
| 11 TIGERS VS BYE | ||||
| End of Round Robin One | ||||
The chart below displays the number of times each of the 11 teams play in each of the 5 time slots on the schedule above.
| Team/Time Slot Distribution Chart (11Teams) | |||||
| TEAMS | THU 6:OOPM | FRI 5:30PM | SAT 10:00AM | SAT 12:30PM | SUN 3:00PM |
| EAGLES | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| HAWKS | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| TIGERS | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| LIONS | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| KIWIS | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| COUGARS | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| RAIDERS | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| PIRATES | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| GATORS | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| FALCONS | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| HUSTLERS | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| All teams play 10 games.All teams have one bye.All teams are Home & Visitor equally 5/5.All teams play twice in each of the 5 time slots. | |||||
Sample 12 Team Division Schedule (actual program output). Note: All teams play each other once, 11 games.
| 12 TEAM LEAGUE LEAGUE SCHEDULE: DATE: 5/29/96 | ||||
| DATE | DAY | TIME | LOCATION | GM HOME VS VISITOR |
| SEP 6 | SAT | 8:00AM | LEGION-1 | 1 EAGLES VS RAVENS |
| SEP 6 | SAT | 9:00AM | LEGION-2 | 1 HAWKS VS HUSTLERS |
| SEP 6 | SAT | 10:00AM | UNION FIELD | 1 TIGERS VS FALCONS |
| SEP 7 | SUN | 1:00PM | HOLY FIELD | 1 LIONS VS GATORS |
| SEP 7 | SUN | 2:00PM | UNION FIELD | 1 KIWIS VS PIRATES |
| SEP 7 | SUN | 3:00PM | LEGION-1 | 1 COUGARS VS RAIDERS |
| – | ||||
| SEP 13 | SAT | 8:00AM | LEGION-1 | 2 GATORS VS HAWKS |
| SEP 13 | SAT | 9:00AM | LEGION-2 | 2 HUSTLERS VS EAGLES |
| SEP 13 | SAT | 10:00AM | UNION FIELD | 2 RAVENS VS FALCONS |
| SEP 14 | SUN | 1:00PM | HOLY FIELD | 2 PIRATES VS TIGERS |
| SEP 14 | SUN | 2:00PM | UNION FIELD | 2 RAIDERS VS LIONS |
| SEP 14 | SUN | 3:00PM | LEGION-1 | 2 KIWIS VS COUGARS |
| – | ||||
| SEP 20 | SAT | 8:00AM | LEGION-1 | 3 HAWKS VS RAIDERS |
| SEP 20 | SAT | 9:00AM | LEGION-2 | 3 RAVENS VS PIRATES |
| SEP 20 | SAT | 10:00AM | UNION FIELD | 3 LIONS VS KIWIS |
| SEP 21 | SUN | 1:00PM | HOLY FIELD | 3 HUSTLERS VS GATORS |
| SEP 21 | SUN | 2:00PM | UNION FIELD | 3 TIGERS VS COUGARS |
| SEP 21 | SUN | 3:00PM | LEGION-1 | 3 FALCONS VS EAGLES |
| – | ||||
| SEP 27 | SAT | 8:00AM | LEGION-1 | 4 FALCONS VS PIRATES |
| SEP 27 | SAT | 9:00AM | LEGION-2 | 4 TIGERS VS LIONS |
| SEP 27 | SAT | 10:00AM | UNION FIELD | 4 RAIDERS VS HUSTLERS |
| SEP 28 | SUN | 1:00PM | HOLY FIELD | 4 COUGARS VS RAVENS |
| SEP 28 | SUN | 2:00PM | UNION FIELD | 4 EAGLES VS GATORS |
