Welcome#

Session Builder helps you plan soccer training. You draw drills on a soccer field, animate them step by step, keep them in a library, put them into training sessions on a calendar, and manage your team, your matches and your players' progress. It runs in your web browser, so there is nothing to install.

This manual explains every part of the app, one step at a time. You don't need to be good with computers, and you don't need to be a soccer expert. When a soccer word comes up, it links to the Soccer words explained section at the end.

How to use this manual#

• Search: type a word in the search box at the top (for example attendance, GIF or lineup). Results appear as you type. Click one to jump to it. Press Enter to open the first result.
• Contents: the list on the left (or the Contents button on a phone) shows every chapter. Click a title to jump there.
• Help buttons in the app: most pages, panels and windows in Session Builder have a small round ? button. Click it and this manual opens at the part that explains that screen. You can also press the ? key on your keyboard, or click Help at the top of the app.
• Numbered pictures: many screenshots have orange numbers on them. The list under the picture explains each number.
• Pictures too small? Click any picture to see it larger. Click again (or press Esc) to close it.

What you can do with Session Builder#

Getting started#

What you need#

• A computer, tablet or phone with a modern web browser: Chrome, Edge, Safari or Firefox, kept up to date.
• An internet connection.
• The web address of your club's Session Builder (for example www.mysessionbuilder.com).

The app works on phones, but drawing drills is easiest on a computer or tablet with a bigger screen.

Put Session Builder on your home screen#

Session Builder works in the browser, but you can add it to your phone or tablet's home screen so it opens like an app, with its own icon (the green pitch with a pass).

• iPhone or iPad (Safari): open Session Builder, tap the Share button (the square with an arrow), then Add to Home Screen, then Add.
• Android (Chrome): open Session Builder, tap the ⋮ menu, then Add to Home screen or Install app.
• Computer (Chrome or Edge): click the install icon at the right end of the address bar, if it shows, or use the browser menu's Install option.

Create an account#

The first time you open Session Builder you see the welcome screen with a soccer field behind it.

1. Click Sign up at the top of the white box.
2. Read the trial message (1). Every new account gets a free trial (normally 30 days). You don't need a credit card for the trial.
3. Choose the plan you'd like after the trial (2): Monthly or Yearly. You aren't charged now, and you can change your mind later.
4. Type Your name (3) the way you want it to appear on your drills, for example Coach Rivera. It shows as "Created by" on every drill you make.
5. Type your Email (4) and choose a Password (5) of at least 8 characters.
6. If your club gave you a Promo code (6), type it. A promo code can give you free access, for example a free year.
7. Click Start free trial (7).

Depending on how your club set things up, you may get an email asking you to confirm your address. Open it and click the link inside, then come back and log in.

Log in#

1. Open Session Builder. If you're not logged in, you see the welcome screen.
2. Make sure Log in (1) is selected, not Sign up (2).
3. Type your Email (3) and Password (4).
4. Click Log in.

Other ways in:

• Forgot password? (5) emails you a link to choose a new password.
• Email me a sign-in code emails you a short code. Type the code in the box that appears. This is handy if you can't remember your password.

You stay logged in on that device until you choose Account > Sign out.

Passwords#

To change your password while logged in:

1. Click Account at the top right.
2. Click Change password….
3. Type the new password in both boxes (at least 8 characters, and the same both times), then click Save password.

If you forgot your password: on the welcome screen click Forgot password?, type your email, and open the email you receive. The link takes you back to Session Builder, where you choose a new password. If the email doesn't arrive in a few minutes, check your spam or junk folder.

Find your way around#

Once you log in, the bar at the top of every page looks like this:

1. The section tabs: Home, Board, Library, Planner, Team and Game model. Click one to go there. On a phone, swipe the tabs sideways to see them all. (If you turned a section off in Preferences, its tab is hidden.)
2. Language: shows Session Builder in another language. See Language.
3. Help: opens this manual, the features list, or the part of the manual about the page you're on.
4. Account: your name, plan and settings.

Session Builder remembers which page you used last and opens there next time.

The Account menu:

• Your plan…: your trial or subscription, and promo codes. See Your plan.
• Members and promo codes…: only for club admins. See Admin guide.
• My name…: the name shown as "Created by" on your drills. See My name.
• Preferences…: turn features on or off. See Preferences.
• My share links…: everything you've shared, with Turn off. See My share links.
• Recycle bin…: restore things you deleted in the last 30 days. See Recycle bin.
• User manual: opens this manual.
• Change password… and Sign out.

Windows (pop-ups): many buttons open a window in the middle of the screen. To close one, click Close or Cancel, press Esc on the keyboard, or click the dark area outside it. Remember to click Save first if the window has a Save button.

My name#

Your name appears as "Created by" on each drill and in everything you export, so players and other coaches know who made it.

1. Click Account, then My name….
2. Type your name, for example Coach Alex Rivera.
3. Tick Also use it on the drill that's open now if you want the drill on the board to use it too.
4. Click Save name. It doesn't change drills that already have a name.

New drills, and drills made with AI, fill in your name automatically. You can still type a different name in the Created by box on any drill.

Language#

Session Builder can show everything in your own language: menus, buttons, messages, drills, sessions and this manual. Each coach chooses their own language, so a club can have coaches working in English, Spanish and French at the same time.

1. Click the language button at the top right, next to Help. It shows a globe and the language you're using (on a phone, just the globe).
2. Choose your language from the list.
3. The screens switch to your language straight away. If your club admin has prepared the language (see Prepare languages), everything is translated at once, including this manual. If not, any words still in English are translated while you keep working, and a small bar at the bottom shows how far it has got.

1. The language button: shows the language you're using. Click it to open the list.
2. The languages: each in its own words, with the English name beside it. A tick marks the one you're using.
3. A reminder that translations are made automatically and everything is saved in English.

What happens to what you type:

• Type in your own language, as you normally would: drill names, activity plans, coaching points, session plans, reflections, reviews.
• When you save, Session Builder saves it in English. A coach who uses English sees it in English, and a coach who uses another language sees it in theirs.
• You keep seeing your own words exactly as you typed them.
• Names stay as they are: players, coaches, teams, opponents and places are never translated.

Before you log in: the welcome screen has the same globe button at the bottom left, so you can choose your language before you sign up.

Players and shared links: when a player opens a share link, Session Builder uses the language their phone or computer is set to. They can change it with the globe button at the bottom left of the page.

Printouts and exports: session sheets, match reports, drill pages, pictures, GIFs and videos come out in your language. PDF drill sheets come out in your language for languages written with the Latin alphabet (for example Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, Italian and Dutch); for other languages they are made in English for now.

To go back, choose English. If you never need another language, you can hide the button in Preferences (Language switch).

Your plan, trial and subscription#

Click Account > Your plan… to see how long your access lasts.

• Free trial: the window shows the day your trial ends and how many days are left. A small reminder also appears next to Account when there are only a few days left.
• Subscribe: click Choose Monthly or Choose Yearly. A secure payment page from Stripe (a payment company) opens. Enter your card and confirm. You come back to Session Builder with your plan active. If you subscribe during your trial, you're not charged until the trial ends.
• Manage billing: once you've subscribed, this button opens Stripe's page where you can change your card, switch between monthly and yearly, see receipts, or cancel.

Free forever: if a club admin gave you free access with no end date, Your plan says so and Account shows "Free forever". You never need to subscribe.

When your trial or plan ends, Session Builder shows a plan screen instead of the app. Your drills, sessions and players are not deleted. Choose a plan or enter a promo code and everything is back.

Promo codes#

A promo code gives you free access for a set number of days (for example a free year).

You can enter a code in three places:

• When you sign up (the Promo code (optional) box).
• In Account > Your plan…: type the code in Promo code and click Redeem.
• On the plan screen that appears when your access has ended.

Each code works once per account. If you still have trial or free time left, the code's days are added on top.

Home page#

The Home page is a quick summary of your coaching week. It's the first page you see after logging in (unless you were last on another page).

1. Quick actions: one-click shortcuts.
2. + New drill opens a blank drill on the Board.
3. ✨ Drill from a plan opens the activity plan AI.
4. ▶ Drill from a video opens the video AI.
5. + Session creates a training session in the Planner.
6. + Match day creates a match. See Match day.
7. Next session: your next training session: name, day and time, total length, number of activities, intensity, its match-day label and its focus. Click Open to edit it.
8. Next match: the opponent ("vs" means a home game, "at" means away), date, time, how many days away it is, the team and whether a lineup is set. Click Open match.
9. This week: Monday to Sunday. Each day shows its match-day label and what's planned. Today is outlined. Click a day to go to the Planner.
10. Availability: how many of your players are available, injured or away, with each player's note. Click Open team.
11. Last result: your most recent match score (Won, Lost or Drew). Click Open match to see the details.
12. Recent drills: your latest drills with a small picture of each. Click one to open it on the Board, or Open the library to see them all.

