How to Use Spiral AI
Everything you need to know about the whiteboard, practice plans, drill diagrams, and more. Scan the headers to find what you need.
Getting Started
Spiral AI is an interactive coaching platform built for youth football. Draw plays, build practice plans, run drills, and teach the game from any device.
Use the Level selector in the youth toolbar (top-left) to choose your coaching level: Flag/7on7, 8U, 10U, 12U, or 14U. The field size and player count adjust automatically.
Navigate using the top navbar. All youth tools are under Youth, Practice, Drills, and Parents.
Youth Whiteboard
- Drag Players — Select the "Select" tool, then press and drag any player circle to reposition them on the field.
- Draw Routes — Select the "Route" tool, click a player to start, then drag to draw the route path. Release to finish.
- Add Blocking Arrows — Select the "Block" tool, click the blocker, then click the target location to draw a blocking assignment arrow.
- Toggle Scout Team Defense — Click the "Scout" button in the toolbar to show or hide a scout team defense on the field.
- Save Plays — Click "Save" in the toolbar to save the current play. Access saved plays through the SmartCoach menu.
- Animate Plays — Click "Run It" to watch players animate along their routes. Use the speed buttons (0.5x, 1x, 2x) to control playback speed.
- Switch Levels — Use the Level dropdown on the left side of the toolbar. Switching levels resets the field to the default formation for that level.
SmartCoach
- Play Templates — Browse and load pre-built plays organized by category. Tap the floating action button (bottom-right) and select "Templates".
- Ask SmartCoach — AI-powered chat for play suggestions and coaching questions. Requires an API key configured in settings.
- Season Plan — View a week-by-week practice progression tailored to your level. Great for planning the whole season.
- Team Setup — Set up your roster, team colors, and branding. Your team colors appear on the whiteboard player circles.
Practice Plans
- Select a Template — Choose from built-in practice plan templates organized by focus area (fundamentals, passing, running, etc.).
- Edit Periods — Click any period to edit its name, duration, drills, and coaching notes. Drag to reorder.
- Print Themes — Switch between print themes (dark, light, minimal) for different printing needs.
- View & Print — Use the print button to generate a clean, printable practice plan. Great for handing out at the field.
Drill Board
- Circle Tool — Draw player positions and markers on the drill diagram canvas.
- Line Tool — Draw movement paths, arrows, and connections between positions.
- Text Tool — Add labels, coaching notes, and annotations directly on the diagram.
- Save & Load — Save drill diagrams for later use. Load previously saved drills to edit or share.
Parent Mode
Parent Mode provides a simplified, jargon-free view of your team information designed for parents who may not know football terminology.
Share the Parent Mode link with team parents so they can understand practice schedules, their child's position, and basic play concepts.
Scheme Library
- Defensive Library — Browse coverages (Cover 1, Cover 2, Cover 3, Cover 4, etc.), fronts, and blitz packages with interactive field diagrams.
- Offensive Library — Explore offensive concepts, formations, and run schemes with visual breakdowns.
- Interactive Diagrams — Each scheme includes an interactive field diagram showing player positions, assignments, and movement patterns.
Tips & Shortcuts
- iPad Gestures — Two-finger pan to scroll the field. Pinch to zoom (where supported).
- Numbers vs. Positions — Toggle between jersey numbers and position labels using the "Numbers/Positions" button in the toolbar.
- Quick Clear — Use the "Clear" button to reset the whiteboard. You will be prompted to confirm.
- Animation Speed — After drawing routes, use 0.5x for slow-motion walkthroughs or 2x for quick previews.
- Export & Share — Use the Export button to save your play as an image. Use Share to generate a shareable link.
Reset Everything
Start fresh by clearing all saved data — plays, teams, practice plans, drills, and preferences. This cannot be undone.