If you want compliance, the check-in has to be fast. Fast beats fancy.
Most coaches start with something that’s too complicated: multiple forms, long surveys, too many fields, too much friction. Athletes don’t hate logging — they hate logging slowly.
The goal of a daily check‑in isn’t to build a perfect training database. It’s to create a habit that gives you a reliable signal before practice.
The 15‑second template
A good daily check-in takes < 15 seconds and asks only what you will actually use.
- Mileage
- RPE (1–10)
- Optional note
That’s it.
Why these 3 fields work
1) Mileage = what happened
You need the basic load number. It’s not perfect (effort varies), but it’s the baseline for weekly volume trends.
2) RPE = what it cost them
RPE (rate of perceived exertion) is your “hidden load” signal.
If mileage stays steady but RPE trends up, something is going on:
- accumulating fatigue
- stress / sleep issues
- illness coming on
- a kid sandbagging workouts (or the opposite)
3) Note = what you can’t see
Notes are where the gold is:
- “shin’s a little sore”
- “slept 4 hours”
- “stomach felt off”
- “school was brutal today”
This is the stuff that prevents surprises.
How to get compliance (without nagging)
A few rules that consistently work:
- Same time every day. Tie it to an existing routine (after school / after practice / before bed).
- One reminder, not five. If someone misses, you follow up in person once — that’s usually enough.
- Make it coach-visible. Athletes are more consistent when they know you actually look at it.
- Don’t punish honesty. If someone logs “RPE 9” and you roast them, you’ll never get a real RPE again.
What to do with the data (simple workflow)
Here’s a lightweight way to use the check‑in daily:
1) Scan who didn’t log (compliance) 2) Sort by high RPE or “sore/injured” notes 3) Pull 1–2 athletes aside before practice 4) Make a tiny adjustment: easier reps, extra warmup, reduced volume, or a rest day
Over time, you’ll learn who’s reliable and whose numbers need context.
A copy/paste prompt for athletes
If you want language that doesn’t feel like a corporate survey:
- Mileage today:
- RPE (1–10): (1 = easy day, 10 = hardest)
- Anything I should know? (optional)
The punchline
The best check‑in is the one they actually do.
Start simple. You can always add more later — but it’s very hard to recover compliance once you lose it.