The drill board#

The Board is where you draw drills. A drill is one practice activity, for example a rondo or a small game. On the Board you place players and equipment on a field, draw their movements, and split the drill into steps that play like an animation.

Tour of the Board#

1. Drill name: click and type to rename the drill.
2. Created by: the coach who made it. Fills in from My name.
3. Tags: short labels like Rondo or U14 that help you find the drill later. See Tags.
4. Full / Half / Fit: how much of the field you see. See Field and view.
5. Field type: 11v11, 9v9, 7v7, futsal court or plain grass.
6. File menu: new drill, open a drill, add the drill to a session, templates, and create a drill with AI or from a file.
7. Share menu: share link, export (GIF, video, page, file) and present full screen.
8. Undo: takes back your last change. You can press it many times.
9. Who can see it: only you, a team's coaches, a club, or every coach. See Who can see your drills.
10. Save drill: saves the drill to your library.
11. The field (pitch): where you place and draw everything.
12. Step note: a short coaching point for the step you're on.
13. Timeline: Play, the list of steps, and playback speed.
14. Side panels: Add to the board, Draw, Formation, Selected, Other notes, Videos and photos, Drill library and Keyboard shortcuts.

Under the timeline is the Activity plan, a written plan for the drill. See Activity plan.

The ? at the right end of the top row opens this page of the manual. Each side panel has its own ? too.

The start screen#

When you open the Board, Session Builder can ask what you'd like to work on.

1. Blank drill: an empty field to build on yourself.
2. From an activity plan: write the plan and let AI build it. See Drill from an activity plan.
3. From a video: a YouTube link, an Instagram reel or a video file. See Drill from a video.
4. From a template: start from a setup you (or your club) saved as a template. See Templates.
5. Import a drill file: open a .json file another coach sent you. See Import a drill file.
6. My drills / Shared with me / Starters: switch the list on the right between your own drills, the drills other coaches shared with you, and the built-in starter drills.
7. The list: click a drill to open it. Type in Search drills to find one by name.
8. Show this when I open Session Builder: untick it to go straight to the board next time.

You can open this screen any time with File > Open a drill…. You can also turn it on or off in Preferences.

Name, Created by and tags#

To name a drill: click the big title at the top left ("Untitled drill" on a new drill) and type a name. Good names say what the drill is, for example Rondo 4 v 2 or Pressing game: 5 v 5 + 2.

Created by: click the box after "Created by" and type a coach's name. It appears as a small watermark on the field and in exports.

Tags are short labels you choose. They make drills easy to find in the Library.

1. Click + tag under the drill name.
2. Type a tag, for example Pressing, U14 or Warm-up.
3. Press Enter. The tag appears as a chip. Add as many as you like.
4. To remove a tag, click the × on its chip.

Tags are saved with the drill when you click Save drill. Coaches you share the drill with see them too.

Field and view#

Field type (the drop-down next to Fit):

• 11v11 field: a full-size field for 11 players a side.
• 9v9 field and 7v7 field: smaller youth fields. The 7v7 field shows build-out lines.
• Futsal court: an indoor court.
• Plain grass: green grass with no lines, for warm-ups and grids.

When you switch field type on a drill that already has players on it, Session Builder asks "Move everything to fit the new field?". Click OK to rescale, or Cancel to keep positions as they are.

View buttons:

• Full shows the whole field.
• Half shows the attacking half (the right side), larger.
• Fit zooms in on the players and areas you've placed, so small drills fill the screen.

The view is saved with the drill. It never moves anything.

Add players and equipment#

Click any button to drop that item in the middle of the field. Then drag it where you want it.

Tips:

• To turn a goal, mini goal, bumper, hurdle or ladder, select it and click Rotate in the Selected panel.
• To change a player's number, select the player and type in the number box in the Selected panel.
• To change the words on a text label, select it and type in the Selected panel.

Formations#

A formation places a whole team at once, for example 4-3-3.

1. Choose the team: Red, attacking right or Blue.
2. Click a formation. Formations are grouped by game size: 11 v 11, 9 v 9 and 7 v 7.
3. The players appear in position for the step you're on. Drag any of them to adjust.

Select, move, copy and delete#

Select one thing: tap or click it. It gets a yellow outline and the Selected panel on the right shows its options. This works whatever drawing tool is on: tapping selects, dragging draws.

Move: with the Move tool on, drag anything to move it. With a drawing tool on (Pass, Area and so on), dragging draws instead, so tap the item first to select it, then drag it.

Select several things:

• With the Move tool on, drag a box across empty space (or across an area). Everything inside the box is selected.
• Or hold Shift and tap items one at a time to add or remove them.
• Press Ctrl+A (Cmd+A on a Mac) to select everything on the step.

Then:

• Drag any selected item to move the whole group.
• Duplicate (or Ctrl+D) makes a copy next to the originals.
• Remove (or the Delete key) deletes them.
• Pick a color to recolor the whole group.

To select an area: tap inside it, then drag it to move it. To resize it, type an exact size in the Selected panel (see Areas and grids).

Deselect: press Esc, or tap an empty part of the field.

Colors#

You can recolor players, the coach, cones and equipment, for example to match your bib colors.

1. Select the item.
2. Click a color dot in the Selected panel. The rainbow dot opens a color picker for any shade.
3. Tick Apply to all to recolor every item of that kind at once (for example all red players).
4. Use default puts the original color back.

Colors are saved with the drill and appear in share links and every export.

Draw passes, runs and more#

1. Move: select and move things (no drawing).
2. Pass: a solid arrow, for the path of the ball.
3. Run: a dashed arrow, for a player running without the ball.
4. Dribble: a wavy arrow, for a player running with the ball.
5. Shot: a double arrow, for a shot at goal.
6. Draw: a freehand line. Draw any shape, like a curved run.
7. Area: a shaded rectangle. See Areas and grids.
8. Measure: a distance line with a label. See Measurements.

To draw an arrow:

1. Click Pass, Run, Dribble or Shot.
2. Press on the field where the movement starts (usually on a player), drag to where it ends, and let go.
3. Draw more arrows, or click Move (or press Esc) when you're done.

To bend an arrow or change its type: tap the arrow to select it. In the Selected panel choose Bend: Left, Straight or Right, and change Type (for example turn a run into a dribble).

Areas and grids#

An area is a shaded rectangle that shows where a drill is played.

1. Click Area in the Draw panel.
2. Drag across the field from one corner of the area to the opposite corner.
3. The area shows its size in yards, for example 40 × 30 yd.

Set an exact size: tap the area to select it, then type the width and length in Size (in yards). The area resizes around its center.

Other options for a selected area:

• Halfway line: draws a line across the middle of the area.
• End zone: shades the area in a different color, for end zones or target zones.
• Grid: splits the area into squares (2 × 2, 3 × 3, 4 × 4), thirds, channels or halves.
• Duplicate and Remove.

Measurements#

A measurement is a line with its length written on it, so everyone knows how far apart things are.

1. Click Measure in the Draw panel.
2. Drag from one point to another. The line snaps to cones and players.
3. The length appears in yards.

Change it: tap the measurement to select it.

• Length: type an exact length; the line changes to match.
• Label: the text shown on the line. If you type a label that doesn't match the line, the panel warns you and Show puts the real length back.
• Flip side: moves the label to the other side of the line.
• Duplicate and Remove.

Steps and animation#

A drill is made of steps. Each step is a moment in the drill: where everyone stands and which passes or runs happen. When you press Play, players glide from one step to the next.

1. Play: plays the steps as an animation. Click again to pause. (Keyboard: Space.)
2. Step buttons: click a number to go to that step. (Keyboard: ← and →.)
3. + adds a new step after the one you're on. It copies the current positions so you only move what changes.
4. Delete step removes the step you're on.
5. Speed: from 0.5× (slow) to 2× (fast).
6. Loop: when ticked, the animation starts again after the last step.

Build an animated drill, step by step:

1. On step 1, place the players, ball and equipment, and draw the first pass or run.
2. Type a coaching point in the Step note box above the timeline, for example "Blue 9 checks away, then attacks the space".
3. Click + to add step 2.
4. Drag the players and ball to where they end up after step 1's movement. Draw the next pass or run.
5. Repeat for each step.
6. Click Play to watch it.

