SIDELINE STATPUBLIC SUPPORT GUIDE
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Complete Sideline Stat guide
Sharing a team with other coachesOpen Team & roster → Coach access, enter the coach's email, and send an invitation. The coach opens the emailed link and signs in or creates a password. Every accepted coach uses a separate email login and has full access to the shared roster, schedule, games, stats, reports, and backups. The current team owner can remove access or transfer ownership to another accepted coach. After a transfer, the previous owner remains a full-access coach unless removed. Sending or accepting invitations, transferring ownership, removing access, and switching teams requires an internet connection.

Start here

Sideline Stat is designed to follow the game automatically. Record what happened on the current play, check the result, and tap Record play. The score, field position, down and distance, possession, and next screen will update when the play supplies enough information.

Need help?Email info@sidelinestat.usSupport is handled by one person. Please report problems before game day when possible and include the device, browser, game, and what happened.

1. First-time setup

  1. Sign in while connected to the internet. A new device must complete its first sign-in online.
  2. Open Team & roster. Choose an existing saved roster or create a new one. Each roster stays separate and is saved for offline use.
  3. Add players by hand or import a CSV, XLSX, or PDF roster. For a CSV, use the columns Number, Name, Grade, Position.
  4. Open each player and select the roles that control where the player appears: rusher, passer, receiver, defender, kicker, punter, kick returner, and punt returner.
  5. Set Priority players. Regular players appear as large quick-pick buttons; everyone else remains available in the dropdown.
  6. Choose the game format: 6-man uses an 80-yard field with 15 yards for a first down; 8-man uses an 80-yard field with 10 yards for a first down; 11-man uses a 100-yard field with 10 yards for a first down. Choose whether plays will be entered by yards gained or by starting and ending ball spots.
  7. Open Season, add the opponent, date, and location, then select that game.
  8. Return to Track and tap Check offline while still connected. Do this on every iPad or phone that may be used at a game.
Recommended: Use Practice mode before the first game. Practice entries are separate and do not count in season totals.

2. What each tab does

TrackRecord live plays, see the score and current situation, change quarters, correct down and distance, and view recent plays.
SeasonAdd and select games, edit opponent details, open Practice mode, and email the selected game as CSV or MaxPreps TXT.
Play logReview every play in order. Edit, delete, or insert a missed play before an existing play.
TotalsReview game or season team totals and individual player statistics.
Team & rosterManage saved rosters, team format, player roles, priority players, and roster imports.
BackupDownload a full backup, detailed play CSV, or MaxPreps TXT; restore a JSON backup; check offline status; or force a sync.

3. Game-night basics

  1. Confirm the correct opponent and roster at the top.
  2. Select Q1 before the first play. The quarter stays selected for every play until you change it to Q2, Q3, Q4, or OT.
  3. Enter Drive started at once at the beginning of an offensive or defensive drive. It remains visible and carries through that drive.
  4. Choose Offense, Defense, or Special teams, then record the play.
  5. Before saving, check the player, result, yards or ball spot, penalty, and scoring choice.
  6. Tap Record play. Read Last play recorded and Next action before entering the next play.

The score is calculated from recorded touchdowns, field goals, PATs, and 2-point tries. Do not add scoring plays a second time to change the score. The score by quarter appears below the play form. Use Edit score to correct a quarter’s team or opponent score, then save; finalized games must be reopened first.

4. Down, distance, and ball position

Offense and Defense show the current situation, such as 2nd & 5 at −20. The site advances the ball and calculates the next down from the recorded play. A new series starts at 1st & 15 in 6-man and 1st & 10 in 8-man or 11-man.

8-man / 11-man exampleStart at −15, gain 5 yards, and the next situation becomes 2nd & 5 at −20.
6-man exampleStart at −15, gain 5 yards, and the next situation becomes 2nd & 10 at −20.

Use Edit down, distance & ball whenever the displayed situation does not match the field. Enter the correct down, yards to go, and ball position, then save. This correction does not create a fake play or player statistic.

