Skip to main content
Where to find this: Dashboard → Inbox → Create New → In-App

​
What are In-App messages?

In-App messages are your direct line to athletes through the CoachIQ platform. These messages appear in the athlete’s app and portal, creating a private conversation thread between you and your athletes - similar to texting but without the phone charges.

​
Why use In-App messages?

Free messaging

No per-message costs, unlike SMS. Send unlimited messages without worrying about fees.

Rich attachments

Attach forms, sessions, products, and media directly in your messages.

Two-way conversation

Athletes can reply, creating ongoing dialogue for feedback and questions.

Multi-platform delivery

Messages appear in both the mobile app and web portal, plus email notifications.

​
Prerequisites

Important: Athletes must have either:
  • The CoachIQ mobile app installed, OR
  • An active profile in the athlete portal
Athletes without either will not receive In-App messages.

​
Sending an In-App message

1

Open the message composer

Navigate to your Inbox and click Create New. Select In-App from the message type options.
CoachIQ Inbox with Create New menu open showing the In-App message option
2

Select your recipients

In the “Send to” field, you can:
  • Type an athlete’s name to message them individually
  • Select multiple athletes for a group message
  • Use tags to message predefined groups
  • Choose roles (Admin, User, Customer)
Start typing and CoachIQ will suggest matching athletes from your database.
3

Compose your message

Write in Your message.If you paste a URL into an In-App thread and send it, the sent bubble shows that URL as a blue, underlined hyperlink (not plain text). The conversation preview may truncate the URL.
Inbox composer with a pasted URL in Your message
Sent In-App message with the URL as a blue underlined hyperlink
4

Add attachments (optional)

Click the + Attach button to include:
  • Forms: Collect information or feedback
  • Media: Share videos or images for instruction
  • Products: Allow direct purchase or signup
  • Scheduler: Enable instant session booking
CoachIQ message composer showing attachment options for forms, media, products, and sessions
5

Send the message

Click Send to deliver your message. Athletes will receive:
  • An in-app notification (if they have the app)
  • A portal notification (if they use the web version)
  • An email notification to their registered address
Success! Your message is delivered instantly across all platforms.

​
How athletes receive In-App messages

​
Mobile app users

  • Push notification appears on their phone
  • Message shows in the Inbox/Channels section
  • Can reply directly from the app

​
Portal users

  • Notification appears when they log in
  • Message visible in their inbox
  • Can reply from the web interface

​
Email notifications

All In-App messages trigger an email to ensure athletes don’t miss important communications, even if they haven’t opened the app recently.

​
Managing In-App conversations

​
Viewing replies

  • Replies appear in your main Inbox view
  • Conversations maintain full thread history
  • New replies trigger notifications to you

​
Continuing conversations

Simply click on any existing conversation to:
  • View the full message history
  • Send follow-up messages
  • Add new attachments
  • See when messages were read

​
Messages CoachIQ sends on an athlete’s behalf

One In-App message is written by the system, not the athlete. When an athlete tries to book a credit-based scheduler and does not have enough credits, CoachIQ sends you an In-App message from that athlete’s account asking for credits. It reads along the lines of: “Hi! I’d like to book [scheduler] on [date · time], but I’m 1 credit short. Could you add credits to my account? Thanks!” Treat it as a booking request. Add the credits from the athlete’s profile (see Managing athlete credits), then reply in the same thread so they know to book.

​
Best practices

Choose In-App when:
  • Sending regular updates or feedback
  • Cost is a consideration
  • You need rich attachments
  • The message isn’t time-critical
Choose SMS when:
  • It’s urgent (practice cancelled, last-minute changes)
  • You’re unsure if the athlete checks the app
  • You need to reach parents who don’t use the app
  • Be personal: Use the athlete’s name and reference specific situations
  • Add value: Include helpful attachments like drill videos or booking links
  • Set expectations: Let athletes know if you need a reply
  • Time it right: Send technique feedback soon after practice while it’s fresh
  • Forms: Great for collecting feedback after sessions
  • Schedulers: Perfect for filling last-minute cancellations
  • Media: Ideal for sharing technique videos or progress photos
  • Products: Useful for promoting camps or special programs

​
Common questions

No, once an In-App message is sent, it cannot be deleted. This maintains conversation integrity and accountability.
No, when you send to multiple recipients, each conversation remains private between you and each individual athlete.
They won’t receive In-App messages. You’ll need to use SMS or ensure they set up their athlete portal access.
In-App messages can be up to 15,000 characters, which is far more than any normal message needs. The counter under the composer shows how much room is left.
Yes, if parents have their own profile in the system with app or portal access.

​
Pro tips

Quick feedback loop: After each training session, send personalized In-App messages to 2-3 athletes with specific feedback. This builds strong coach-athlete relationships.
Attachment combo: Pair a form with a session scheduler - “Please fill out this injury prevention form, then book your recovery session.”
Template messages: Keep common messages in a notes app to copy/paste, like session reminders or homework assignments.

​
Limitations to remember

  • Athletes must have app or portal access
  • Messages cannot be deleted once sent
  • No read receipts (you can’t see if the message was read)
  • Attachments appear as cards/links, not embedded content