Union Berlin Stadium
Union Berlin Logo
Athleads Logo

Modern Scouting, Reinvented: Powering FC Union Berlin's Youth Talent Discovery

How we partnered with 1. FC Union Berlin to co-create an initial prototype of a scouting platform, contributing to the digital enhancement of their youth scouting operations (2022–2023).

1,000+

Scouting reports

200+

Players tracked

400+

Notes created

50+

Shadow Teams

Executive Summary

From 2022 to 2023, we partnered with 1. FC Union Berlin, a Bundesliga club, to digitally enhance their youth scouting operations by co-developing an initial prototype of a scouting platform for their youth department (U12–U19). The primary goal was to provide their scouting team with tools to better assign scouts to matches, create reports, and track player development in real time.

Throughout the partnership, Union Berlin actively used the platform as we worked closely together to iterate and refine the prototype. This collaboration enabled the creation of 1,000+ reports, 200+ player profiles, and 400+ internal notes within a single year.

The collaboration concluded at the end of 2023, providing Union Berlin with a strong foundation and valuable insights to continue evolving their scouting operations.

Union Berlin stadium and fans

About the Club

Union Berlin is a club deeply rooted in community and youth development. With a strong regional focus, their scouting efforts extend across Berlin and the surrounding areas, identifying and nurturing local talent from an early age. Union Berlin's commitment to growth and development has made them a prominent force in both their local community and the wider football world.

The Scouting Challenge

Before our collaboration, Union Berlin's scouting process was hindered by an older, less intuitive tool that made it difficult to efficiently manage and track important scouting information. The system was slow, fragmented, and lacked a structured approach for key tasks like assigning scouts to matches, generating consistent reports, and collaborating effectively. This made it challenging to track player development and manage the scouting process smoothly.

Union Berlin needed a solution that better reflected the real-world demands of scouting—fast-paced, mobile, regional, and user-friendly.

Our Approach: Built With Scouts, For Scouts

We kicked off with field research: sitting with scouts, joining meetings, and mapping out real workflows. The design and development process prioritized:

Mobile-first design for match-day reporting

Fast, minimal UI optimized for in-the-field usage

Real-time data sharing across roles, ensuring scouts could collaborate effectively without influencing each other's assessments

A scout-first mindset with every click had to earn its keep

Clear admin roles to manage, assign matches, and oversee scouts, ensuring smooth coordination and control across the team

Scouts using the Athleads platform

Core Features

Match Assignment

Scouts are assigned by location, with personalized schedules and fixture details.

Scouting Reports

Scouting reports feature custom forms based on Union Berlin's criteria, role-specific fields, consistent data, and mobile usability for quick post-match use.

Player Profiles

Player profiles allow creation from reports, with ongoing views of history, notes, tasks, and multi-scout insights in one place.

Notes & Tasks

Add personal or shared notes, assign tasks (e.g., "Follow up with parent"), and track action items for better coordination.

Shadow Teams (Boards)

Shadow Teams (Boards) allow custom grouping of prospects by region, age, or potential, acting as digital depth charts to help regional leads manage scouting pipelines.

Results (2022–2023)

One year of use delivered measurable results:

200+ Youth Players tracked in the platform (U12-U19)

1,000+ Reports submitted by field scouts

400+ Notes added for context and follow-up

50+ Shadow Teams created to organize prospects by region

100% Adoption across the youth scouting department (U12-U19)

Hours saved weekly from reduced manual coordination

Project Wrap-Up

The partnership with Union Berlin concluded in 2023, with the initial prototype we built serving as a foundational tool for their youth scouting department (U12-U19). The collaboration helped set the stage for continued growth and improvement in their scouting operations.

"This wasn't just about software—it was about supporting scouts where it matters: at the sidelines, in the stands, on the road."

Transform Your Club's Scouting Like Union Berlin

Join the growing network of professional clubs using Athleads to discover talent more efficiently and make better recruitment decisions.