Backup Coach Self-Serve & Handoff Workflow

What & Why

Coaches currently have no way to volunteer specifically as a backup, and assigned/accepted coaches have no clean self-serve path to declare they can't attend. Admins must discover the gap manually and promote a backup by hand. This builds the full loop: coach volunteers as backup → assigned coach flags unavailability → admin is alerted → backup is promoted to primary with minimal friction.

Done looks like

On the Opportunities tab, a coach can click "Volunteer as Backup" on any event position (open or already filled). This creates a backup-intent interest record distinct from a regular "Express Interest" application.
The admin Interest Applications queue shows backup-intent records with a "Backup Volunteer" badge so they can be quickly set as BACKUP without guessing intent.
An ASSIGNED or ACCEPTED coach can tap "I can't make it" from their Assignments tab, enter a short reason, and submit. Their status moves to CANCELLED.
The moment a primary coach cancels: (a) an in-app alert and email goes to all admins, (b) if a backup exists for that role, the alert prominently names them and includes a one-click deep-link to the Interest Applications queue filtered to that event.
The coverage pairing email (already implemented) continues to fire when a backup is first set, so both coaches already have each other's contact info.
The coach's Assignments tab shows BACKUP assignments styled as "Standby" with the event details and a note that they may be called up.
Admins can still manually promote a backup to primary from the Interest Applications queue and from the event staffing panel (no change to existing flow, just improved surfacing).

Out of scope

Automatic promotion of a backup without admin approval (a human always confirms the handoff).
Changes to cost/payroll math — BACKUP assignments remain $0 until promoted to ASSIGNED.
Coach-to-coach direct messaging (they already receive each other's contact info via the existing pairing email).
Any changes to the DECLINE flow for coaches who are only INTEREST_EXPRESSED (that path already works).

Steps

1. "Volunteer as Backup" in the Opportunities tab — Add a secondary action button alongside "Express Interest" on the opportunities list. Tapping it calls the existing endpoint with a new optional body flag. Store this flag on the row (add a boolean column, defaulting false).

2. Admin queue badge for backup-intent records — In the Interest Applications admin page, display a "Backup Volunteer" badge on any record with . Ensure the "Set as Backup" admin action is the most prominent CTA for those records (swap button ordering / add a highlight).

3. "I can't make it" withdrawal for ASSIGNED and ACCEPTED coaches — In the Assignments tab of the Coach Portal, add a "I can't make it" action for any assignment in ASSIGNED or ACCEPTED status. Show a modal requiring a short reason (10–500 chars). On confirm, call a new endpoint that transitions the status to CANCELLED, records the reason, and fires the admin alert.

4. Admin alert on primary withdrawal — In the withdrawal endpoint, after cancelling the primary, check whether a BACKUP record exists for the same . Send an in-app notification and an admin email using the existing notification/email infrastructure. If a backup exists, include their name and a deep-link to in the alert body.

5. Standby display in the Coach Portal Assignments tab — Query and display the coach's BACKUP assignments in their Assignments tab with a "Standby" status chip. Show event name, date, role, and a tooltip explaining they will be contacted if the primary withdraws. No additional actions on the standby row (they are not yet locked-in).

Relevant files

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Thursday, June 11, 2026