Timing for each step#

Normally every move takes the same time. You can make any step move faster or slower, or pause on it, so players have time to read a coaching point or see a key moment.

1. Click the step's number in the timeline (for example 1).
2. Next to the step note, choose Move (1): how fast players move from this step to the next. Fast, Quick, Normal, Slow, Very slow or Slow motion.
3. Choose Pause (2): how long the animation stops on this step before moving, from None to 8 s.
4. Click Play to watch it.

The timing is saved with the drill and used everywhere it plays: present mode, share links, the drill page and the GIF and video exports. The last step has no Move or Pause because nothing comes after it. The Speed setting in the timeline still speeds up or slows down the whole drill.

Activity plan#

The activity plan is the written part of a drill, under the timeline. Fill in what's useful; empty fields are fine.

The ✨ Build drill from plan button lets AI draw the drill from this plan. See Drill from an activity plan.

Other notes#

The Other notes panel on the right is a free text box for anything else: setup, progressions, equipment lists. AI builders add their assumptions here too.

Videos and photos#

Attach videos and photos to a drill, for example a YouTube clip of the drill being played or a photo of the setup at your field. They're saved with the drill and show on its share link, the drill page export and in session sheets.

Add a video:

1. Copy the video's link from YouTube or Vimeo (from the address bar, or the Share button under the video).
2. Paste it into the box (2) and click Add video (or press Enter).
3. Links with a start time (such as ?t=95) start playing at that moment.

Links from other sites (Instagram, Veo, Hudl…) are kept too, but open in a new tab instead of playing inside Session Builder.

Add a photo: click + Add photo (3) and choose one or more pictures from your computer or phone. Big photos are made smaller automatically.

On each tile (1):

• Click the picture to play the video or see the photo larger.
• Click the name under it to type a title, such as "Grid setup, 10 × 10 yd".
• ✕ removes it. (Undo brings it back.)

A drill or session can hold up to 12 videos and photos. Remember to Save drill afterwards.

Save, open, copy and delete drills#

Save: click Save drill at the top right. The drill goes into your library, under your name. The line under the drill name changes to "Saved in your library" and says who can see it. New drills are private: only you can see them until you share them (see Who can see your drills). Save again after every change you want to keep.

Open a drill:

• In the Drill library panel on the right, click a drill's name. Type in the search box to filter; All and Mine switch between everyone's drills and your own.
• Or use File > Open a drill…, or the Library page.

Copy: click Copy next to a drill to make your own version. Use this to change another coach's drill without changing theirs. (When you open another coach's drill and click Save drill, Session Builder also saves it as your own copy.)

Delete: click Delete next to one of your drills; the button changes to Confirm. Click Confirm within 3 seconds to delete it. The drill goes to the recycle bin for 30 days. Sessions that used the drill keep their own copy, so they don't break.

New drill: File > New drill clears the board. If you have unsaved changes, save first.

Who can see your drills#

Every drill you save is private: only you can see it. You choose, drill by drill, who else can see it. Other coaches can open and copy a drill you share with them, but they can never change yours.

1. Open the drill on the Board.
2. Click the button next to Save drill. It shows who can see the drill now, for example 🔒 Only me.
3. Choose who can see it:
4. 🔒 Only me: just you.
5. 👥 Coaches of a team: you and the coaches of that team (for example your assistant coaches). See Clubs and teams.
6. 🏟️ Club: every coach in that club.
7. 🌐 All coaches (public): every coach who uses Session Builder.
8. If the drill is already saved, the change is saved straight away. For a new drill, it's saved when you click Save drill.

1. The button next to Save drill: shows who can see the drill now.
2. Only me.
3. The coaches of one of your teams.
4. A club you're in. If the club has a logo, it shows in place of the 🏟️ icon.
5. Every coach (public).

The line under the drill name says who can see it, and every drill card in the Library shows it too, so you can tell at a glance what you've shared.

Save drill asks who should see it#

If you're on a team or in a club, Save drill checks with you every time you save: should the drill be just for you, or visible to your team's coaches or your club?

1. Pick Only me, Coaches of one of your teams, one of your Clubs (with its logo), or All coaches. What the drill is shared with now is already picked.
2. Click Save drill. Cancel doesn't save.
3. Tick Don't ask again for this drill if you've decided for good. You can still change it with the button next to Save drill.

To stop being asked for every drill, turn off Ask who can see a drill when saving in Preferences. Coaches who aren't on a team or in a club aren't asked.

Clubs and teams#

A club is a group of coaches, for example everyone coaching at Northside SC. A team's coaches are the coach who made the team on the Team page and the coaches they invite (see Head and assistant coaches). Sharing a drill with a club or a team lets just those coaches see it.

Choose Account > Clubs and teams… (or Clubs and teams… at the bottom of the list next to Save drill).

1. Join a club or team: paste a code you were given.
2. The club's code (club admins only): give it to coaches so they can join.
3. Make admin / Remove: manage the club's coaches (club admins only).
4. Create a club: start a new club. You become its admin.

Further down, My teams lists the teams you coach.

1. Your role on the team (Head coach or Assistant coach), and Team admin if you are one.
2. The team's code (team admins only): give it to coaches so they can join the team.
3. Remove a coach (team admins), or Leave team yourself.
4. Choose head and assistant coaches on the Team page: opens the team's Coaches tab.

Start a club: type the club's name under My clubs and click Create a club. You become the club's admin, and the club gets a code, for example K7M2-QX4P.

Bring coaches into your club: click Copy next to the code and send it to them (by text or email). They paste it into Join a club or team and click Join. As the club's admin you can:

• Make admin or Make coach: admins can see the code, add and remove coaches.
• Remove: takes a coach out of the club. They stop seeing drills shared with the club.
• New code: the old code stops working (for example if it was passed around). Coaches who already joined stay in.

Invite coaches to your team: under My teams, click Invite coaches next to the team (or use the team's Coaches tab). Send them the code; they join with Join a club or team as an assistant coach. The team then shows on their Team page, and they see drills you share with the team's coaches. Choose the head coach and team admins on the Coaches tab. Remove takes a coach off the team.

Join a club or team: paste the code you were given into Join a club or team and click Join. Drills shared with that club or team appear in your Library under Other coaches.

Leave: Leave club or Leave team takes you out. You stop seeing drills shared there, and any drills you shared there go back to only you. A team you leave goes off your Team page.

Club logo#

A club's admin can add the club's logo. It then shows next to the club's name in Session Builder, and on the club's printouts, PDF drill sheets and shared pages, beside the Session Builder logo.

Add the logo (club admins):

1. Choose Account > Clubs and teams….
2. Under My clubs, click Add logo on your club's card.
3. Choose the logo picture from your computer or phone: a PNG, JPG, WebP, GIF or SVG file. A square or upright logo with a transparent background looks best. Session Builder resizes it for you.
4. The logo appears on the club's card straight away. Change logo replaces it; Remove logo takes it off.

1. The club's logo.
2. Add logo / Change logo: choose a picture (club admins only). Remove logo takes it off.
3. Club logo on my printouts, and the team shown with it: which club and team brand your printouts, PDFs, pictures, videos and shared pages.

Where it shows:

• In front of the club's name, in place of the 🏟️ club icon: in the list next to Save drill, on that button when a drill is shared with the club, and on library cards of drills shared with the club.

Every way you share a drill is branded with the club, the team and the coach once your club has a logo:

Which team is shown: the team a drill is shared with, or the team a session is for. If neither, and you have just one team, that team. Share links keep the branding the drill or session had when it was last saved.

Which logo goes on your printouts: if you're in more than one club, choose under Club logo on my printouts, PDFs and shared pages:

• Automatic: a drill shared with a club shows that club's logo; everything else shows your first club's logo.
• Always a particular club.
• No club logo: only the Session Builder logo.

Next to it, Team shown with it picks the team: Automatic (as above), Always one of your teams, or No team.

You can turn club logos off altogether in Preferences (Club logos).

Starter drills#

Session Builder comes with ready-made starter drills (rondos, passing patterns, goalkeeper drills and more). They're at the bottom of the Drill library panel, and in the Library page under Starter drills.

• Click a starter to open it. Change anything, then Save drill to keep your own version.
• Remove takes a starter off your list. Bring back removed starters puts them back.
• Add starter drills to the library copies all of them into the library, where they behave like your own drills.
• Hide list folds the list away.

Club admins can change starters for everyone. See Starter drills for everyone.

Undo and keyboard shortcuts#

Click Undo (or press Ctrl+Z, Cmd+Z on a Mac) to take back your last change. Keep clicking to go further back.

