Quite possibly the worst soccer website ever

By: Angie

UPDATE 11/03/09: OASA recently updated their site [screenshot]. While an improvement it's still a poor website. Not one single page beyond the home page loads and they still don't get how to properly use affiliate / association logos. Oy.

When it comes to adult sports, more often than not, things are run on a volunteer basis. This becomes especially evident when visiting a league or sport organization website. And the Oregon Adult Soccer Association is a "shining" example of this.

As a member of this organization this site is embarrassing, especially given the quality of similar or related organizations' websites ^[1]. Worse, just about everyone I've talked to about it has told me the same thing: "It sucks and I can never find anything on it." I guess, after quickly (and I mean REALLY quickly) taking a peek under the hood, I shouldn't be surprised by it all:

That's right. This poor site was created and maintained using Microsoft Frontpage - sub-par website creation software that Microsoft discontinued in 2006. But that's one little detail that perhaps doesn't matter (though I've never heard of a quality, professional web designer using FrontPage).

And as a designer whose background is in print and identity design, it pains me to see their logo essentially dragged through the mud on this site. While the logo does feel a bit dated, what pains me is that it was created by one of the – if not the – top logo/identity designers in the Northwest, Jeff Fisher. I don't know Jeff personally but he's well-known across the nation for his work and publications. If he had designed my organization's logo, I'd make damn sure that our website looked just as good. But I digress.

I would wager that the primary reason the OASA site hasn't been touched by a professional web developer (because no professional web designer calls him- or herself "webmaster") is cost. Taking a good look at the site, it's not exactly a small site. There's a lot to it and it needs to be organized (i.e., it needs information architecture). Further, they've attempted to include a Spanish version but it's limited to a few pages when really the entire site should be duplicated and translated. That's called internationalization and it's no easy task. All of that, and a makeover won't come for a few hundred bucks. And that doesn't include on-going updates, which they're clearly doing in-house. The cost-prohibitive argument is a valid one but only to a degree. Having a professional web design company clean up and polish the site on all levels can bring in more interest. People all too often under-estimate the impact good design has on site visitors. What's more, with the implementation of a solid content management system, the regular updates – in more than one language even – becomes a lot easier.

Clearly this website could use a lot of help. And not just in terms of look and feel (though that would be a huge boost). The biggest issue plaguing that site is poor usability and poor information architecture. A good look at those things – even if the design stayed plain Jane – would improve the quality and make it so much easier for its own members to find the info they need which is probably the biggest reason this site exists (a second one being the desire to recruit new players). I can think of a handful of features that could help the organization and its members to really make it feel like a community. Here's to hoping the organization will wise up and hire a professional web designer.