How-To Guide for Coaches

Five steps. Do them in order and you will have a team, a playbook, one play of your own, and your staff on board.

1.Sign up. Go to thezone.live/auth and tap Sign Up. Enter your Coach Name, Email, and Password, then tap Create Account. Check your inbox and confirm your email before you go further. Coming back later? Use Sign In, then Enter The Zone.

2.Create your team. Onboarding asks you first thing. Tap Create a team, type your Team name, pick Tackle or 7v7, and tap Create team. If another coach already made the team, use Join with invite code and tap Join team instead.

3.Install a scheme or template. Onboarding gives you Browse templates or Start blank. Browse if you want a head start. You can also do it later: in the Library tab, pick a scheme and tap Install this scheme. Or in the Plays tab, tap Templates, then Preview, then Load.

4.Create your first custom play. Go to the Plays tab. Tap New play, pick a formation, type a name, tap Start drawing, draw it, and tap Save play. Section 1 walks through every step.

5.Invite your staff. Go to the Staff tab and tap Invite Staff. Pick a Role and a Side (Both, Offense, or Defense). Email is optional. Tap Copy Link and send it to your coach.

Draw your own plays, the way you run them, and give every kid his assignment.

Where: Plays tab, play editor · WHO Head coach, or a coordinator for his own side

1.Open the Plays tab and go to the play editor. Tap New play. To change a play you already have, use Edit a play. To start from one you already have, use Copy a play.

2.Under Formation, tap a formation.

3.Type a Play name.

4.Tap Start drawing. It stays greyed out until you have picked a formation and typed a name. If you see “No formations yet. Open Manage formations in the playbook.”, build one first (Section 8).

5.Move a player: drag his circle where you want him.

6.Draw a route: tap the player, then tap spots on the field in order. Each tap adds a point.

7.Fix a route: drag the points. Undo last point takes back the last tap. Clear path wipes the whole route.

8.Show where the ball goes: tap Ball path, then tap the field in order.

9.Give each kid his job. Tap a player and his panel opens below the field. Set his route or block, mark him Ball carrier (only one at a time), type his Assignment, or tap Remove to take him off the play. With nobody tapped, the panel says “Tap a player to edit his assignment.”

10.Open Play details if you need it. It is folded by default. It holds Play name, Category, Formation, and Description. Heads up: changing the formation, or tapping Reset to formation, restarts the drawing.

11.Check it. On the bottom bar, tap Preview to watch the play run. It turns into Pause while it runs. Drag the Timeline slider to step through it.

12.Tap Save play on the bottom bar. You will see “Play saved to your board.”

Leaving before you save Tap Back and the app asks “Discard unsaved changes to this play?” Back to playbook warns you too.

What's easier now No Move/Draw switch. Drag to move, tap to draw. Formations are built on their own Manage formations screen. Add position lives there now. One panel for the player you tapped, not a grid of every assignment. The steps go in order: choose, name, draw, save. Save play is always on the bottom bar. You get a warning before you lose unsaved work.

Get your account made and your team set up. It takes a couple of minutes.

Where: thezone.live/auth, then onboarding

1.Tap Sign Up. Enter Coach Name, Email, and Password. Tap Create Account.

2.Confirm your email. New accounts have to do this first.

3.Next time, tap Sign In and then Enter The Zone.

4.In onboarding, tap Create a team. Enter a Team name, pick Tackle or 7v7, and tap Create team.

5.Joining someone else's team? Tap Join with invite code, enter it, and tap Join team.

6.Last step: Browse templates to start with plays, or Start blank.

Bring your coaches in and control what each one can touch.

Where: Teams page (from the team-name dropdown) and the Staff tab

1.Open the team-name dropdown and go to the Teams page.

2.Head coach only: you will see the team join code. Anyone who joins with it comes in as a Viewer. Tap Regenerate code if you want a new one.

3.To add a coach with a real role, go to the Staff tab and tap Invite Staff.

4.Pick a Role and a Side: Both, Offense, or Defense. Email is optional.

5.Tap Copy Link and send it to that coach.

6.Who can do what is on the roles page near the back.

Everything lives in tabs across the team page. Here is where each one is covered.

Where: Top of the team page

Overview; Roster (Section 5); Evaluation (Section 6); Boards (Section 11); Plays (Sections 1, 8, 9, 10); Signals (Section 17); Library (Section 9); Lineup (Section 7); Live Call (Sections 13, 15); Staff (Sections 3, 21); Game Mode (Sections 9, 15); Playbook (Sections 12, 14); Tracker (Section 16); Homework (Section 20); Print (Section 14); Snaps (Section 15); Scout (Section 18); Practice (Section 19).