Keyboard shortcuts on the Board (they don't work while you're typing in a box):

Minimize the side panels#

Every panel on the right can be folded up to save space.

• Click a panel's title (for example Formation) to fold it up. Click again to open it.
• Minimize all folds every panel; Expand all opens them all.

Session Builder remembers your choice on that device. To hide a panel completely, turn it off in Preferences.

Build drills with AI#

Session Builder can draw a drill for you. You give it a written plan, a YouTube video or a video file, and AI (artificial intelligence: a computer program that reads text and watches video) sets up the field, the players and every step of the animation.

Drill from an activity plan#

Use this when you've written (or copied) a drill plan and want the board drawn for you.

1. Open the Board and start a new drill (File > New drill), or open a drill you're writing.
2. Give the drill a name, and fill in the activity plan under the timeline. The most useful fields are Activity objective, # of players / opponent, Size / shape of area and Rules. Write sizes in yards or meters, for example 30 × 20 yards.
3. Click ✨ Build drill from plan at the top of the plan (or File > Activity plan (AI)…).

1. If you've already put cones or players on the board, tick Use what's already on the board as the starting setup to keep them. Leave it unticked to start fresh.
2. Optional: add Extra instructions, for example "6 steps. Show one full rotation. Servers in yellow on the outside."
3. Click Build drill. It usually takes 20 to 60 seconds. Leave the window open while it works.
4. Check the result. Every step gets a coaching note. Your plan text stays as you wrote it; empty plan fields may be filled in, and the AI's assumptions are added to Other notes.
5. Fix anything on the board, then click Save drill.

Don't like it? Click Undo to put the old board back, change the plan or instructions, and try again.

Drill from a YouTube clip#

1. Find the drill on YouTube. The video must be public.
2. Copy its address from the browser's address bar (or YouTube's Share > Copy link).
3. In Session Builder choose File > YouTube clip (AI)… (or ▶ Drill from a video on Home, or From a video on the start screen).

1. Make sure YouTube link (1) is selected.
2. Paste the link into YouTube link (2).
3. If the drill is only part of the video, type when it Starts at and Ends at (3), as minutes:seconds, for example 2:10 and 3:05. Shorter clips give better drills.
4. Optional: in Notes for the drill tell the AI what it might get wrong, for example "4 keepers, not 5" or "the area is 20 × 20 yards".
5. Click Create drill and wait (usually 20 to 60 seconds).
6. Check the drill, the steps and the activity plan, then click Save drill. The video link is kept in Other notes as the source.

Drill from an Instagram reel or a video file#

Instagram doesn't let other apps open reels from a link, so you save the reel as a video first.

1. On your phone, open the reel in Instagram. Tap ⋯ and choose Download if Instagram offers it. If not, use your phone's screen recording to record the reel playing.
2. In Session Builder choose File > Instagram reel or video file (AI)….

1. Click Choose File and pick the video. It must be an MP4 or MOV file, up to 50 MB.
2. Optional: paste the reel's link into Reel link so it's credited in Other notes.
3. Optional: add Starts at / Ends at times and Notes for the drill, as for YouTube.
4. Click Create drill. The video is uploaded, analyzed, and then deleted. It isn't kept.
5. Check the result and click Save drill.

You can use any video of a drill this way, for example one you filmed at training.

Tips and when AI goes wrong#

• Be specific. "7 v 4 in three 16 × 16 yard grids, blue team keeps the ball" works much better than "possession drill".
• Use short clips. Point the AI at the 30 to 90 seconds where the drill is shown.
• Use the notes box to correct things the AI got wrong last time, then try again.
• "Google's AI is very busy right now": the AI service is overloaded. Wait a few minutes and try again.
• "The video has to be public": the YouTube video is private or unlisted in a way the AI can't open. Use a different video, or download it and use the video file option.
• "Took longer than allowed": try a shorter clip (set start and end times).
• Any other error message explains what to do. If it mentions the server or setup, tell your club admin.

Share and export#

Share link for players#

A share link lets players (or parents, or other coaches) open a drill in their browser without logging in. They see the animation and the activity plan and can't change anything.

1. Save the drill first (Save drill).
2. Choose Share > Share link for players….
3. Tick Anyone with the link can view this drill.
4. Click Copy link and paste it into a text, email or team chat.

To stop the link working, open the same window and untick the box. The old link then shows "This drill isn't available".

Passwords and last days on share links#

Any share link (a drill, a session or a player page) can have a password, a last day, or both. Use this for drills you don't want passed around, or a session link that should only work this week.

1. Turn the share link on, as above. The lock options appear under the link.
2. Password (3): type a password of at least 4 characters, for example blue2026.
3. Last day the link works (4): pick a date. The link stops working at the end of that day.
4. Click Save lock (5). The line at the top says what's set, for example "🔒 Locked with a password · Works until Dec 3, 2026".
5. Send the link, and send the password separately (for example in person or in a different message).

What players see: a page asking for the password. If they type it wrong, it says so. After the last day, the page says "This link has expired. Ask your coach for a new one."

Change or remove the lock:

• To change the password, type a new one and click Save lock. Leave the box empty to keep the current one (passwords are stored scrambled, so nobody can read them back, not even you).
• To change the last day, pick a new date and click Save lock.
• Remove password and last day makes it an open link again.

My share links#

Choose Account > My share links… to see everything you've shared with a link: drills, sessions, lineups and player pages, with each one's password and last day.

• Copy link copies it again.
• Turn off stops that link working straight away.
• Turn off all links stops every one of them, for example at the end of a season. Drills and sessions get the same link if you turn them on again; player pages get a new link.

Present full screen#

Present mode shows only the field and the coaching points, big, for showing players on a tablet or TV.

1. Open the drill.
2. Choose Share > Present full screen (or Present on a card in the Library).
3. Use ‹ Prev, ▶ Play and Next › at the bottom to walk through the steps.
4. Click Exit or press Esc to leave.

Export: GIF, video, picture, PDF and more#

Choose Share > Export: GIF, video, picture, PDF….

Click a choice. GIFs, videos and PDFs take a few seconds to make; a progress bar shows how it's going. The file then downloads to your computer (usually into your Downloads folder).

Import a drill file#

When another coach sends you a drill file (it ends in .json):

1. Save the file to your computer.
2. In Session Builder choose File > Drill file (.json)… (or Import a drill file on the start screen).
3. Pick the file. The drill opens on the board.
4. Click Save drill to keep it in your library.

Library#

The Library page shows every drill as a card with a picture, so you can browse, organize and find drills quickly.

1. Lists: All drills, ★ Favorites, My drills, Other coaches (drills other coaches shared with you, their club or their team, or made public; see Who can see your drills), Starter drills, your folders, and Not in a folder. The number shows how many drills are in each.
2. + New folder: make a folder, such as "U14" or "Pre-season".
3. Tags: click a tag to show only drills with that tag. Click more tags to narrow it down further; click a tag again to remove it.
4. Search: type a drill name, coach name or tag.
5. Sort: Recently edited, Name A–Z or Coach.
6. Drill cards.

Each card shows the drill's picture, name, coach, date, tags, whether it has a share link, and who can see it. On a card:

• ☆ marks it as a favorite (★). Click again to unmark it.
• Open opens it on the Board.
• Present opens it in present mode.
• Copy makes your own copy (on other coaches' drills).
• Delete deletes it (only your own drills).
• No folder (the drop-down) moves it into one of your folders.

Folders and favorites are yours alone; other coaches don't see them. Tags are shared with everyone.

Planner#

The Planner is a weekly calendar of your training sessions and matches.

1. ‹ This week ›: go back or forward a week. This week jumps back to today.
2. Templates: your saved session plans. See Templates.
3. Journal: your reflections after sessions. See Coaching journal.
4. + Match day: add a match. See Match day.
5. + Session: add a training session. See Sessions.
6. The week's summary: dates, number of sessions and matches, total training time and the intensity mix.
7. A session card: name, start time, length, number of activities and intensity (the colored edge: green low, amber medium, red high). Sessions you've reflected on show ✎ and your star rating. Click a card to open it.
8. Match-day label: how many days before or after a match each day is. See Match-day labels.
9. + Add: add a session on that day.

Move a session to another day: drag its card onto a different day.

Not scheduled yet: sessions without a date appear at the bottom. Drag one onto a day to schedule it.

