Voice & identity
Writing about people
Name the role accurately. The wrong word changes who feels responsible and who feels blamed.
Roles
| Term | Who | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Organizer | B2B customer: race director, event company, staff using business.* | Business, client, vendor, user |
| Participant | Person who took part in an event (feedback, roster) | User, customer |
| Athlete | Person who reviews or discovers events on public pages | User, consumer |
| Team member | Staff on an organizer account with ACL roles | Sub-user, seat |
Inclusive language
- Welcome first-timers and veterans — no gatekeeping ("serious athletes only")
- Avoid gender-defaulting ("guys", "manpower")
- Disability: person-first when relevant; do not use disability as metaphor
- Do not blame participants for data problems ("you failed to verify") — see error rules
Organizer communications
Professional register. Address the organizer as a partner running a complex operation — not a beginner who needs cheerleading.
- Do: Here is what participants said about aid stations on your last event.
- Don't: Wow, you got so many reviews!
Participant / feedback surfaces
Minimal copy. Organizer branding where configured. No Sporting Scouter marketing voice on feedback.* — the organizer's event is the subject.
Sporting Scouter Content Style Guide
Component-enforceable rules: design-system.sportingscouter.com/voice. Tokens from
packages/config/tailwind/theme.css.