Abstract:
A system and method of web-based computer software and hardware is disclosed for recording and analyzing sports statistics to allow a sports team to evaluate the efficiency of its team, players, lineups, games, plays, playbooks, and other related attributes. Computerized algorithms analyze thousands of complex event outcomes based on various user specifications to produce innumerable statistical results. The system is optimized for use on a touch-screen tablet computer but can also be accessed via any computing device with a web browser and an Internet connection. The invention is designed to be used in real-time, but can also be used after the game to record event information or analyze previously recorded data.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/380,903, filed Sep. 8, 2010, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention is in the field of web-based software. More particularly, the present invention is in the field of sports statistical analysis software. 
         [0003]    Analytical software for sports statistics already exists, but has its limitations. These software packages help track player activities and compute various calculations to give performance statistics. This proves to be very useful in determining pure performance metrics of individual players as well as teams. However, these numbers do not correlate to teams&#39; specific playbooks. Existing solutions do not allow a team to evaluate the effectiveness and performance of their own playbooks. In order to achieve this level of analysis, the data must be captured in real-time by the play identifier. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The following description sets forth the inventor&#39;s knowledge of related art and problems therein and should not be construed as an admission of knowledge in the prior art. 
         [0005]    Systems and methods for gathering and analyzing data captured during or related to live sporting events are known. In particular, systems and methods are known that enable play-by-play analysis of live or prerecorded game events for analysis thereof. 
         [0006]    For example, various electronic devices are known for enabling individuals to track game events. 
         [0007]    Many of these systems require dedicated hardware components. More recently, technological advancements have provided the use of programmed personal computers and mobile devices to improve product flexibility and reduce production costs. 
         [0008]    Systems that require dedicated hardware for tracking of game events include the following: 
         [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,128,893 to Johnson, et. al. concerns a hand held battery operated device for recording won and lost points, and includes an electronic random access memory controlled by a keyboard, and a digital display. The Johnson, et. al. device, however, is restricted to a very specific functionality which is not applicable to the game of basketball, a game in which points are not lost. 
         [0010]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,266,214 describes a portable electronic game scoring apparatus. Although scoring is provided, no means of storing or generating statistics is provided. 
         [0011]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,651 to Little concerns a miniature wrist-worn calculator that tracks points won and lost for the game of tennis Two elongated multiple-digit displays indicate points won, points lost to the opponent, and the type of shots producing such points. As in the case of the aforesaid Johnson, et. al. patent, the Little device is incapable of coping with basketball game factors. 
         [0012]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,826 to Johnson relates to a hand-held portable device for keeping track of the in-play and error shots of a specific type of shot made by a player in a sports event such as tennis. The device comprises a first display for indicating the percentage of the cumulative number of in-play shots relative to the cumulative number of the total in-play and error shots. A microprocessor keeps track of totals and computes various percentages. No menu driven software is provided to instruct the user in the operation of the device. There is only one mode of entering data, and no provision for saving data. 
         [0013]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,982 to Villarreal concerns a portable electronic scorekeeper device which allows the user to record the nature of plays and scoring in a baseball game. Data is entered through a keyboard and is viewed in multiple displays. The device includes a microprocessor for compilation of data, a printer for hard copy reports, and an interface to a publicly displayed scoreboard. 
         [0014]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,033 to Puma, et. al. concerns a device for converting a box score in a hockey game to statistical data useful for coaches. The device includes a longitudinal carriage having an affixed timing chart, and a converting apparatus for deriving statistical data from the box score. 
         [0015]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,266 is a device that allows entry of baseball game statistics using a dedicated computer and keyboard for data entry. 
         [0016]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,122,559 is a dedicated hand-held computer used for inputting sporting data, with an emphasis on the sport of soccer. Events (such as scoring and penalties) are associated with a player number and stored so that compiled statistics can be obtained. 
         [0017]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,242 concerns an apparatus for recording basketball game data during the game to derive various statistical results. However, the apparatus requires specific hardware that prevents multiple users from accessing the system. If the apparatus is lost, then the data is lost along with the device itself. 
         [0018]    Systems that operate using a personal computer to track game events include the following: 
         [0019]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,188 to Metz relates to a sports statistic recording system having charts containing bar codes, a scanning device, and a personal computer. The computer is programmed to associate specific bar codes with specific players and game events. The scanned information is conveyed to the computer for storage and compilation. 
         [0020]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,545,689 represents a method and system for reviewing, editing, and analyzing soccer video data to gather statistical information. This system is implemented on a personal computer running a Windows 98 (or equivalent) operating system and buttons are selected using a mouse. 