Create and edit a training session#

1. Click + Session (or + Add on a day).
2. Fill in the details:
3. Session name, for example "Tuesday: pressing and finishing".
4. Date and Start time.
5. Location, for example "Field 3, Northside Park".
6. Theme / focus: the one thing the session is about.
7. Intensity: Low, Medium or High. See intensity.
8. Team: which of your teams it's for. Their availability appears underneath.
9. Add activities (see the next section).
10. Add Notes: equipment, groups, reminders.
11. Optional: tick the game model principles it trains, add videos and photos for the whole session, and after the session, fill in its Reflection.

1. Click Save.

Other buttons at the bottom:

• Duplicate makes a copy, handy for repeating a session next week.
• Save as template keeps the session's plan to reuse any time. See Templates.
• Delete moves the session to the recycle bin, where you can restore it for 30 days.
• Print session sheet and Share link: see below.
• Cancel closes without saving.

Activities: drills and breaks#

Add a drill:

1. Click + Add drill.
2. Search your drills and the starters, and click one to add it.

1. Click Done.

Add a break or other block (water break, scrimmage, warm-up jog): click + Add break or other and type its name.

For each activity you can:

• Type its minutes. The total and the end time at the top of the list add up for you.
• Type notes, for example groups or rotations.
• Open a drill on the Board.
• Move it ↑ up or ↓ down, or remove it with ✕.

Reflect on a session#

After a session, take two minutes to write down how it went. Over a season these notes become your coaching journal.

1. Open the session in the Planner (on the day, or after).
2. Click Reflection to open it.
3. Rate How did the session go? from 1 to 5 stars (1).
4. Fill in What worked (2), What didn't work (3) and Next time I'll… (4). Add Players who stood out (5) if you like.
5. Click Save.

The session's card in the Planner then shows ✎ and your stars, and the reflection appears in the Journal.

Coaching journal#

Click Journal in the Planner to read all your reflections, newest first.

• Choose a team and a period (last 30 days, 3 months, 12 months or all).
• The top shows how many reflections there are and your average rating.
• Not reflected on yet lists recent sessions you haven't reflected on; click one to open it at its Reflection.
• Open session opens any entry.
• Print journal prints it, or saves it as a PDF, for a coaching course or a season review.

Templates#

A template is a saved starting point: a session plan you run often (like "MD-4: high-intensity pressing") or a drill setup you reuse (like "Four 16 × 16 grids"). Using a template makes a new copy, so the template never changes.

Save a session as a template:

1. Open a session in the Planner.
2. Click Save as template at the bottom.
3. Type a name and click OK.

The template keeps the name, time, location, focus, intensity, activities, videos and game model principles. It leaves out the date, attendance and reflection.

Start a session from a template:

1. Click + Session.
2. Choose the template in Start from a template at the top. Everything fills in.
3. Set the date and change anything, then click Save.

Save a drill setup as a template: on the Board, choose File > Save this drill as a template… and type a name.

Start a drill from a template: choose File > New drill from a template… (or From a template on the start screen) and click Use. A new, unsaved drill opens; click Save drill to keep it.

Manage templates: click Templates in the Planner.

1. Sessions / Drills: switch between session and drill templates.
2. Use: start a new session or drill from it.
3. Share with club: lets every coach in your club use it (Stop sharing undoes it). Templates shared by other coaches show "shared by another coach".

Rename changes its name and ✕ deletes it. Sessions and drills already made from a template aren't affected.

Take attendance in a session#

If the session has a team, open Attendance inside the session and mark each player ✓ present, L late or ✗ absent. See also Attendance on the Team page.

Print a session sheet#

A session sheet is a one-page plan you can print or save as PDF and take to the field.

1. Open the session.
2. Click Print session sheet. A new tab opens with each drill's diagram, minutes, start time, activity plan and coaching points.
3. Your browser's print window opens. Choose a printer, or Save as PDF.

If nothing opens, your browser blocked the new tab. Allow pop-ups for the Session Builder site and try again.

Share a session#

Players and assistant coaches can open a session (with every drill's animation) without logging in.

1. Open the session and click Share link.
2. Tick Anyone with the link can view this session.
3. Click Copy link and send it.

Untick the box to stop the link working. You can also add a password or a last day; see Passwords and last days.

Add the drill you're looking at to a session#

While building a drill on the Board, choose File > Add this drill to a session…. Pick an upcoming session to add it to, or click New session today.

Match-day labels (MD-1, MD+1)#

When you have matches in the Planner, every day gets a label that counts from the nearest match:

• MD is match day.
• MD-1 is the day before a match, MD-2 two days before, and so on.
• MD+1 is the day after a match, MD+2 two days after.

Coaches use these to plan the week's load: hard sessions a few days before the match (MD-4, MD-3), lighter and shorter sessions just before (MD-1), and recovery just after (MD+1). See periodization.

Match day#

Click + Match day in the Planner (or on Home), or click an existing match card, to open the match window. It has four tabs.

Details#

1. Opponent: the other team's name.
2. Date, Kick-off time and Location.
3. Venue: Home, Away or Neutral.
4. Our team: which of your teams is playing. Their availability shows underneath.
5. Competition: league, cup, friendly…
6. Match length (min): for example 90, 70 or 60. Used to work out minutes played.

Lineup#

1. Choose a Formation, for example 4-3-3.
2. Choose a player for each position from the drop-downs, or click Auto-fill from positions to fill them using the positions on each player's profile. Change any you like. A new match day starts from the team's starting lineup (players who aren't available are left out); Use the team's lineup copies it in again.
3. The field picture shows the lineup. Players not picked are listed under Bench.
4. Print lineup makes a team sheet to print.

Result and minutes#

1. Type the score: Us and Them.
2. + Goal adds a goal: type the minute and choose the scorer and the player who gave the assist. The score for "Us" counts your goals for you.
3. + Substitution adds a substitution: the minute, the player coming off and the player coming on.
4. Minutes played is worked out from the lineup, substitutions and match length. You can type over any number, for example if a player came off injured.

Evaluation#

1. Team performance by phase: give 1 to 5 stars for each phase of play: in possession, out of possession, transition to attack, transition to defense and set pieces. Write what went well and what to fix.
2. Player ratings: rate each player who played from 1 to 10, with a short note.
3. Match notes: key moments and what to work on this week.
4. Click Save.

Ratings and minutes feed into the Team page's season stats.

Match report#

Click Match report at the bottom of the match window for a full printable report: lineup, goals, substitutions, phase ratings and the player table.

After a match is saved with a score, its card in the Planner shows W, L or D and the score, and Home shows it as the Last result.

Team#

The Team page holds your roster: your players, their numbers, positions and availability. You can have several teams, for example "U14 Girls Blue" and "U12 Boys".

1. Team: choose which team you're looking at. Teams you coach for someone else show your role, for example Celtic UPSL Fall – Assistant coach. Rename changes its name (team admins only; the coach who created the team can clear the name to delete the team, and its sessions stay in the Planner).
2. + New team: create another team.
3. Tabs: Roster, Lineup, Attendance, Season stats, Development and Coaches.
4. Availability summary: how many players are available, injured, away or unavailable, with their notes.
5. The roster: number, name, positions and availability for each player. Change availability straight from the drop-down. Edit opens the player.
6. Add a player: type the number, name and positions, then click Add player.

Create a team#

1. Go to Team.
2. Click Create a team (or + New team if you already have one).
3. Type the team's name, for example "U14 Girls Blue", and click OK.
4. Type the season (optional), for example "Fall 2026", and click OK.

Teams and players are private: only you and the coaches you add to the team see them. See Head and assistant coaches.

Add players#

One at a time: at the bottom of the roster, type the shirt number, the player name, and positions (for example CM or CB, RB; see Positions). Click Add player.

Many at once:

1. Click Paste a list.
2. Type or paste one player per line, number first if you have it, positions last. For example:
3. 10 Jane Smith CM
4. 4 Ana Lopez CB
5. Kim Park ST
6. Click Add these players.

Edit a player: click Edit on their row.

• Name, Number and Positions.
• Availability: Available, Injured, Away or Unavailable, with a short Note (for example "Ankle, back in 2 weeks").
• Coach notes: private notes for you and the team's other coaches. They're never shown to the player.
• Remove from team deletes the player. Save keeps your changes.

Import a roster from Excel or CSV#

If your players are already in a spreadsheet (a club registration export, a league roster, your own list), bring them all in at once. Session Builder reads the file in your browser; nothing is uploaded until you import.

Step 1: choose the file

1. Go to Team and pick the team on the Roster tab.
2. Under the roster, click Import from Excel or CSV.
3. Check Add the players to shows the right team.
4. Click Choose a file (or drag the file onto the box). Excel workbooks (.xlsx) and CSV files work. One player per row.

