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Create your first diagram

Last updated November 14, 2026

This guide takes you through your first play in Playside Diagrams: pick a sport, place a formation, draw routes and save. The example is an 11-player football play called Y Stick.

Before you start

  • Sign in to Playside Diagrams. Diagrams is free, and you don't need a team.
  • Use a computer. The steps use a mouse and keyboard.

Pick your sport

When you have no plays yet, the Diagrams page shows Draw your first play with a tile for each sport.

  1. Click the Football tile.
  2. A row opens under the tiles and asks Which football? Click Football 11.

The Diagrams page with no plays yet. It says Draw your first play, with a Football tile that lists 11-man, Flag 5v5, Flag 7v7, 8-man and Canadian.

The Which football? row open under the Football tile, with Football 11, Flag 5v5, Flag 7v7, 8-man and Canadian 12. Football 11 is highlighted.

A blank field opens in the editor. A sport with only one version, such as Basketball, skips the row and opens its court straight away.

Already have plays? Click New Diagram at the top right of the Diagrams page instead.

Name the play and place a formation

  1. Click the Diagram name field at the top left and type a name, such as Y Stick.
  2. In the right panel, under Apply offense, click Spread (2x2). All 11 offensive players appear on the field.
  3. Press Esc to clear the selection.

The editor with the play named Y Stick and the 11 players of Spread (2x2) on the field. Spread (2x2) is selected under Apply offense in the right panel.

Draw the routes

  1. In the left panel, under Tools, click the Route tool (the arrow), or press R.
  2. Click the player where the route starts, such as Y.
  3. Click each point where the route turns.
  4. Press Enter to finish the route. It ends in an arrow.
  5. Draw the other routes the same way. Y Stick has a flat for the RB, go routes for X and Z, and a hitch for H.
  6. Click the Select tool, or press Esc, to stop drawing and look over the play.

Pressing Esc while a route is still being drawn throws that route away. To change the line or the end of the next route, use Route Style and Route Ending in the left panel before you draw it.

The finished Y Stick play: a stick route for Y, a flat for the RB, go routes for X and Z, and a hitch for H.

Save the play

  1. Click Save at the top right. When the play is saved, Unsaved changes goes away.
  2. Click the back arrow at the top left to go back to the Diagrams page. The play is now a card with a picture of the play.
  3. Click the card any time to open the play again.

The Diagrams page with one card, Y Stick, showing a small picture of the play.

Download a picture

To save a PNG of the play, click the download icon (Download PNG) at the top of the editor. If the play is saved and you don't see that icon, click the share icon (Share this play) and choose Download PNG there.

Other sports

The steps are the same in every sport: pick a tile, name the play, place players, draw and save. Each sport has its own field, court or rink, its own number of players and its own starter formations, so the choices in the right panel change with the sport.