The first half of this year was a big one for us. Our product team didn’t just launch new features; we reintroduced ourselves to the world under a new name. CaptainU officially relaunched as Stack Athlete, a move designed to better reflect our mission and to plug athletes more seamlessly into the broader Stack Sports ecosystem. Here’s a concise look at what changed from January through June, and how it benefits athletes, parents, and coaches.
The Rebrand: From CaptainU to Stack Athlete
On May 20, 2025, CaptainU relaunched as Stack Athlete. Why the change? Two reasons: clarity and connection.
- Clarity of purpose: The new name puts the athlete at the center, underscoring our commitment to helping you stay connected across the entire recruiting journey, from building your profile to communicating with coaches and staying organized with your progress.
- Connection to Stack Sports: The rebrand enhances our integration with the Stack Sports connected suite of services, unlocking new partnerships, resources, and reach that directly benefit our users.
On our website today, you’ll see that the focus is front and center: create a free or premium profile, get step-by-step guidance, and send direct messages to coaches, with tools and templates that keep your recruiting journey moving forward. https://stackathlete.com/
What We Launched in H1 (January–June)
1) A Cleaner On-Ramp: Easier Profile Development
Getting started should be simple. That’s why new athletes can spin up a free recruiting profile and automatically try premium features for two weeks. No contracts and no payment info required to begin. This lets families experience a sample of the full toolkit before upgrading. Our new look helps you share your pictures, video highlights, and academic accomplishments with ease.
Why it matters: Faster time-to-value. You can test drive advanced features (like enhanced messaging and visibility) without friction.
2) Messaging That Moves the Ball Forward
A huge part of recruiting lies within your communication efforts. On our platform, athletes can send direct messages to college coaches, supported by ready-to-use templates and step-by-step guidance so you always know what to say and when. It’s built to keep you proactive without being overwhelming.
Why it matters: Consistent, quality outreach is what earns attention. Templates and guidance help you develop strong habits and save time.
3) Content & Education: Always-On Recruiting Coaching
We continued publishing practical content to help you understand the recruiting process, set goals, and avoid common pitfalls, like what to include in your first messages or how to roadmap your search by grade level and season. You’ll find articles, video tutorials, and step-by-step explainers throughout our resource hub and blog.
Why it matters: Great tools are only great if you know how to use them. Education turns features into outcomes.
4) Built-In Ecosystem Benefits (Sports Connect & More)
Through Stack Sports, we’re continuing to link services with complementary platforms, such as Sports Connect, which make life easier for administrators, coaches, and families. These connections improve data flow and reduce duplicate effort across the youth sports journey, from roster building to exposure.
Why it matters: Less time on admin, more time on development and recruiting.
What the Rebrand Unlocks (Beyond the Logo)
Rebrands can feel cosmetic from the outside. This one isn’t.
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- Unified Experience: The Stack Athlete identity aligns product, content, and partnerships under one roof. That means faster iteration and clearer roadmaps.
- Stronger Coach Network: Our platform emphasizes direct messaging and event exposure, supported by Stack Sports’ vast footprint in youth and collegiate sports.
- Trust & Transparency: From free-to-premium clarity to no-contract commitments and trial periods, the rebrand emphasizes our commitment to the athlete journey.
How It All Comes Together for Families
If you’re just getting started:
– Create your free profile, upload your highlights, and use the built-in guidance to craft your first outreach. Leverage your premium trial to help you build momentum quickly.
If you’re mid-process:
– Level up to premium for more robust messaging and tracking. Use our templates and content to improve your cadence and quality of communication with coaches.
If you’re a coach or club:
– Use our team tools to centralize athlete progress, advise players on next steps, and connect your rosters to college programs efficiently.
What’s Next
The first half of 2025 set the tone: clearer plans, smoother onboarding, stronger guidance, and a brand that reflects our athlete-first mission. As we head into the back half of the year, we’re focused on deepening college coach connectivity, expanding educational resources, and continuing to streamline the workflow for athletes, parents, and coaches.
If you haven’t checked out the new experience yet, start with a free profile and see what’s possible. We’re here with tools, templates, and support at every step!
Have any questions? Please contact our team by sending an email to [email protected], and we’ll be in touch!