1. Add the players to: the team they join.
2. Choose a file, or drag it onto the box.
3. Download a template: a ready-made file with the right columns.

Step 2: match the columns

Your file's columns can be called anything and be in any order. Session Builder guesses which column is which from their names; check each one and change any that are wrong.

1. Sheet: if the workbook has more than one sheet, pick the one with the players.
2. The first row has the column names: untick it if your first row is already a player.
3. Player name, or First name and Last name if your file splits them. One of these is needed.
4. Shirt number, Positions, Availability, Availability note, Coach notes: choose the column, or leave Not in my file.
5. First player in your file: shows what that column holds, so you can check you picked the right one.

Click Next: check the players. Session Builder remembers how you matched the columns, so the next file with the same columns is matched for you.

Step 3: check and import

1. If a player is already on the team: skip, update or add again.

2. Import players: adds them to the roster. The button says how many.

3. Each row says what will happen: New player, Updates the player on the team, or why it's skipped (no name, or the same name twice in the file).

4. If a player is already on the team (same name): Skip them, Update their details (number, positions, availability and notes from the file), or Add them again.
5. Positions are tidied up: Goalkeeper becomes GK, Striker ST, and so on. Availability words like injured, away or out are understood; anything else counts as available.
6. A shirt number that isn't a number (for example abc) is left out, and the row says so.

Click Import players. The players appear on the roster straight away.

Starting lineup#

The Lineup tab shows a full field. Drag players from the roster onto it to set your starting lineup and formation.

1. Lineup: the tab.
2. Formation: for example 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1 or 3-5-2 for 11 v 11, or the 9 v 9 and 7 v 7 formations (the field changes size to match). Players already on the field keep their places when you change it.
3. Auto-fill from positions: fills every spot from the positions on each player's profile, using available players only.
4. The field: each spot shows its position (GK, LB, LCB, CM, ST…), the player's shirt number and last name. The goalkeeper is yellow.
5. The roster: players not in the lineup first (injured, away and unavailable players are greyed), then the players on the field with their position.
6. Saved: every change saves straight away.

Move players:

On a phone or tablet, tap a player in the roster (or on the field), then tap the spot where they go. Tap them again to cancel. On a phone the field stands upright, attacking up.

Every coach on the team sees the same lineup and can change it. A new match day for the team starts from this lineup, leaving out players who aren't available.

Save and share lineups#

Keep as many lineups as you like for each team (for example Plan A, Rain day or vs Tampa Bay United), and share one with your players and their parents, the same way you share a drill.

1. Saved lineups: choose one to put it on the field. Lineups saved by another coach show their name.
2. Save lineup: saves the lineup on the field. The first time, you give it a name. After that it updates the saved lineup (if you saved it).
3. Save as new…: saves the lineup on the field under a new name, for example to keep a Plan B or to make your own copy of another coach's lineup.
4. Share: a link, a picture, a printout or text (below).
5. Saved or Changed since it was saved, who saved it, and whether its share link is on. Delete removes the saved lineup (the coach who saved it, or a team admin); the lineup on the field stays.

Every coach on the team sees the team's saved lineups and can open them. Only the coach who saved a lineup can change it or turn its share link on; other coaches use Save as new… to make their own copy.

Share a lineup: save it, then click Share.

1. Anyone with the link can view this lineup: turns the share link on or off. Players and parents don't need an account.
2. Copy link: copy it and send it (by text, email or your team app).
3. Password and last day (optional): lock the link with a password, or set the last day it works. See Passwords and last days on share links.
4. Download picture: a PNG of the field with the lineup, the substitutes and your club's logo, ready for a group chat or social media.
5. Print or save as PDF: a one-page team sheet. Choose Save as PDF as the printer to get a PDF.
6. Copy as text: the positions and names, one per line, to paste into a message.

The picture, printout and text use the lineup on the field now. The share link shows the lineup as it was last saved, so press Save lineup after changes. The link page shows the field, the starting lineup and the substitutes, with your club's logo.

You can see and turn off every lineup link in My share links.

Availability#

Keep each player's availability up to date on the Roster tab. It shows on Home, in every session and in the match window, so you can plan around who's missing.

Attendance#

The Attendance tab shows every session for this team as a grid: players down the side, sessions across the top.

1. Click a box to change it: ✓ present, L late, ✗ absent.
2. Each player's attendance Rate is shown at the end of their row (late counts as attended).

Sessions appear here when you choose this team in the session (see Sessions). You can also take attendance inside a session.

Season stats#

The Season stats tab adds up each player's season from your sessions and matches.

The team's win, draw and loss record is shown too.

Head and assistant coaches#

A team can have several coaches: one head coach and any number of assistant coaches. Every coach on the team sees it on their own Team page and Home page: the roster, availability, attendance, season stats, player development, and the team's sessions and match days in the Planner.

Open the team and click the Coaches tab.

1. Coaches: the tab that lists the team's coaches.
2. The team's code: click Copy and send it to a coach (by text or email). They type it into Account > Clubs and teams > Join a club or team and join as an assistant coach. New code stops the old one working; coaches who already joined stay on the team. If there's no code yet, click Invite coaches.
3. Role: choose Head coach or Assistant coach. A team has one head coach, so making someone head coach makes the old head coach an assistant (you're asked first).
4. Team admin: team admins can rename the team, choose roles, see the code, and remove coaches. The coach who created the team is always a team admin (the box is greyed out).
5. Remove: takes a coach off the team. The team goes off their Team page.

What each coach can do:

Head coach and assistant coach are titles: they show everyone who leads the team. What a coach can change depends on Team admin, so you can make a trusted assistant a team admin too.

If you're an assistant coach, the Coaches tab shows who's on the team and who the admins are. You can't change roles, but you can leave.

1. Your role shows next to the team's name.
2. Who can change coaches: the team's admins. Ask one of them if your role is wrong.
3. Leave team: takes you off the team. It goes off your Team page.
4. Head coach and Team admin tags show each coach's role.

Sessions planned by another coach show in your Planner with their name under the title and a dashed border. You can open, print and present them, but only the coach who planned them can change, move or delete them, or mark their attendance. To make changes of your own, open it and click Duplicate: you get your own copy.

1. Who planned it, and what you can do with it.
2. Duplicate: make your own copy to change.

Player development#

The Development tab tracks how each player is improving, with reviews, ratings, goals and a progress chart.

The table shows each player's latest ratings in four areas, with an arrow showing whether they went up or down since the previous review:

• Technical: skill with the ball (passing, first touch, dribbling, shooting).
• Tactical: decisions and understanding of the game (positioning, when to pass or dribble).
• Physical: speed, strength, stamina, agility.
• Mental: attitude, focus, confidence, communication, leadership.

Click a player to open their profile.

Reviews#

1. Open the player's profile and click + New review.
2. Set the date.
3. Rate each area from 1 to 10 and add a comment for each if you want. A new review starts from the last one's numbers, so you only change what's different.
4. Write a summary.
5. Click Save.

Every review is listed in the profile. Click Edit on a review to change it.

Goals#

Goals are targets for the player to work on.

1. In the profile, choose the area (Technical, Tactical, Physical or Mental).
2. Type the goal, for example "Use the left foot in games".
3. Optional: choose a target date.
4. Click Add.
5. Tick the goal when it's achieved. It's crossed out but kept. × deletes it.

Progress chart#

Once a player has two or more reviews, the profile shows a line chart of each area over time, so you can see progress across the season.

Share with the player#

Each player can have a private web page with their own ratings, goals, chart and your review comments. They don't need to log in.

1. Open the player's profile.
2. Click Share with player.
3. Tick Player link is on.
4. Click Copy link and send it to the player (or their parent).

The page is read-only. Your private Coach notes are never shown. Untick Player link is on to stop the link working. You can also add a password or a last day; see Passwords and last days.

Game model#

A game model is your club's way of playing, written down: what you want your teams to do in each phase of the game, and which drills train it. Every coach in the club can read it; only club admins can change it.

It has:

• A title, a vision (a few sentences about how you want to play) and the main formation.
• A card for each phase: In possession, Out of possession, Transition to attack, Transition to defense and Set pieces.
• Principles in each phase: numbered rules of play, each with a short description.
• Linked drills under a principle, with small diagrams. Click one to open it on the Board.

Print makes a handout of the whole game model. Coverage shows how often your sessions train each principle; see Coverage.

Coverage: which principles you're training#

The coverage report shows how often your training sessions worked on each principle of the game model, and flags the ones being missed.

