diff --git a/app/routers_v3/players.py b/app/routers_v3/players.py
index 9930cb7..c3a8218 100644
--- a/app/routers_v3/players.py
+++ b/app/routers_v3/players.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import pydantic
 from pandas import DataFrame
 
 from ..db_engine import db, Player, model_to_dict, chunked, fn, complex_data_to_csv
-from ..dependencies import add_cache_headers, cache_result, oauth2_scheme, valid_token, PRIVATE_IN_SCHEMA, handle_db_errors
+from ..dependencies import add_cache_headers, cache_result, oauth2_scheme, valid_token, PRIVATE_IN_SCHEMA, handle_db_errors, invalidate_cache
 
 logger = logging.getLogger('discord_app')
 
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ class PlayerList(pydantic.BaseModel):
 
 @router.get('')
 @handle_db_errors
-@add_cache_headers(max_age=10*60)
+@add_cache_headers(max_age=30*60)  # 30 minutes - safe with cache invalidation on writes
 async def get_players(
         season: Optional[int], name: Optional[str] = None, team_id: list = Query(default=None),
         pos: list = Query(default=None), strat_code: list = Query(default=None), is_injured: Optional[bool] = None,
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ async def get_players(
 
 @router.get('/search')
 @handle_db_errors
-@add_cache_headers(max_age=5*60)
+@add_cache_headers(max_age=15*60)  # 15 minutes - safe with cache invalidation on writes
 async def search_players(
         q: str = Query(..., description="Search query for player name"),
         season: Optional[int] = Query(default=None, description="Season to search in (defaults to current)"),
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ async def search_players(
 
 @router.get('/{player_id}')
 @handle_db_errors
-@add_cache_headers(max_age=10*60)
+@add_cache_headers(max_age=30*60)  # 30 minutes - safe with cache invalidation on writes
 async def get_one_player(player_id: int, short_output: Optional[bool] = False):
     this_player = Player.get_or_none(Player.id == player_id)
     if this_player:
@@ -203,6 +203,12 @@ async def put_player(
     Player.update(**new_player.dict()).where(Player.id == player_id).execute()
     r_player = model_to_dict(Player.get_by_id(player_id))
     db.close()
+
+    # Invalidate player-related cache entries
+    invalidate_cache("api:get_players*")
+    invalidate_cache("api:search_players*")
+    invalidate_cache(f"api:get_one_player*{player_id}*")
+
     return r_player
 
 
@@ -268,7 +274,7 @@ async def patch_player(
         this_player.headshot = headshot
 
     if il_return is not None:
-        this_player.il_return = None if il_return == '' else il_return
+        this_player.il_return = None if not il_return or il_return.lower() == 'none' else il_return
     if demotion_week is not None:
         this_player.demotion_week = demotion_week
     if strat_code is not None:
@@ -283,6 +289,12 @@ async def patch_player(
     if this_player.save() == 1:
         r_player = model_to_dict(this_player)
         db.close()
+
+        # Invalidate player-related cache entries
+        invalidate_cache("api:get_players*")
+        invalidate_cache("api:search_players*")
+        invalidate_cache(f"api:get_one_player*{player_id}*")
+
         return r_player
     else:
         db.close()
@@ -313,6 +325,11 @@ async def post_players(p_list: PlayerList, token: str = Depends(oauth2_scheme)):
             Player.insert_many(batch).on_conflict_ignore().execute()
     db.close()
 
+    # Invalidate player-related cache entries
+    invalidate_cache("api:get_players*")
+    invalidate_cache("api:search_players*")
+    invalidate_cache("api:get_one_player*")
+
     return f'Inserted {len(new_players)} players'
 
 
@@ -332,6 +349,11 @@ async def delete_player(player_id: int, token: str = Depends(oauth2_scheme)):
     db.close()
 
     if count == 1:
+        # Invalidate player-related cache entries
+        invalidate_cache("api:get_players*")
+        invalidate_cache("api:search_players*")
+        invalidate_cache(f"api:get_one_player*{player_id}*")
+
         return f'Player {player_id} has been deleted'
     else:
         raise HTTPException(status_code=500, detail=f'Player {player_id} could not be deleted')