         [0021]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,646,914 concerns a computer-based system and method for collecting and analyzing event data using a computer application embedded in a tablet computer. Data can be captured using a computer mouse or a digital pen and the software allows for interpretation of handwritten characters. Part of the invention allows the user to generate team and player statistics across a selection of seasons or games. The device also enables storage of game plays, however, the device does not allow specific event records to be associated with particular plays and does not allow for analysis of each play&#39;s efficiency in different game scenarios and against different opponents. The system is optimized for use with digital pen technology, but does not mention compatibility with touch-screen tablet technology. 
         [0022]    Other related inventions include those that are used primarily for tracking rosters, rather than tracking specific plays and game events. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,920 discloses a sports team organizer that includes a dedicated hand-held device that is programmed to provide means for entering a roster and then calculating an optimal line-up based on user-defined enumerated ratings. U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,634 is a device used to store bibliographical and statistical information on individual players. 
         [0023]    There is a need for a system and method in the field of team sports to keep track, on an ongoing and season-to-season basis, of many different aspects including, but not limited to creating rosters, evaluating player efficiency, evaluating play efficiency, viewing playbooks, capturing game events in real-time, performing statistical analysis, preparing for games, preparing and choosing plays for specific in-game situations, preparing for practices, and evaluating performance against specific opponents or in specific venues. The prior art solutions do not provide these different aspects, nor do they disclose means for integrating these aspects in an easy to use application. 
         [0024]    Another disadvantage of the prior art solutions, including those described above, is that they tend to require a specific piece of hardware, which limits user flexibility and makes it difficult for multiple users to access the system simultaneously or from different locations. Furthermore, solutions with dedicated hardware, especially those that store data on the hardware itself, are at a greater risk of data loss if the hardware is lost, damaged, or stolen. 
         [0025]    None of the patents described above, taken singly or in combination, describe or suggest the instant invention. 
         [0026]    These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0027]    The present invention is a web-based system and application that can be used by sports teams to capture and analyze outcomes of plays in real-time in order to evaluate efficiency and performance of specific plays or players. The ability to perform these calculations allows teams to use historical data to predict and determine the best possible plays to execute in a given scenario. More importantly, these metrics can be computed in real-time as the game is proceeding using recently captured data. Teams no longer have to wait until the end of the game to perform analysis. 
         [0028]    The present invention is optimized for use on an Apple iPad or other tablet device, but the system can also be accessed from any internet-capable device such as a notebook, netbook, or desktop computer. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0029]      FIG. 1  is a high-level overview of the system architecture. 
           [0030]      FIG. 2  is a diagram of the Home Screen, Log-In process, and Main Menu of the Application. 
           [0031]      FIG. 3  is the main dashboard screen of the present invention. 
           [0032]      FIG. 4  is diagram of the dashboard area of the present invention. 
           [0033]      FIG. 5  is a screenshot of the player selection screen of the present invention. 
           [0034]      FIG. 6  is the hierarchal playbook menu browser of the present invention. 
           [0035]      FIG. 7  is the play detail popup screen of the present invention. 
           [0036]      FIG. 8  is the current game recent outcomes screen of the present invention. 
           [0037]      FIG. 9  is a diagram of the Analytics homepage of the present invention. 
           [0038]      FIG. 10  is the current game offensive play efficiency analysis screen of the present invention. 
           [0039]      FIG. 11  is the current game defensive play efficiency analysis screen of the present invention. 
           [0040]      FIG. 12  is the current game player shot distribution chart screen of the present invention. 
           [0041]      FIG. 13  is the current game quick statistics screen of the present invention. 
           [0042]      FIG. 14  is the current game analysis summary report screen of the present invention. 
           [0043]      FIG. 15  is a flowchart diagram for the Crystal Ball area of the present invention. 
           [0044]      FIG. 16  is the Crystal Ball homepage screen of the present invention. 
           [0045]      FIG. 17  is the Question Creation: season criteria screen of the present invention. 
           [0046]      FIG. 18  is the Top Offensive Efficiency Answer screen of the present invention. 
           [0047]      FIG. 19  is the Top Offensive Frequency Answer screen of the present invention. 
           [0048]      FIG. 20  is the Top Defensive Efficiency Answer screen of the present invention. 
           [0049]      FIG. 21  is the Top Defensive Frequency Answer screen of the present invention. 
           [0050]      FIG. 22  is a diagram of the main menu options in the Admin Area of the present invention. 