| SEP 28 | SUN | 3:00PM | LEGION-1 | 4 HAWKS VS KIWIS |
| – | ||||
| OCT 4 | SAT | 8:00AM | LEGION-1 | 5 FALCONS VS COUGARS |
| OCT 4 | SAT | 9:00AM | LEGION-2 | 5 GATORS VS RAIDERS |
| OCT 4 | SAT | 10:00AM | UNION FIELD | 5 KIWIS VS HUSTLERS |
| OCT 5 | SUN | 1:00PM | HOLY FIELD | 5 PIRATES VS EAGLES |
| OCT 5 | SUN | 2:00PM | UNION FIELD | 5 HAWKS VS TIGERS |
| OCT 5 | SUN | 3:00PM | LEGION-1 | 5 RAVENS VS LIONS |
| – | ||||
| OCT 11 | SAT | 8:00AM | LEGION-1 | 6 GATORS VS KIWIS |
| OCT 11 | SAT | 9:00AM | LEGION-2 | 6 PIRATES VS COUGARS |
| OCT 11 | SAT | 10:00AM | UNION FIELD | 6 EAGLES VS RAIDERS |
| OCT 12 | SUN | 1:00PM | HOLY FIELD | 6 HUSTLERS VS TIGERS |
| OCT 12 | SUN | 2:00PM | UNION FIELD | 6 RAVENS VS HAWKS |
| OCT 12 | SUN | 3:00PM | LEGION-1 | 6 LIONS VS FALCONS |
| – | ||||
| OCT 18 | SAT | 8:00AM | LEGION-1 | 7 LIONS VS PIRATES |
| OCT 18 | SAT | 9:00AM | LEGION-2 | 7 RAIDERS VS KIWIS |
| OCT 18 | SAT | 10:00AM | UNION FIELD | 7 COUGARS VS EAGLES |
| OCT 19 | SUN | 1:00PM | HOLY FIELD | 7 FALCONS VS HAWKS |
| OCT 19 | SUN | 2:00PM | UNION FIELD | 7 HUSTLERS VS RAVENS |
| OCT 19 | SUN | 3:00PM | LEGION-1 | 7 TIGERS VS GATORS |
| – | ||||
| OCT 25 | SAT | 8:00AM | LEGION-1 | 8 RAIDERS VS TIGERS |
| OCT 25 | SAT | 9:00AM | LEGION-2 | 8 COUGARS VS LIONS |
| OCT 25 | SAT | 10:00AM | UNION FIELD | 8 PIRATES VS HAWKS |
| OCT 26 | SUN | 1:00PM | HOLY FIELD | 8 KIWIS VS EAGLES |
| OCT 26 | SUN | 2:00PM | UNION FIELD | 8 FALCONS VS HUSTLERS |
| OCT 26 | SUN | 3:00PM | LEGION-1 | 8 GATORS VS RAVENS |
| – | ||||
| NOV 1 | SAT | 8:00AM | LEGION-1 | 9 KIWIS VS TIGERS |
| NOV 1 | SAT | 9:00AM | LEGION-2 | 9 GATORS VS FALCONS |
| NOV 1 | SAT | 10:00AM | UNION FIELD | 9 HAWKS VS COUGARS |
| NOV 2 | SUN | 1:00PM | HOLY FIELD | 9 RAVENS VS RAIDERS |
| NOV 2 | SUN | 2:00PM | UNION FIELD | 9 EAGLES VS LIONS |
| NOV 2 | SUN | 3:00PM | LEGION-1 | 9 HUSTLERS VS PIRATES |
| – | ||||
| NOV 8 | SAT | 8:00AM | LEGION-1 | 10 COUGARS VS HUSTLERS |
| NOV 8 | SAT | 9:00AM | LEGION-2 | 10 RAVENS VS KIWIS |
| NOV 8 | SAT | 10:00AM | UNION FIELD | 10 PIRATES VS GATORS |
| NOV 9 | SUN | 1:00PM | HOLY FIELD | 10 LIONS VS HAWKS |
| NOV 9 | SUN | 2:00PM | UNION FIELD | 10 FALCONS VS RAIDERS |
| NOV 9 | SUN | 3:00PM | LEGION-1 | 10 TIGERS VS EAGLES |
| – | ||||
| NOV 15 | SAT | 8:00AM | LEGION-1 | 11 LIONS VS HUSTLERS |
| NOV 15 | SAT | 9:00AM | LEGION-2 | 11 EAGLES VS HAWKS |
| NOV 15 | SAT | 10:00AM | UNION FIELD | 11 TIGERS VS RAVENS |
| NOV 16 | SUN | 1:00PM | HOLY FIELD | 11 KIWIS VS FALCONS |
| NOV 16 | SUN | 2:00PM | UNION FIELD | 11 COUGARS VS GATORS |
| NOV 16 | SUN | 3:00PM | LEGION-1 | 11 RAIDERS VS PIRATES |
| End of Round Robin One | ||||
The chart below displays the number of times each of the 12 teams play in each of the 6 time slots on the schedule above.