Along the top you also have Feedback, Sign Out, and a status that reads Synced, Syncing, or Offline.

Keep every kid's number, name, and grade in one place, and rate him so you know where he fits.

Where: Roster tab

1.Tap Add Player. Enter #, First, Last, and Grade. Tap Save Player.

2.Got a list already? Use Bulk Add or Import CSV. Export CSV gets it back out.

3.Use search to find a kid. Use the Team 1, Team 2, Team 3 filters to narrow the list.

4.Tap a player to open him. Rate his Traits from 1 to 5: Speed, Size, Throw, Catch, Shifty, Tackle.

5.Under Positions Repped, mark each spot Never, Learning, or Knows It.

6.Check Position Fit and Top Fits to see where he belongs.

Run tryouts or evaluation day, score the drills, and get a suggested depth chart out of it.

Where: Evaluation tab

1.Set the Tested date.

2.Go to Drills. Use the Drill Battery and Evaluation Day scoring.

3.Check Safety Flags.

4.Open Depth Chart and look at the Suggested Depth Chart.

5.Need it on paper or in a spreadsheet? Tap Print Sheet or Export CSV.

Put kids in spots and save the lineup so you are not redoing it every week.

Where: Lineup tab

1.Tap New lineup.

2.Tap Auto-fill to fill it for you, or tap a spot and pick a player.

3.Give the lineup a name.

4.Tap Save lineup. Tap Delete to get rid of one.

Build the formations your plays start from. You need at least one before you can draw a play.

Where: Plays tab, Manage formations

1.Go to the Plays tab and tap Manage formations.

2.Tap New formation, or tap one you already have.

3.Type the Formation name.

4.Drag players into place.

5.Need another body? Tap Add position (a TE, for example), then Add player.

6.To take one out, tap the player and tap Remove (it shows his position, like Remove TE).

7.Tap Save as new formation or Update this formation.

8.Delete formation asks you first. Plays that use it keep their spots.

Start with a full scheme instead of drawing everything yourself, then study it and call from it.

Where: Library tab (templates are on the Plays tab)

Install a scheme

1.In the Library tab, pick a scheme.

2.Tap Install this scheme.

3.Study it with Flip, Next, and Roster scores.

Offense Call Builder

1.Pick Formation, then Play, then Direction, then Tag.

2.Enter the game, yards, and down. Tap Log play.

3.It shows your tendencies. It warns you with “Same play called three times in a row.”

Defense

1.In Game Mode, pick a call and tap Log play.

2.Use the Blitz log. Tap Print when you need it on paper.

Starter templates

1.In the Plays tab, tap Templates.

2.Tap Preview to look, then Load to bring it in.

Watch plays run so kids can see them move. Scan your old paper plays in instead of redrawing them.

Where: Plays tab

1.Pick a Formation, an Opposing front if you want one, and a play.

2.Use Play, Pause, Replay, and Reset. Drag the Play progress slider to step through it.

3.Open Assignments to see each kid's job.

4.Type a Call sign and tap Save call sign.

5.To scan plays (Scan plays): choose photos or a PDF, and tap Scan and build plays.

A board is the set of plays you are actually running. Build one, put the plays in order, and make it active.

Where: Boards tab

1.Tap New Board.

2.Enter a Board name. Pick a Base scheme, or Start empty.

3.Choose the formations, plays, and positions you want on it.

4.Drag plays into the order you want.

5.Tap Create Board (or Save Board when editing).

6.Tap Use to make it the Active board.

Keep your calls and your verbiage in one book you can search fast.

Where: Playbook tab

1.Choose a book.

2.Use Search calls to find one.

3.Tap + Add play to add a call, or Edit to change one. Tap Save.

4.Check the Verbiage key so everyone says it the same way.

Call and log the game as it happens, and let the app show you what is working.

Where: Live Call tab

1.Tap Open Game. Enter the Opponent and Date. Tap Start Game.

2.Set the Quarter, Down, and formation.

3.First time? Tap Edit calls. Enter your Formations, Run calls, and Pass calls, one per line. Tap Save.

4.Pick the play. Then log the result: Gain Size, Hot/Cold, QB #, Receiver #, Ball carrier #, Yards.

5.Tap Log Play, or Incomplete.

6.On defense, log what they ran: Run or Pass, and Left, Middle, or Right.

