Terms of Service

Who can use Sideline:

• Coaches managing MiniRoos teams (ages 5–18)
• Parents of children on teams using Sideline
• Assistant coaches and team managers authorised by the head coach

Who cannot use Sideline:

• Anyone under 18 without parental consent
• Anyone providing false information during sign-up
• Anyone previously banned from the Service

For Coaches:

You create a team account, schedule sessions, send RSVP requests via WhatsApp, track attendance, and communicate with parents. You are responsible for the accuracy of all data you enter.

For Parents:

You receive a join link from your child's coach, create a parent account, link to your child, respond to RSVPs via WhatsApp or the app, and view your child's progress. You are responsible for keeping your contact details up to date.

WhatsApp Integration:

Sideline uses WhatsApp Business API to send messages. By using Sideline, you agree to receive messages from us via WhatsApp. These messages include:

• Session RSVP requests
• Session reminders
• Attendance confirmations
• Match results
• Important team updates

You can opt out of WhatsApp messages at any time by contacting support@fromthesideline.com.au. If you opt out, you will receive messages via email instead (if provided).

Creating an Account:

• You must provide accurate information
• You must be 18 or older to create a coach account
• Parents must have consent to provide their child's information
• One account per person (no shared accounts)

Account Security:

• You are responsible for your password
• You must notify us immediately if your account is compromised
• We may suspend accounts for suspicious activity

Account Termination:

• You can delete your account at any time via app settings or by emailing support
• We may terminate accounts that violate these Terms
• If you are a coach and delete your account, your team data will be archived (not deleted) unless all parents also request deletion

Current Status:

Sideline is currently in pilot phase. No payment is required during the pilot period.

Future Pricing (When Live):

• Coach/team subscription: pricing to be announced
• Solo parent subscription: pricing to be announced
• Payment processed via Stripe (credit/debit card)
• All prices in AUD and include GST

Subscription Terms:

• Subscriptions auto-renew unless cancelled
• Cancel anytime — no lock-in contracts
• Refunds only for service outages lasting more than 7 days (pro-rata)
• No refunds for partial months or changed circumstances

What happens if you don't pay:

• Account suspended after 7 days
• Data retained for 30 days
• After 30 days, data archived (anonymised)

You MAY use Sideline to:

• Manage your MiniRoos team
• Communicate with parents about team activities
• Track attendance and player development
• Share session plans and coaching resources

You MAY NOT use Sideline to:

• Harass, abuse, or bully any user (zero tolerance)
• Share inappropriate content involving minors
• Impersonate another person or team
• Spam users with unrelated messages
• Attempt to hack, scrape, or reverse-engineer the Service
• Use the Service for any illegal activity

Violations will result in immediate account termination and may be reported to authorities.

Meta's WhatsApp Business Policy:

By using Sideline, you agree that we will send WhatsApp messages on your behalf (if you are a coach) or to you (if you are a parent). All messages comply with WhatsApp's Business Policy:

• Messages are related to team management only
• No spam or unsolicited marketing
• No general-purpose AI chatbot behaviour
• Parents can opt out at any time

If Our WhatsApp Account is Suspended:

If Meta suspends our WhatsApp Business Account, we will:

• Switch to email delivery immediately
• Notify all users via email
• Work to restore WhatsApp access as quickly as possible

We are not liable for disruptions caused by Meta's policy enforcement or API outages.

Your Data:

You own your data. We store it and secure it, but do not claim ownership. See our Privacy Policy for full details on data collection, use, and deletion.

Children's Data:

• Parents control their child's data
• Coaches can view team data but do not own individual child records
• Child's data deleted within 7 days of parent request

Our Data:

• Platform code, design, and features are our intellectual property
• Aggregated, anonymised data (e.g., “average RSVP rate across all teams”) may be used for product improvement

We Provide:

• A platform for team management and communication
• WhatsApp message delivery (subject to Meta's availability)
• Data storage in Sydney, Australia
• Customer support via email

We Do NOT Provide:

• Coaching advice or liability coverage
• Legal advice on team management or child safety
• Guarantee of 100% uptime (see section 10)
• Moderation of parent-to-parent communication in WhatsApp groups

Service Provided "As Is":

Sideline is provided without warranties of any kind, express or implied. We do not guarantee:

• The Service will be error-free or uninterrupted
• Data will never be lost (though we do daily backups)
• WhatsApp messages will always be delivered
• The Service will meet your specific needs

Limitation of Liability:

To the maximum extent permitted by Australian law:

• We are not liable for indirect, consequential, or punitive damages
• Our total liability is limited to the amount you paid us in the last 12 months
• We are not liable for third-party service outages (WhatsApp, Stripe, etc.)

What We ARE Liable For:

Nothing in these Terms excludes liability for:

• Fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation
• Death or personal injury caused by our negligence
• Breaches of Australian Consumer Law that cannot be excluded

Scheduled Maintenance:

We may take the Service offline for maintenance. We will:

• Give 24 hours' notice for planned downtime
• Schedule during low-usage periods (e.g., late night)

Unplanned Outages:

If the Service goes down unexpectedly, we will:

• Work to restore it as quickly as possible
• Provide pro-rata refunds for outages lasting more than 7 days

Force Majeure:

We are not liable for delays or failures caused by events outside our control (natural disasters, internet outages, government actions, pandemics, etc.)

Our IP:

• Sideline name, logo, design, and code are our property
• You may not copy, modify, or redistribute our platform
• You may not use our name or logo without written permission

Your IP:

• Content you create (session plans, coaching notes) remains yours
• By using the Service, you grant us a licence to store and display your content within the platform

Cancelling Your Subscription:

• Cancel anytime from app settings or by emailing support
• Cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period
• No partial refunds for cancelled subscriptions
• You retain access until the end of the paid period

Deleting Your Account:

• Deleting your account cancels your subscription
• Data deleted within 7 days (see Privacy Policy)
• No refunds for deleted accounts

If We Cancel Your Account:

• We may cancel for Terms violations
• You will receive a pro-rata refund for unused time
• Your data will be deleted

Governing Law:

These Terms are governed by the laws of New South Wales, Australia.

Dispute Resolution:

If you have a complaint:

1. Email us at support@fromthesideline.com.au — we'll try to resolve it
2. If unresolved, we agree to mediation before court action
3. Court disputes will be heard in New South Wales