5. How to enter field position

EntryMeaningExample
Negative numberThe offense’s own side of the field−15 = the offense’s own 15-yard line
Positive numberThe opponent’s side of the field15 = the opponent’s 15-yard line
MidfieldThe center of the field40 on 6-man or 8-man; 50 on 11-man
0The opponent’s goal lineA touchdown ends at the opponent goal line

Touchbacks: The ball is spotted at the 15 in 6-man or 8-man and the 20 in 11-man.

6. Recording offense

  1. Choose Run or Pass.
  2. Select the rusher, or select the passer and receiver.
  3. For a pass, choose the correct result. Record an interception as an interception, not as a completion.
  4. Enter the yards gained/lost or the required ball spots.
  5. If an offensive lineman records a pancake, select Pancake block beside Fumble lost, then choose the lineman. Players must have the Offensive lineman roster role to appear in this list.
  6. If the play scores, select Touchdown. Do not type the touchdown yardage; it is calculated from the current ball position.
  7. If the runner or receiver fumbles, mark the fumble and whether it was lost.
  8. If the opponent returned our interception or lost fumble for a touchdown, select the matching touchdown option. It counts as our turnover and an opponent touchdown.
  9. Add any penalty to this same play, then tap Record play.

After our touchdown, the site automatically opens our point-after. Choose 1-point try for a PAT kick or 2-point try for a run/pass attempt. Record the result, and the site then opens the kickoff.

7. Recording defense

  1. Choose the opponent play: Run or Pass.
  2. For a pass, choose Complete, Incomplete, or Intercepted. On an incomplete pass, defender selection is optional; if you select someone, mark Pass deflection. For an interception, select a defender, mark INT, and enter return yards.
  3. Enter Distance allowed on every run and completed pass. Enter 0 for no gain; a negative number records a loss for the opponent. Incomplete passes, interceptions, and touchdowns are handled automatically.
  4. Select one or more tacklers. Priority defenders are quick buttons; other defenders are in the dropdown. With multiple tacklers, assisted tackles are selected automatically.
  5. Use No tackler when the runner falls, slips, or loses yards without defensive contact.
  6. For a fumble the opponent keeps, choose Fumble · original team recovered. No recovery player is credited.
  7. For our interception or fumble recovery, select the defender and mark INT or FR. A fumble recovery does not require a solo or assisted tackle.
  8. If our takeaway was returned for a touchdown, select the return-touchdown box that appears.
  9. If the opponent scores, choose Touchdown. The yards allowed are calculated automatically and no tackler is required.

After an opponent touchdown, the site opens Opponent point-after. Choose 1-point or 2-point. A 1-point try moves to PAT kick coverage; a 2-point try stays on Defense. If a 2-point try is no good, tacklers can be credited.

8. Recording special teams

Kickoff and punt coverage

  1. Choose Kickoff or Punt, select the kicker/punter, and enter distance or ball spots.
  2. For a normal return, add the coverage tackler(s) and choose solo or assisted.
  3. Select Opponent return touchdown when the return reaches the end zone. The site opens the opponent point-after automatically.
  4. For a touchback, select Touchback. The site records the kick distance and spots the ball automatically.
  5. For a punt with no return, choose Punt downed and enter the downed yardline.

Kick return and punt return

  1. Choose Kick return or Punt return, select the returner, and enter return yards.
  2. Select Return touchdown for a score. The site opens our point-after automatically.
  3. If the kick is a touchback, punt is downed, or ball goes out of bounds, use that option instead of selecting a returner.
  4. For any fumble or muff, select Fumble or muff on this play, then choose who recovered.
  5. Original team recovered keeps possession and gives no recovery credit. Other team recovered creates a turnover; on our coverage play, select the recovery player. No tackle is required for a recovery.

Out of bounds

For a punt out of bounds, select the option and enter the exact yardline. No returner or tackler is required.

For a kickoff out of bounds, choose the receiving team’s decision: take the ball at the entered spot or move the kicking team back 5 yards and re-kick. Every repeated re-kick moves the kicking team back another 5 yards automatically.

Field goals and PAT kicks

Use Field goal or PAT kick under Special teams. Choose Our attempt for our kicker or Field goal block / PAT kick block for the opponent’s attempt. Select Good, No good, or Blocked. If the opponent’s kick is blocked, select the defender who receives the kick-block credit.

9. Recording penalties

Penalties belong on the same play. Do not record the play and penalty as two separate plays.