| Team/Time Slot Distribution Chart (12Teams) | ||||||
| TEAM | SAT 8:OOAM | SAT 9:00AM | SAT 10:00AM | SUN 1:00PM | SUN 2:00PM | SUN 3:00PM |
| RAVENS | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| EAGLES | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| TIGERS | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| FALCONS | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| LIONS | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| GATORS | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| COUGARS | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| RAIDERS | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| KIWIS | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| PIRATES | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| HAWKS | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| HUSTLERS | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| All teams play 11 games.All teams are Home & Visitor equally, either 5 or 6 times.All teams play twice in each of the 6 time slots (except each team will play once in one time slot). | ||||||
Time Slots
Sports Scheduler uses whatever number of time slots you enter to create a schedule. When the correct number of time slots is entered (for the first week only), a balanced schedule is created. You can enter more or less than the standard number of time slots for one two or three sets of games a week. The program will create an optimum schedule based on the number of time slots entered.
Example: To create a normal 10 team division schedule, with all 10 teams playing one game a week, you enter 5 time slots. If you enter more or less than the standard number of time slots, the program will move pairs and teams, when necessary, to create a schedule with no team playing twice on the same day.
Printout Reports
- Complete Division Schedule for each division.
- Individual Team Schedule for each team in a division.
- Master Game List of all games from all combined schedules.
- Master Game List of all games at each location.
Manual Schedules
Sports Scheduler lets you create manual schedules for divisions that do not have regular weekly time slots available to schedule each week. The program calculates all the team pairings for the number of round robins requested. You then enter the date, time and location into each game from your list of available (irregular) time slots. After each time slot is entered, the program checks for same day conflicts.
File Format of Saved Schedules
Sports Scheduler saves schedules in ASCII text (sometimes referred to as DOS text) format. Saved schedules can be recalled into Sports Scheduler for additional editing and/or printing. They can also be recalled or imported into your word processor program. Loading a schedule into your word processor program provides many additional editing and printing options. (change fonts, add graphics, name headers, etc).
Master List Generator
When all schedules are completed, Sports Scheduler allows you to select schedules you want combined into a single master game list. The selected schedules into memory at one time, combines them into a single list, then re-sorts all games by date, field and time. The new master list is then saved as a file.
The master list is an excellent tool used for assigning referees, timekeepers, equipment, etc. to games. Master lists can be recalled into the program for edits or reprinting.
Single and Multiple Sets of Games a Week
Many leagues schedule teams to play one game a week. Other leagues want to schedule teams to play at least two and sometimes three games a week (ie., baseball). Sports Scheduler lets you schedule one or more sets of games per week (one set – is a group of games listing all teams playing once, two sets – all teams play twice a week, etc.).
Sometimes leagues want to schedule teams to play two or more games a week and must have all teams equally distributed to play in all the time slots. Sports Scheduler does the job very nicely. An option in the program called, “Multiple Set Balance”, allows you to create this type of schedule.
Bob Rioux
Sports Software AssociatesPO Box 512683
Punta Gorda, FL 33951-2683
Tel: 941-833-2215
Fax: 941-833-2219
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