7.Made a mistake? Undo Last, Fix, or Delete.

8.Watch The Read and Tendencies for suggestions. If you scouted this team, “Their tendency now.” shows here too.

Print wristbands for your players and a call sheet for you, straight from your plays.

Where: Print tab

Wristbands

1.Tap New wristband.

2.Set the Name, Size, Grid (rows x columns), First number, and Colors. Add a Matching coach card if you want one.

3.Choose your plays. Add all shown grabs everything on the screen. Add your Signal calls too.

4.Tap Save wristband.

5.Make versions A, B, and C.

6.Use it on game day.

Sideline call sheet

1.Choose a Playbook.

2.Tap Print / Save PDF.

Know who has played and how much. The app flags kids who are low on snaps and kids who need rest.

Where: Game Mode, Live Call, and Snaps tabs

In Game Mode

1.Enter the Opponent and tap New game.

2.Put players in the field spots.

3.Tap Snap +1 every snap. Undo takes one back.

4.Watch for flags on low snaps and kids who need rest.

In Live Call

1.Track On field and subs.

2.Mark each kid Playing, Absent, or Injured.

3.Tap + Special teams snap when you need it. Open Report to see the numbers.

Set your rule (Snaps tab)

1.Turn the Rule on. Set Plays per game, your counting choices, and the Halftime checkpoint %.

2.Tap Save rule.

3.Pick a game, then Print or Export CSV.

Log every call during the game and get a summary when it is over.

Where: Tracker tab

1.Pick your Active playbook.

2.Tap Start game.

3.Log each call as you make it.

4.Check Play by play. Use Edit or Delete to fix a call.

5.After the game, look at the Game summary and By front. Tap Export CSV to keep it.

Set up your sideline signals, print them, and quiz your kids until they know them.

Where: Signals tab

Build your signals

1.Tap + Add call, fill it in, and tap Add.

2.Open a call to change it. Tap Save call or Delete.

3.Tap Print sheet for a paper copy.

Study & Quiz

1.Pick Who is studying?

2.Tap Reveal, then I knew it or Missed it.

3.Check the Keeps missing list to see what still needs work.

Chart what your opponent does, build a report, and see their tendencies during the game.

Where: Scout tab

1.Tap Add opponent. Enter Name, Level, Colors, and Notes. Tap Save.

2.Open the opponent.

3.Log their plays: quarter, down, distance, hash, field zone, play type, and direction.

4.Open the Report. Tap Print, or share it with a Staff link.

5.On game day, Live Call shows “Their tendency now.”

Plan practice by the minute, script your reps, and run it from the field.

Where: Practice tab

1.Tap New plan. Enter a Plan name, Location, and Focus/notes.

2.Tap + Add period. Set the Minutes, the Period focus, and Pick a drill.

3.Build the script: tap Auto-generate, or add reps one at a time with + Rep.

4.Tap Save. Tap Save as template to reuse it. Tap Print for paper.

5.At practice, open On-field mode, tap Start practice, and tap Next to move on.

6.In the drill library, use Save drill or Save to my drills to keep the ones you like.

Send players plays and signals to study at home, and see who actually did it.

Where: Homework tab

1.Tap + New homework. Enter a Title, Due date, and Side.

2.Pick the plays and signal calls.

3.Assign it to the Whole roster, a Position group, or Specific players. Tap Assign homework.

4.Track Status, Score, and Attempts for each kid.

5.Tap Copy reminder text to nudge the ones who have not done it.

6.Players open their own link and take the quiz. They see “Correct!” or “Not quite...” and can tap Retake.

Send a read-only playbook, or one player's own assignments, with a link. Players need no account.

Where: Staff tab, Share Links

1.Go to the Staff tab and open Share Links.

2.For a read-only playbook, pick Board and tap Create board link.

3.For one player's own assignments, pick Player and tap Create player link.

4.Tap Copy Link and send it. Players need no account.

5.Use Turn Off to shut a link down, and Turn On to bring it back.

6.A dead or wrong link shows “Link not found or expired.”

The small stuff you will still need.

Where: Top bar and bottom-right corner

Feedback

1.Tap Feedback at the top. Pick Request or Review. Tap Send.

Light or dark mode

1.Tap the sun/moon button in the bottom right.

Forgot your password

1.Tap Forgot password? and check your email for the link.

2.Open it, then Set a new password and tap Save password.

Sync status

1.The top bar shows Synced, Syncing, or Offline. Sign Out is up there too.