Say your school has two teams in one game, a team in another game, and a substitute or two for each. Over the holidays, a student changes their email, a captain can't make a match, and a keen new player wants to join halfway through the term. You can manage all of that once you keep four things clear: the student's account, the team roster, the match line-up and who has permission to change each one.
What's the difference between a student account and a team roster?
An account is the student's sign-in identity. A roster lists the players and substitutes entered for one team in one tournament, with their roster emails and game usernames. The School Esports demo's guide says these are separate records: changing an account name doesn't necessarily correct a roster (team management guide). If a team disappears after an email change, check both records. Avoid creating a second account for the same player.
For each entry, keep a simple note of the team label, game and division, rostered players and substitutes, captain, responsible teacher and current status. Use the platform record as your reference point, and keep private roster details there instead of passing them on to opponents.
Can a student play for two teams at the same school?
It depends on the event. School Esports checks for duplicate participation in the same tournament game at registration (student teams guide). Don't assume a player can move between two teams in that game. Multi-game, cross-event or different-division participation still comes down to the competition's rules. Check those before registering.
Is a substitute the same as a roster change?
No. Listing a substitute on the registered roster, changing who plays in a particular match and editing the registered roster are different actions. There's no universal rule that makes them interchangeable. Before the season starts, check with the organiser who can be listed as a substitute, when match line-ups need to be declared, whether roster changes have a deadline and who approves late or emergency changes.
Who at the school can change a roster?
Whoever has that permission recorded, which isn't automatically every teacher. Approved teachers can take school-wide match actions, while roster management permissions are separate (teacher setup guide). Having another teacher ready for match days helps, so one captain isn't left sorting every problem. Just check who can actually edit the rosters.
Students can share the load too. In his 6 October 2026 interview, School Esports founder Jonathan Jansen describes coordinators as "the champions and passionate students within every school who teachers can trust with some extra leadership responsibilities." In his account, they can handle roster changes, approve teams without billing requirements, help with match approvals and rescheduling, and submit or confirm scores where the event allows it. Reschedules still need opponent acceptance and a recorded fixture update (rescheduling guide). He says billing data, fee-bearing approvals, school or monetary consequences, and disciplinary actions remain with teachers. Keep school financial authority with authorised adults, and take competition restrictions to the organiser. The public demo guide separately limits coordinator tools to enabled, permitted school events, appointment duration and responsible-teacher scope (student coordinators guide).
What should I check before and after a roster change?
Before making a change, check that you're in the right event and team, the student belongs to your school, required fields are complete and the change fits the displayed limits and your permissions. Afterwards, check the saved roster, the entry's status and any match arrangements it affects. An approved entry has passed the current checks; it still doesn't guarantee a fixture (team status guide).
If something stops the change, talk to the organiser. Creating another account or team to get around a restriction makes more work instead of fixing it. Personal supporting details, such as a student ID, belong in the authorised route, never in a match chat.
Can I reuse last season's team?
Yes, where the platform offers it, as a starting point. The demo guide describes previous-team reuse when offered and bulk entry through its template and validation steps (team management guide). Both still follow the event's approval and eligibility requirements. Roster limits, duplicate checks, school affiliation locks and disciplinary restrictions still apply. Before submitting, recheck each student's school, emails, game usernames, eligibility, roles and permissions. Don't treat last term's approval as transferred or bulk entry as a general account import.
Rosters on School Esports
School Esports demo guides describe separate account and tournament-roster records and available roster controls for authorised users, with player and substitute limits, previous-team reuse when offered, and template-based bulk entry subject to validation. See managing school teams and rosters and student entries. New to the platform? Start with school esports registration and teacher onboarding.
You can also read about running multiple games and divisions.
For changes during the season, read about byes, withdrawals and late entries.