A session counts toward a principle when:

• you tick the principle in the session's Game model section, or
• the session uses a drill that's linked to that principle on the Game model page.

See the report: on the Game model page, click Coverage.

1. Choose a team (or all teams).
2. Choose a period: last 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 3 months or all sessions.
3. Needs attention lists principles not trained in the last 3 weeks (amber) or not at all in the period (red).
4. Each principle shows a bar, how many sessions trained it and when it was last trained.

Print makes a copy for a staff meeting. On the Game model page itself, each principle also shows when you last trained it.

Coverage counts your own sessions only; matches aren't counted.

Edit the game model (admins)#

1. Go to Game model and click Edit.

1. Type the Title (1), the Vision (2) and the Main formation(s).
2. Under a phase, click + Principle (3), then type its title and description.
3. Click + Link a drill (4) to add a drill from the library or the starters.

1. Use ↑ (5) to move a principle up, ✕ to remove it, and the ✕ on a drill to unlink it.
2. Click Save for the club (6). Every coach sees the update. Cancel throws away your changes.

Empty principles are removed when you save.

Preferences#

Preferences let you turn any part of Session Builder on or off with a switch, so you only see what you use. Open it from Account > Preferences….

• Slide a switch to the left (grey) to turn a feature off. It disappears straight away: its tab, buttons, menu items and Home cards are hidden.
• Slide it to the right (green) to turn it back on.
• Nothing is deleted. Turning something off only hides it. Your drills, sessions, matches and players are all still there when you turn it back on.
• Some features need another one. For example, Match day needs the Planner, and Area grids need Areas. These are greyed out with "Needs … turned on" until the one they depend on is on.
• Turn everything on puts every switch back on.
• Your choices are saved to your account, so they follow you to any computer or phone you log in on. Each coach has their own preferences.

The groups are:

Recycle bin#

Deleted something by mistake? Drills, sessions, matches, players and whole teams you delete go to the recycle bin for 30 days. You can put them back from there.

1. Choose Account > Recycle bin… (or 🗑 Recycle bin in the Library's list).
2. Each item shows what it is, when you deleted it and how many days are left.
3. Click Restore to put it back where it was. A restored team comes back with its players and their reviews.
4. Delete forever removes one item now. Empty recycle bin removes everything.

After 30 days, items are removed for good.

Good to know:

• To restore a player whose team was also deleted, restore the team first.
• A restored drill, session or player comes back with its share link off, so old links don't start working again by surprise.
• Turning off the Recycle bin in Preferences only hides it; deleted things are still kept for 30 days.

Help and this manual#

There are four ways to open this manual from inside Session Builder:

1. Click Help at the top right of any page, then Help for this page. It opens at the part about the page you're on. User manual in the same menu opens it at the beginning.
2. Click a small round ? button. They're on page titles, side panels and the top right of windows.
3. Press the ? key (or F1) when you're not typing in a box. This skips the menu and opens the part about the page you're on.
4. Choose Account > User manual.

1. Help for this page: the manual, opened at the page you're on.
2. User manual: the manual, from the beginning.
3. Features list: every feature in one list. See Features list.
4. Features list (PDF): the same list as a PDF to download, print or email.

The manual opens in a panel on the right, so you can read and follow along at the same time. Search it with the box at the top. Open in a new tab shows it full size. Click ✕ or press Esc to close it.

You can hide the ? buttons in Preferences (Help buttons). The Help menu and Account > User manual always stay.

Features list#

The features list shows everything Session Builder can do on one page: each feature with a short description, where to find it, and a link to the part of this manual that explains it step by step. It's a good place to start if you're new, or to check whether Session Builder can do something.

1. Click Help at the top right, then Features list (or choose Account > Features list).
2. The list opens in the panel on the right. Features are grouped by area: Home, Drill board, Planner, Team and so on. Click an area's name at the top to jump to it.
3. To find a feature, type in Find a feature, for example lineup or password. Only matching features stay on screen, with your words highlighted.
4. Click How to use it → next to a feature to open its instructions in this manual.

• A feature marked On/off in Preferences can be hidden with a switch in Preferences.
• ⤓ PDF at the top of the list (or Help > Features list (PDF)) downloads the list as a PDF. Every How to use it link in the PDF opens the matching part of the online manual.
• Open in a new tab at the top of the panel shows the list full size.

The list is updated every time a feature is added to Session Builder. You can turn the Features list off in Preferences (Features list) if you don't need it.

Admin guide#

Club admins run Session Builder for the club. Admins have full access at all times and see extra options. (An admin is set up once by whoever installed Session Builder; see the setup guide.)

Members and free access#

Choose Account > Members and promo codes….

• The list shows every account with its plan (Free trial, Monthly, Yearly, Free) and when its access ends. Accounts whose access has ended say expired in red.
• Search by email, or filter with All, Free, Trial, Paid or Expired.
• + New member: create an account for a coach. See Create a new member.
• Give free: gives free access for 30 days, 90 days, 1 year, 2 years or Forever, with an optional reason (for example "Club coach"). If the member still has free time, the days are added on. Free forever shows as Forever in the list.
• Reset to free: shown when someone's free access has run out. It starts a new free period from today.
• End: ends someone's free access or trial now.
• Paying members show Billed by Stripe. Change, cancel or refund their subscription in your Stripe dashboard.

Create a new member#

Admins can make an account for a coach themselves, so the coach doesn't have to sign up. Use it for club staff, volunteers or anyone you want to give free access.

1. Choose Account > Members and promo codes….
2. Click + New member at the top of the Members tab.

1. Type the coach's Name (it's shown as "Created by" on their drills) and Email.
2. Choose their Access:
3. 30-day free trial: the same as signing up themselves. When it ends they choose a plan, or you give them more time.
4. Free forever: they never have to pay. Add a Note if you like, such as "Club staff". You can end it any time with End.
5. Choose How they sign in:
6. Temporary password: type one, or leave the box empty and Session Builder makes one for you. You give it to the coach, and they change it after logging in (Account > Change password). This needs no email setup.
7. Email them an invitation: they get an email with a link, click it, and choose their own password. This needs email set up in Supabase (see the setup guide).
8. Click Create account.

With a temporary password, it's shown only once. Click Copy sign-in details to copy a ready-made message with the web address, email and password, and paste it into a text or email to the coach. The new member also appears in the list.

Promo codes#

Open the Promo codes tab.

1. Type a Code, for example COACHYEAR.
2. Free days: for example 365 for a free year.
3. Max uses (optional): how many accounts can use it. Leave empty for no limit.
4. Use by (optional): the last day it works.
5. Note (optional): a reminder for yourself, such as "Spring coaching clinic".
6. Click Create code.

The list shows each code, how many times it's been used, and its limits. Turn off stops a code working. Give the code to coaches; they enter it at sign-up or in Your plan.

Prices#

The Prices tab sets the text on the plan cards that coaches see when they sign up or choose a plan.

Type the Monthly price, Yearly price and Yearly note (for example "2 months free") and click Save prices. Once Stripe payments are connected, the cards show Stripe's real prices instead, so set the same amounts in Stripe.

Prepare languages#

Before coaches start using another language, prepare it once. Session Builder then translates the whole app, this manual and the features list in one go, so every coach who picks that language gets everything at once instead of waiting.

1. Choose Account > Members and promo codes…, then the Languages tab. (Shortcut: click the language button next to Help and choose Prepare languages for coaches… at the bottom of the list. Only admins see it.)
2. Find the language your coaches need and click Prepare. The Ready column counts up as it works. Most languages take a minute or two.
3. When it shows ✓ Ready, it's done. To prepare every language, click Prepare all languages and leave Session Builder open until they're all ready.

1. Prepare all languages: prepares every language that isn't ready yet, one after another.
2. Ready: how much of the app, manual and features list is translated for that language.
3. Prepare: prepares one language. It's safe to press again; it only does what's missing.

When Session Builder gets new features, new words show as less than 100%. Press Prepare again to add them.

Starter drills for everyone#

As an admin, when you open a starter drill a bar appears above the field.

• Save for everyone: overwrites the starter for every coach with your version. Click twice to confirm.
• Hide for everyone: takes the starter off every coach's list. Show for everyone brings it back.
• Reset to original: throws away the club version and restores the built-in drill.

Save drill still saves a normal copy to the library.

Game model#

Only admins can edit the club's game model. See Edit the game model.

Troubleshooting and questions#

Common problems#

I can't log in. Check the email address and password (passwords are case-sensitive: A and a are different). Use Forgot password? or Email me a sign-in code. If you just signed up, open the confirmation email first.

