Privacy Policy

Last updated: January 2025

Overview

The Coach They Need ("we," "us," or "our") respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect information when you visit thecoachtheyneed.com (the "Site"). Our coaching tools run locally in your browser, and we do not collect or store your coaching data.

Information We Collect

1. Information You Provide

When you use our voting or authentication features, we may collect:

• Email address (for magic-link authentication)
• Voting preferences (upvotes/downvotes on advice posts)

2. Local Browser Storage

Our coaching tools (Lineup Optimizer, Playtime Heatmap, etc.) store all data locally in your browser using LocalStorage and IndexedDB. This data includes:

• Player rosters, lineups, and statistics
• Practice plans and coaching notes
• Tool preferences and settings

Important: This data never leaves your device and is not transmitted to our servers. Clearing your browser storage will permanently delete this data.

3. Automatically Collected Information

Like most websites, we automatically collect certain information when you visit, including:

• IP address and general location (country/region)
• Browser type and version
• Device type (desktop, mobile, tablet)
• Pages visited and time spent on site
• Referring website (how you found us)

How We Use Information

We use collected information to:

• Provide and improve our website and tools
• Understand site usage patterns and optimize user experience
• Authenticate users and enable voting functionality
• Respond to inquiries and provide support
• Detect and prevent fraud or abuse

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

1. Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our Site. Google Analytics uses cookies to collect anonymous usage data, including:

• Pages viewed and navigation paths
• Time spent on pages
• Traffic sources and referral information
• Device and browser information

You can opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

2. Google AdSense and Third-Party Advertising

We use Google AdSense to display advertisements on our Site. Google and its advertising partners use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Serve ads based on your prior visits to this Site or other websites
• Measure ad performance and engagement
• Prevent fraud and ensure ad safety
• Build profiles for personalized advertising

Your Advertising Choices:

• Opt out of personalized advertising: Visit Google Ads Settings to control the ads you see
• Learn more about how Google uses data: See How Google uses information from sites that use our services
• Industry-wide opt-out: Visit aboutads.info or youronlinechoices.eu (for EU users)

3. Essential Cookies

We use essential cookies to enable core functionality, including:

• Authentication and session management
• Cookie consent preferences
• Security and fraud prevention

These cookies are necessary for the Site to function and cannot be disabled.

Your Privacy Rights

EU/EEA Visitors (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Union, European Economic Area, United Kingdom, or Switzerland, you have the following rights:

• Right to access: Request a copy of data we hold about you
• Right to rectification: Request correction of inaccurate data
• Right to erasure: Request deletion of your data
• Right to restrict processing: Request limitation of data processing
• Right to data portability: Receive your data in a structured format
• Right to object: Object to processing of your data
• Right to withdraw consent: Withdraw consent for data processing at any time

We use a cookie consent management platform to honor your advertising preferences. You can change your consent settings at any time by clicking "Cookie Settings" in the footer.

California Residents (CCPA/CPRA)

If you are a California resident, you have the right to:

• Know what personal information we collect and how it is used
• Request deletion of your personal information
• Opt out of the "sale" or "sharing" of personal information
• Non-discrimination for exercising your rights

We do not sell personal information. However, advertising partners may use cookies to show personalized ads, which may be considered "sharing" under CCPA. You can opt out via the links in the Advertising section above.

Data Retention

We retain information only as long as necessary to provide our services and comply with legal obligations:

• Authentication data: Retained while your session is active; deleted after logout or session expiration
• Voting data: Retained indefinitely to maintain accurate vote counts
• Analytics data: Retained by Google Analytics per their retention policies (typically 26 months)
• Local tool data: Stored in your browser indefinitely until you clear it

Data Sharing and Third Parties

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We share information only with:

• Service providers: Cloudflare (hosting), Google (analytics and advertising), email providers
• Legal requirements: When required by law, court order, or government request
• Business transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets

Children's Privacy

This Site is intended for adult coaches, parents, and sports professionals. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 (or 16 in the EU). If you believe we have collected data from a child, contact us immediately at [email protected].

International Data Transfers

Our Site is hosted in the United States. If you access the Site from outside the U.S., your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the U.S., which may have different data protection laws than your country. By using the Site, you consent to this transfer.

Security

We implement reasonable security measures to protect your information, including HTTPS encryption and secure authentication. However, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

Third-Party Links

Our Site may contain links to external websites (e.g., PitchGrid App, partner sites). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these sites. Review their privacy policies before providing any information.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. Continued use of the Site after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy. For material changes, we will provide notice on the Site or via email.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, or wish to exercise your privacy rights, contact us:

• Email: [email protected]
• General inquiries: [email protected]
• Mailing address: Available upon request