New for the 2014-15 school year is the TSSAA Portal. The Portal is a new project to help Athletic Directors and coaches save time, receive timely and essential information from the TSSAA office, stay current with changing rules and ahead of worrisome deadlines.

The TSSAA Portal will replace the current online eligibility/schedule entry systems that have been in place for a number of years for both middle and high schools.

The Portal is a password-protected area of the TSSAA website. Every school, athletic director, coach and school staff members will have an account in the system to access customized tools and information. The updated design and layout means that users can access and use the system from any internet-connected device: desktop, laptop, smartphone or tablet.

Athletic Directors

Our focus is to increase the communication between the association and schools, streamline the management of your student/eligibility information and build in other efficiencies that will be of benefit to schools and staff members.

For example, with more complete and current contact information we can issue reminders more frequently (with fewer statewide notifications) so that fines for missing routine deadlines can be dramatically reduced.

We are also building a smarter system to help you remain compliant with membership rules and requirements. Look for the many new prompts, reminders and tips that have been added throughout the system to guide and inform you along the way.

The Portal also simplifies many tasks, but there are a few important changes that administrators should take note of:

  • Athletic Directors will need a valid email address for themselves as well as all coaches and school administrators.
  • Teams must have a qualified head coach assigned before a roster for the sport can be added.

You will use the traditional school ID logins to access the portal. Upon signing in, you will find a series of short tutorial videos that will help demonstrate the usage of the new tools.

The following actions will need to be taken to satisfy your requirements as a member in 2014-15:

  • Update the school’s general directory information.
  • Activate the sports in which your school will field teams for the 2014-15 school year.
  • Add your coaches and attach them to their teams.
  • Add students’ information and complete eligibility questions.
  • Add rosters and schedules for each sport.

We ask that you activate your 2014-15 sports and assign head coaches to them by August 31.

Please remember that if a student is injured under the supervision of a coach that has not been added to the Portal and assigned to a sport, the incident will not be covered under the association’s catastrophic insurance policy.

Please don’t wait until the last minute to sign in and begin using the new portal. Association staff will be available to assist you if you have questions or concerns.

COACHES & SCHOOL STAFF

Every coach and school staff member will have an account on the TSSAA Portal. The account will be created when an athletic director adds you to the school’s staff listing.

Your time grows more precious by the minute, so the association office would like to be more proactive in sending you up-to-date information concerning rules changes, association policies and other reminders. With your own personal profile, you can maintain a list of your current contact details and tell us the way you would prefer to be reached.

When the Portal becomes available this fall, coaches and administrators will be encouraged to:

  • Update directory/user profile information.
  • Adjust notification options (email/SMS).
  • Complete any online rules training currently offered.
  • Enter voucher information from in-person rules meetings.

Once the Athletic Director adds you to a school’s staff listing, you will receive an email from the TSSAA Portal with an introduction to the system and a link to complete the account creation process.

  • Click the link included in the TSSAA Portal email.
  • Set a password, which must be at least eight characters long and include an uppercase letter.
  • Update your public profile.
  • Update your notification options.
  • Locate and complete online training or attend rules meetings and record voucher information in accordance with rules/training requirements outlined in the association bylaws.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do coaches need to login?

With individual logins, coaches have control over their own profile/directory information and are able to receive email or text alerts for sports rules and reminders from the state office. In addition, we are able to more accurately track training and rules meeting attendance.

I've forgotten my password. Do I need to call the TSSAA office for help?

In most cases, no. On the sign in page, click the Forgot Password button below the form. If you have a valid email address on file, instructions for resetting your password will be emailed to you. Extra security measures have been put into place so that passwords can only be reset/changed. Association staff do not have the ability to tell you what your current password is.

Can I change the school password?

You can change your password at any time by clicking on the user name in the upper-corner, selecting My Profile, then choosing Change Password. You are encouraged to change your password and update your school’s master email address when you first sign in. Having an active email address on file for your school account will allow you to retrieve a lost password in the future.

What is the difference between signing in using a school ID and signing in with an email address?

Signing in using the school ID gives you full access to all school-related tools and options. This is a school’s “master account.” Users who are not members of a school’s senior administration team should login with individual accounts, using their personal email address. These accounts may have varying levels of access depending on the role of the individual.

What if I don't have a head coach for one of my sports?

If your school plans to field a team in the sport, you may activate the sport without assigning a coach immediately. However, a qualified head coach must be assigned to the sport before the sport’s roster information can be entered. We urge you to assign coaches to all your sports by August 31 so that an accurate staff listing can be published in the printed school directory.

Are there any new eligibility requirement changes or new eligibility questions from last year?

There have been no changes in rules or requirements, however you will notice a difference when completing eligibility questions. The eligibility form is now presented in an interactive format that is designed to reduce the length of the form (ie. fewer clicks).

Will I be able to change a student's core information once the student becomes eligible?

No. The core information can be corrected until you complete and save the student’s eligibility form. After that time, the student’s core details can only be changed by contacting the association office.

Will my returning athletes be in the system when I log in for the first time?

Yes. All students eligible to return will be listed under Students/All Students and will initially appear in an ineligible state. New students can be added and eligibility forms can be completed for any student listed.

Can the Athletic Director see which staff members have attended a rules meeting or completed online rules training?

Yes. Under Schools, click Training Roster for a detailed listing of the most recent training records of every member of your staff.

What must be done if my school co-ops with another school?

The association office approves cooperative programs on an annual basis. Each year, schools wishing to participate in a cooperative program must prepare and file the necessary forms with the state office prior to the first practice date in the sport(s) involved. Once approved, your Active Sports listing will be updated to record the status of cooperative program.

Where can I find information that shows my Non-Faculty Coaches and/or Classified Employee Coaches have taken the required training?

Under the Training menu you are able to view a list of all staff members and their status regarding training/rules meeting attendance.

Why can't [name any task] be done through the Portal?

Over the coming months and years we will be adding additional functionality to the Portal with the goal of reducing and/or eliminating paperwork and improving recordkeeping for both school and association staff. You can always use the feedback form at the bottom of each page to make suggestions on how we can improve the Portal.

Is the new Portal a native app (something that I have to download)?

No download is necessary. The Portal is a pure web application accessible through any browser.

Will the new Portal run on my Apple or Windows desktop? Do I have to have a smartphone to access it?

The only requirement to use the Portal is that you have a web browser. Browsers are available/included on nearly any platform from desktop computers to smartphones, tablets and even game consoles.

The Portal will function best when accessed using the two most recent versions of the following browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Internet Explorer. While other browsers may work, we aren’t able to guarantee that every feature will work as intended. Regardless of the browser you use, you will need to enable cookies and JavaScript.