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Hockey, soccer, a school trip: whatever the team is, somebody has to ask the parents for money. Most treasurers hate that part. It feels pushy, and nobody wants to be the parent who keeps bringing it up.

It gets a lot easier when the ask is clear and you know exactly who still owes.

1. Say what it's for, how much, and when

Parents pay faster when they know what the money covers. Put all three in the first message:

"Hi everyone, jerseys are $25 per player. Please send it by Friday so we can get the order in."

2. Treat it like any other team commitment

Paying dues is part of being on the team, the same as showing up to practice. Say it that way and it stops feeling like you're asking a personal favour:

"Everyone's putting in $20 to cover tournament costs this season."

3. Remind the group first, then people one at a time

Most late payers just forgot. Start with a group reminder that thanks the people who already paid:

"Quick reminder that the $20 tournament fee is due Friday. Thanks to everyone who's already sent it."

If someone still hasn't paid, message them privately:

"Hi [Name], just checking in on the team fee. If you need a bit more time, no problem."

4. Know who paid without digging through texts

The hardest part is usually remembering who has paid. The answer ends up scattered across e-transfer emails, Venmo notes and texts.

In Team Treasurer, the Player Dues page lists every player as paid, unpaid or overdue. When someone is behind, tap Send Reminder and the app opens an email to that parent with what they owe and when it was due. You read it over and hit send.

5. Thank people when they pay

A quick thank-you, or a mention at the next team event that everyone's paid up, makes the next collection easier.

Try Team Treasurer for your team's dues this season.

Parents want to know the money is being looked after. They don't want to sit through the spreadsheet. A good update takes a minute to read.

1. Stick to three numbers

Most parents only need:

• What came in (dues, fundraising, sponsors)
• What went out (ice or field time, uniforms, tournaments)
• What's left, or what's still owed

Keep the line-by-line detail for your own records and for anyone who asks.

2. Use a chart or a percentage

"60% of our budget is going to tournaments" or "we've collected 80% of dues" lands better than a table of numbers.

3. Post it where parents already look

You don't need a meeting. The team group chat, the weekly email or two minutes after practice all work.

4. Say what the money paid for

If every update is a request, money starts to feel like the only thing you talk about. Mix in what it covered:

"Thanks to everyone's dues, the new uniforms are fully paid for."

"The bottle drive covered half the tournament fee."

5. Be open, but keep it short

Instead of sending the whole spreadsheet, send a summary like this:

• Income: $2,100
• Expenses: $1,850
• Balance: $250

That's enough to show where things stand. Anyone who wants the detail can ask.

Team Treasurer's dashboard shows income, spending and profit against budget. The Reports page exports a season summary, dues outstanding and expenses by category as a PDF or Excel file that you can send to parents or the league. Get started.

If you just said yes to being treasurer for your kid's team, here's what the job involves over a season, plus a free Excel template to get started.

Before the season

1. Make a budget. List the money you expect to come in (player dues, sponsors, fundraising) and what you expect to spend (uniforms, ice or field time, travel, tournaments, league fees). Leave some room for surprises.
2. Use a separate bank account. Keep team money out of your personal account. If the team is part of a bigger club, ask the club for its own account or sub-account.
3. Agree on a few rules. Even with small amounts, get two people to sign off on bigger purchases, don't hold cash overnight, and keep every receipt.

During the season

1. Collect dues early. Tell families the amount and the due date up front, send reminders as it gets close, and have one person handle deposits.
2. Record everything. Log each payment and expense with a category, in a spreadsheet or an app, as it happens. It's much harder to piece together at the end of the season.
3. Share updates. Send parents and coaches a short summary once a month or at mid-season.

At the end of the season

1. Close out the books. Compare what you spent to the budget, sort out any unpaid dues or refunds, and write down the surplus or shortfall.
2. Hand over to next year's treasurer. Pass on the bank records, receipts, final report and anything you wish you'd known when you started.
3. Note what to change. A few lines on what worked and what didn't will save the next person time.

Free Excel template

The template has three sheets:

• Income: date, category, description, who paid and amount
• Expenses: date, category, description, who was paid and amount
• Summary: totals for income and expenses, and the balance. Add your planned figures and it shows budget against actual.

Download the free Excel template.

Doing it in Team Treasurer instead

The spreadsheet works fine. Team Treasurer does the same job on your phone:

• Player dues: see who's paid, unpaid or overdue, and send a reminder email from the app
• Budget and actuals: plan the season, log what really came in and went out, and see the difference on the dashboard
• Your own categories: rename "Field Rentals" to "Ice Time", or add "Meals" and "Travel"
• Reports: season summary, dues outstanding and expenses by category, exported to PDF or Excel

Start a free trial.