The email never arrived. Wait a few minutes and check your spam or junk folder. Ask for a new email; only the newest link works.

I see a plan screen instead of the app. Your trial or plan has ended. Choose a plan or enter a promo code. Nothing has been deleted. If you think it's a mistake, ask your club admin.

A button or tab I need is missing. It may be turned off in Account > Preferences. Click Turn everything on to check. Some options (Members, editing the game model, saving starters for everyone) are only for admins.

I deleted something by mistake. Open Account > Recycle bin… and click Restore. See Recycle bin.

A player says the link asks for a password, or says it expired. You (or another coach) locked it. See Passwords and last days; give them the password or set a later last day.

A video in a drill doesn't play. Only YouTube and Vimeo links play inside Session Builder, and the video must be public or unlisted (not private). Other links open in a new tab.

My drill disappeared. Did you click Save drill? Drills aren't saved until you do. Check the Library under All drills, and search by name. Drills made before you logged in are kept only in that browser.

I made a mistake on the board. Click Undo (or press Ctrl+Z) as many times as you need.

Nothing happens when I print or make a session sheet. Your browser blocked the new tab. Look for a "pop-up blocked" icon in the address bar and choose Always allow for Session Builder.

The video export doesn't work. Video (.mp4) needs a recent Chrome, Edge or Safari. Update your browser, or use the GIF instead.

The AI couldn't build my drill. See Tips and when AI goes wrong.

A player can't open the share link. Check that the share box is ticked and that you copied the whole link.

The app looks squashed on my phone. Turn the phone sideways, or use a tablet or computer for drawing drills. Minimizing the side panels also helps.

The keyboard shortcuts don't work. They don't work while you're typing in a box. Click on the field first. On a Mac, use Cmd instead of Ctrl.

Frequently asked questions#

Do I need to install anything? No. Session Builder runs in your web browser. You can add it to your home screen so it opens like an app; see Put Session Builder on your home screen.

Does it work on a phone or tablet? Yes. Everything works on phones and tablets; drawing is easiest on a tablet or computer.

Can other coaches see my drills? Only if you share them. New drills are private. You can share a drill with a team's coaches, a club, or every coach; they can open and copy it but can't change yours. See Who can see your drills. Your teams, players, sessions, folders and favorites are private.

Can players see anything? Only what you share with a link: a drill, a session, or a player's own development page. They can't change anything and don't need an account.

Can I put a password on a link? Yes, and a last day too. See Passwords and last days.

Can I get back something I deleted? Yes, for 30 days, from the recycle bin.

What happens to my data if my plan ends? It's kept. Subscribe again or use a promo code and it's all there.

How do I cancel my subscription? Account > Your plan… > Manage billing, then cancel on Stripe's page. You keep access until the end of the period you paid for.

Is my card stored in Session Builder? No. Payments are handled by Stripe, a payment company; Session Builder never sees your card number.

Can I use Session Builder in another language? Not yet; it's in English.

Soccer words explained#

New to soccer coaching? These are the soccer words used in Session Builder and in this manual.

Appearance (App)

Playing in a match, either from the start or as a substitute.

Assist

The pass (or touch) that sets up a goal. The player who gives it "gets the assist".

Bib (pinnie)

A colored vest players wear over their shirt so teams can tell each other apart in training.

Build-out line

A line in youth 7v7 soccer. When the goalkeeper has the ball, opponents must stay behind it so the team can practice passing out from the back.

Build-up play

How a team moves the ball from its goalkeeper and defenders up the field toward the other goal.

Channels

Long strips running the length of the field (left, center, right). Splitting an area into channels helps teach width.

Constraint

A limit added to a drill to encourage a behavior, such as "two touches maximum" or "must pass before shooting".

Counter-press (gegenpress)

Trying to win the ball back straight away, usually within a few seconds, right after losing it.

Cross

A pass from the side of the field into the area in front of the goal.

End zone

A strip at the end of an area. A team often scores by dribbling or passing into it.

Equipment

Cones mark areas and gates. Poles are tall sticks to dribble or run around. Hurdles are small bars to step or jump over. Agility ladders lie flat for quick footwork. Rings are flat hoops for footwork. Flags mark corners and targets. A bumper (rebounder) bounces the ball back. A mini goal is a small goal used as a target.

Formation

How players line up, counted from the back and not counting the goalkeeper. 4-3-3 means 4 defenders, 3 midfielders and 3 forwards. Smaller games use smaller formations, such as 3-2-3 for 9 v 9 or 2-3-1 for 7 v 7.

Game model

A club's written description of how it wants to play, broken down by phase, so every team and coach works toward the same style.

Give-and-go (one-two, wall pass)

A player passes to a teammate and runs forward; the teammate passes straight back into their path.

Intensity

How hard a session is on the body. High-intensity sessions have lots of sprinting and contact; low-intensity sessions are lighter, for the day before a match or after a hard game.

Lines (breaking the lines)

The rows of opposing players (their defenders, midfielders and forwards). "Breaking a line" means passing or dribbling past one of those rows.

Mannequin

A dummy shaped like a player, used as a pretend defender or a wall for free kicks.

Match day (MD)

The day of the game. MD-1 is the day before, MD+1 the day after. See Match-day labels.

Neutral player (joker)

A player who plays for whichever team has the ball, to give that team an extra player (for example "5 v 5 + 2" has two neutrals).

Overlap

A player runs around the outside of a teammate who has the ball, to receive a pass beyond them.

Periodization

Planning training load across the week or season, so players are fresh for matches: harder work early in the week, lighter just before the game.

Phases of play

The five moments of a game: In possession (we have the ball), Out of possession (they have it), Transition to attack (the moment we win it), Transition to defense (the moment we lose it) and Set pieces (corners, free kicks, throw-ins, penalties).

Positions

GK goalkeeper. CB center back. RB / LB right / left back (fullbacks). WB wing back. CDM (or DM) defensive midfielder. CM central midfielder. CAM (or AM) attacking midfielder. RM / LM right / left midfielder. RW / LW right / left winger. ST (or CF) striker, center forward.

Possession

Having the ball. A possession drill is about keeping the ball away from the other team.

Press (pressing)

Closing down the player with the ball to win it back or force a mistake.

Rondo

A keep-away game: a group of players in a circle or square pass the ball while a few defenders in the middle try to win it. "4 v 2" means 4 passers and 2 defenders.

Rotation

How players swap roles in a drill, for example the defender who wins the ball swaps with the passer who lost it.

Scanning

Looking around (checking your shoulder) before the ball arrives, to know where teammates and opponents are.

Set piece

Restarting play from a stoppage: corner kick, free kick, throw-in, goal kick or penalty.

Small-sided game (SSG)

A match with fewer players on a smaller field, such as 5 v 5. Players touch the ball more and make more decisions.

Switching play

Moving the ball quickly from one side of the field to the other, where there's more space.

Third-man run

A pattern where player A passes to B, and B passes on to C, who was already running into space.

Thirds

The field split into three parts across its length: defensive third (near your goal), middle third and attacking third (near their goal).

Transition

The moment the ball changes teams. Good teams react fastest in transition.

"7 v 4", "5 v 5 + 2"

How many players on each side. "7 v 4" is seven against four. "+ 2" adds two neutral players.

What > When > How

A simple way to plan your coaching: What you want to teach, When to step in (the moment in the drill that shows the problem), and How you'll coach it (stopping play, asking questions, or a quick word while play goes on).

App words explained#

Activity plan

The written plan of a drill: objective, players, area, rules, timings and coaching points.

Board

The page where you draw drills on a field.

Drill

One practice activity, drawn on the board with its steps and plan.

Export

Saving a drill as a file (GIF, video, web page, drill file or text) to send or keep.

Library

Your drills, plus the drills other coaches have shared with you.

Preferences

The page where you turn features on or off.

Promo code

A code that gives free access for a number of days.

Session

One training practice on a date, made of drills and breaks.

Share link

A web address that lets someone view a drill, session or player page without logging in.

Starter drill

A ready-made drill that comes with Session Builder.

Step

One moment of a drill's animation. Playing the steps in order animates the drill.

Tag

A short label on a drill (such as "Rondo") used to find it later.

Template

A saved session plan or drill setup you start new ones from.

Reflection

Your notes after a session: how it went, what worked, and what to change. They make up your coaching journal.

Coverage

How often your sessions trained each principle of the game model.

Recycle bin

Where deleted things wait for 30 days before they're gone for good.

Locked link

A share link that needs a password, or stops working after a set day.

Trial

The free period at the start of a new account.