           [0051]      FIG. 23  is s diagram of the Playbook Admin feature of the present invention. 
           [0052]      FIG. 24  is the Playbook List Admin screen of the present invention. 
           [0053]      FIG. 25  is a diagram of the Schedule Admin feature of the present invention. 
           [0054]      FIG. 26  is the Schedule List Admin screen of the present invention. 
           [0055]      FIG. 27  is the Schedule Create Admin screen of the present invention. 
           [0056]      FIG. 28  is a diagram of the Roster Admin feature of the present invention. 
           [0057]      FIG. 29  is the Roster List Admin screen of the present invention. 
           [0058]      FIG. 30  is the Roster Create Admin screen of the present invention. 
           [0059]      FIG. 31  is a diagram of the Season Admin feature of the present invention. 
           [0060]      FIG. 32  is the Season List Admin screen of the present invention. 
           [0061]      FIG. 33  is the Season Create Admin screen of the present invention. 
           [0062]      FIG. 34  is a diagram of the Teams Admin feature of the present invention. 
           [0063]      FIG. 35  is the Teams List Admin screen of the present invention. 
           [0064]      FIG. 36  is the Teams Create Admin screen of the present invention. 
           [0065]      FIG. 37  is a diagram of the Venues Admin feature of the present invention. 
           [0066]      FIG. 38  is the Venue List Admin screen of the present invention. 
           [0067]      FIG. 39  is the Venue Create Admin screen of the present invention. 
           [0068]      FIG. 40  is a diagram of the Users Admin feature of the present invention. 
           [0069]      FIG. 41  is the Users List Admin screen of the present invention. 
           [0070]      FIG. 42  is the Users Create Admin screen of the present invention. 
           [0071]      FIG. 43  is the system database schema of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0072]    While the present invention may be embodied in many different forms, a number of illustrative embodiments are described herein with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as providing examples of the principles of the invention and such examples are not intended to limit the invention to preferred embodiments described herein and/or illustrated herein. 
         [0073]    In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the user will use an Apple iPad or other tablet computer to operate the system. A tablet computer is an appropriate embodiment because it is similar in size and shape to a clipboard that a coach or assistant coach would traditionally use to keep track of player statistics. Additionally, a tablet computer is portable, can both record and display information, and has the necessary hardware and software to support the present invention. The user interacts with the tablet&#39;s touch screen to launch a web browser application by clicking on the icon that represents that application. The web browser application is stored on the tablet computer&#39;s internal memory, and is loaded into the tablet&#39;s RAM when the application is launched. Next, the web browser will utilize the tablet&#39;s network access hardware to establish a connection to the Internet. Once an Internet connection is established, the user will navigate to the appropriate URL, and the web browser will send an http request to that address. The web proxy of the cloud hosting company will receive the HTTP request and respond by sending the data for the Home and Log-in screen of the present invention to the user&#39;s web browser. From the Log-in screen, the user is required to enter a username and password. Once the username and password are entered using the tablet&#39;s touch screen, they are sent over the Internet to the application server, which queries the database to see if the username and password are correct. If they are correct, then the application server loads the appropriate team data and redirects the web browser to the main dashboard screen of the present invention. 
         [0074]    Referring now to the invention in more detail, we see in  FIG. 1  that the invention involves a web-based computer application ( 1 ) that is hosted on the Internet by a cloud-based hosting provider ( 2 ). The application server ( 1 ) stores and retrieves data recorded by the user on a database server ( 3 ), which is also hosted by the cloud-based hosting provider ( 2 ). The user can access the Application Server ( 1 ) by using a Tablet ( 4   a ), Desktop Computer ( 4   b ) or any Other Device ( 4   c ) to open a Web Browser ( 7 ) and connect to the Web Proxy ( 6 ) through an Internet connection ( 5 ). 
         [0075]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , we see that once a user reaches the Home Screen ( 8 ) the invention requires a username and password ( 9 ) to access the application. This security measure restricts user access to only those on the team who are given access. The nature of the data stored on the system is of the utmost confidentiality as it may reveal future strategic decisions made by a team. Additional user accounts can be created using the Create User function in the Admin Area ( 14 ) as depicted in  FIG. 40 . 
         [0076]    Once a user has entered a valid username and password into the login area, the user will enter the application and be able to select the tab ( 10 ) that corresponds to the function they wish to perform, as depicted in  FIG. 2 . The options are “DASHBOARD” ( 11 ), “ANALYTICS” ( 12 ), “CRYSTAL BALL” ( 13 ), “ADMIN” ( 14 ), and “LOGOUT” ( 15 ). ( 11 ), ( 12 ), ( 13 ), and ( 14 ) will be discussed in greater detail below. The option “LOGOUT” ( 15 ) will remove the user from the application area and return the web browser ( 7 ) to the Home Page ( 8 ), where the user will once again be prompted to enter their username and password ( 9 ). 
