Setting Player Availability

The lineup generator needs to know which players are attending each game. Marking attendance correctly ensures the algorithm builds a lineup using only the players who will actually be there.

How Attendance Works in the Premium Version

Premium users who have a saved team roster get a dedicated Attendance step in the lineup generator.

The Attendance Step

When you select your team and start building a lineup, the Attendance step shows every player on your roster with a checkbox next to their name.

Checked = player is attending and will be included in the lineup
Unchecked = player is absent and will be excluded

It is that simple. Check the players who are coming, uncheck the ones who are not, and move on to the next step.

Loading a Previous Roster

Premium users can load the attendance from a previous game as a starting point. This saves time when the same group of players shows up game after game. Load last game's roster, make any changes (uncheck the one kid who is on vacation, check the one who was sick last time), and you are ready to go.

All Roster Players Start Checked

By default, every player on your roster is checked as attending. This means if your whole team is showing up, you do not need to change anything. Just confirm and move to the next step.

How Attendance Works in the Free/Public Version

The free version of the lineup generator does not have an attendance step. All players you add to your roster during setup are included in the lineup by default. There is no way to exclude individual players other than removing them from the roster entirely.

If a player is not coming, simply do not add them when you build your roster.

How Attendance Affects the Lineup

The number of available players directly determines how much playing time each person gets.

Fewer Players = More Innings Per Player

This is straightforward math. In a 6-inning game with 9 positions:

9 players attending: Everyone plays every inning. No bench time at all.
10 players attending: 1 player sits each inning. Everyone plays 5 or 6 innings.
12 players attending: 3 players sit each inning. Everyone plays 4 or 5 innings.
15 players attending: 6 players sit each inning. Everyone plays 3 or 4 innings.

When a player you expected to attend does not show up, the remaining players each get a bit more playing time. The algorithm handles this automatically based on who you mark as attending.

The Algorithm Adjusts Automatically

You do not need to manually recalculate anything when attendance changes. Mark who is coming, generate the lineup, and the algorithm distributes playing time fairly among the available players. If you already generated a lineup and need to change attendance, just go back to the attendance step, update the checkboxes, and regenerate.

Coaching Tips for Managing Attendance

Confirm Attendance Before You Build the Lineup

The best time to generate your lineup is after you have confirmed who is attending. Send a group text or email the day before the game asking parents to confirm. This prevents the frustrating situation of generating a lineup, printing it out, and then having to redo everything at the field because two players did not show up.

Have a Plan for Low Attendance

If you regularly have games where only 8 or 9 players show up, you may need to adjust your approach:

With exactly 9 players, everyone plays every inning. The lineup generator still helps by assigning positions and building the batting order.
With 8 or fewer, you may need to borrow a player from another team depending on your league rules. Generate the lineup with whoever you have and adjust positions manually if needed.

Communicate Playing Time Impact to Parents

Parents sometimes do not realize that attendance directly affects playing time for the whole team. When 15 players show up, each kid plays about 3 or 4 innings. When 11 show up, each kid plays 4 or 5. Helping parents understand this math reduces complaints about bench time.

Be Consistent About Expectations

Set a team policy at the beginning of the season about how and when to communicate attendance. Whether it is a text the night before or an email 48 hours out, consistency makes your life easier and helps families plan.

Troubleshooting

A Player Was Marked Absent but Showed Up

Go back to the attendance step, check that player's box, and regenerate the lineup. The algorithm will include them in the new version.

A Player Was Marked Present but Did Not Show

Go back to the attendance step, uncheck that player, and regenerate. The remaining players will each get slightly more playing time.

I Already Printed the Lineup and Need to Make Changes

If a player's status changes after you have printed, you have two options:

Regenerate and reprint (ideal if you have time)
Make manual adjustments on your printed lineup card, redistributing the absent player's positions among bench players for each inning

Using the Lineup Generator - Full lineup guide
Position Preferences and Constraints - Set position rules
Equal Playing Time Settings - How playing time is balanced