  1. Open Add penalty at the bottom of the current Offense, Defense, or Special teams entry.
  2. Check Penalty on this play.
  3. Choose Us or Opponent.
  4. Choose the penalty called by the official.
  5. Enter the enforced yards as a positive number only. The site automatically makes a penalty on us negative and a penalty on the opponent positive.
  6. Choose Line of scrimmage, End of run, or Spot foul. For a spot foul, enter the yardline where the foul occurred; the penalty and next down-and-distance are calculated from that spot.
  7. Answer Loss of down? If Yes, the next situation advances a down. If No, the site asks whether the result is a first down after the play is recorded.
  8. Review the next ball spot and tap Record play.
Penalty on usEnter 10, not −10. The site applies −10 automatically.
Penalty on opponentEnter 15, not +15. The site applies +15 automatically.
Spot foulEnter where the foul happened. The enforced yards and next ball position begin from that yardline.
Dead-ball foulSelect Dead-ball penalty. No rusher, receiver, tackler, or play statistic is required.
Official ruling controlsEnter the yards actually enforced by the officials, including half-the-distance enforcement.

10. Fixing mistakes

  • Wrong last play: Tap Undo last play, then enter it again.
  • Wrong older play: Open Play log and tap Edit. Save the correction; totals are recalculated.
  • Delete a play: Open Play log and tap Delete. Confirm only after checking the correct play number.
  • Missed play: Find the play that should come after it and tap Add missed play before. Enter the missing play normally. The site inserts it in order and recalculates play numbers, totals, field position, and down/distance.
  • Wrong situation: On Track, tap Edit down, distance & ball. This changes the live situation without adding a play.

11. Offline use and syncing

Live stat entry can work without Wi-Fi after that device has been prepared online.

  1. While online, sign in and open the correct roster and season.
  2. Tap Check offline. Wait for Offline ready.
  3. Keep the site open or use the home-screen icon at the game. Plays save on the device immediately.
  4. When service returns, leave the site open long enough to sync. Use Backup → Sync now if needed.

Do not clear Safari/browser website data, delete the home-screen copy, sign out, or erase the device during an unsynced game.

The word Syncing does not mean Wi-Fi is required to record the next play. It means the site is attempting to send saved changes to the account; offline changes wait on the device.

12. iPhone and iPad refresh

If the home-screen version appears old after an update:

  1. Connect to the internet and open sidelinestat.us in Safari.
  2. Force-close the home-screen app from the App Switcher, then reopen it.
  3. If it still shows the old version, delete only the old home-screen icon, reopen the site in Safari, tap Share → Add to Home Screen, and launch the new icon.

Do not clear all Safari website data unless you have confirmed the game is synced and downloaded a backup.

13. Finalizing, reports, and MaxPreps

  1. After the game, compare the score, play count, team totals, and key player totals with the official book.
  2. Make corrections in Play log or with the down-and-distance correction.
  3. Choose Finalize game. This locks new plays, edits, deletions, quarter changes, and situation corrections. Totals and exports remain available.
  4. If a correction is found later, choose Edit game, make the change, and finalize again.

CSV

Use the detailed CSV for spreadsheets, review, or sharing. From Season, choose CSV to email the selected game. Email requires an internet connection.

MaxPreps TXT

Open Backup and choose MaxPreps game TXT, or choose TXT when emailing a game. Save the file, then import it in MaxPreps using its football stat-import screen. Review the imported roster numbers and totals before final submission. Sideline Stat prepares the file; it does not submit directly to MaxPreps.

Full backup

Download the JSON backup regularly. It contains the rosters, schedule, games, and plays and can restore the account from the Backup tab.

Quarter totals

Every play keeps its quarter label for review. Downloaded game totals still combine all quarters into one complete game.

14. When something does not look right

  • Confirm the correct game, roster, quarter, and field format.
  • Read Last play recorded and Next action on Track.
  • Open Play log and verify the latest play was saved only once.
  • Use Edit down, distance & ball if the situation is wrong.
  • Use Backup → Sync now after reconnecting.
  • If the problem remains, email info@sidelinestat.us with the device, browser, opponent/week, play number, and a screenshot. Please avoid deleting plays or clearing browser data until support responds.