         [0077]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , we see the primary data entry screen of the invention (“Dashboard”). This screen allows the user to capture all the data points that can be stored in the database. The process for operating the dashboard is described in  FIG. 4 . In order to set up the dashboard, the user must first select the current game ( 16 ) from the game schedule dropdown menu. Setting the current game allows the user to associate all data entered to the game without having to set it at every instance. The list of games scheduled is maintained in the system admin area shown in  FIG. 25  and  FIG. 26 . Once the current game is set, the user sets all current active players in the game ( 17 ) by clicking on any of the five active player slots as shown in  FIG. 5 . The list of players is maintained in the system admin area shown in  FIG. 28 . Substitutions ( 18 ) during the game can be accomplished by clicking on the player being substituted out and selecting the new player from the popup window in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0078]    Once active players are set, the user selects the current play being called and executed ( 19 ) by navigating the hierarchical playbook browser menu shown in  FIG. 6 . The playbook is configured and managed in the playbook designer module shown in  FIG. 23 ,  FIG. 24 , and  FIG. 25 . To navigate down into the menu, the user simply hovers the mouse over or touches play group options to expand the menu or clicks/touches the play to select it. 
         [0079]    Once the current play is selected, the user can click on the current selected play widget to see the play diagram and several efficiency ratings associated with the play including the current game, season, and all-time efficiency ratings shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0080]    Once a play is executed and outcome occurs, the user captures the data point by selecting the player responsible for the outcome ( 20 ), the outcome that occurred ( 21 ), and the position on the court at which the outcome occurred ( 22 ). Optionally, the user can also capture the current possession shot clock ( 23 ), current game quarter ( 24 ), as well as whether the outcome occurred within the last 2 minutes of the quarter ( 25 ). The user commits and saves the selected data points by clicking the ‘SAVE OUTCOME’ button ( 26 ) or resets them by clicking ‘RESET OUTCOME’ ( 27 ). A sample entry is shown in  FIG. 3 . The user may also add additional events ( 28 ) caused by additional players by selecting another player and outcome before saving the outcome. 
         [0081]    While on the Dashboard screen, the user may also press the ‘RECENT’ button shown in  FIG. 3 , which displays the history of all plays executed and their outcomes for the current game. An example of the recent outcomes screen can be seen in  FIG. 8 . The user can delete any erroneously entered outcome data or edit wrongly entered data points. 
         [0082]    At any point during the game, the user can click on the “ANALYTICS” Tab ( 12 ) at the top of the screen to access a variety of statistical data and analysis tools that can provide critical decision-making support. A diagram of “ANALYTICS” can be seen in  FIG. 9 , and a Screenshot of the “ANALYTICS” Area can be seen in  FIG. 10 . Before viewing any of the analytic features, the user must select the current game ( 29 ) from the pull down menu at the top of the screen. At any time, the user may also refine the statistical results by selecting a minimum number of attempts ( 30 ) necessary for a play to be included in the analytical results. 
         [0083]    When discussing the “ANALYTICS” Tab ( 12 ) the term “efficiency rating” will be frequently be used in subsequent descriptions of the invention. The term refers to a calculation of values determined by dividing the total number of points scored by a given set of outcomes by the number of attempts to achieve those outcomes. For example, if 10 occurrences of a set of plays generated 20 total points, their “efficiency rating” would be 20/10, which results in a rating of 2.00. This rating is used to describe both offensive and defensive plays. They are both referred to as the OER (Offensive Efficiency Rating) and DER (Defensive Efficiency Rating), respectively. Higher OER indicates higher efficiency. Lower DER indicates higher efficiency. 
         [0084]    The first option in ANALYTICS ( 12 ) is the ‘OFFENSE’ ( 31 ), or Offensive Analytics, screen that displays various efficiency ratings and frequency statistics for the current game or current season. As shown in  FIG. 10 , the statistics are displayed in two columns (Column # 1  ( 37 ) and Column # 2  ( 38 )), where each play is ranked in order of efficiency or frequency depending on which option the user has chosen to view. For each column, the user can choose from 4 different modes of analysis: Game OER, Game Frequency, Season OER, and Season Frequency. By default, all of the players on the active roster will be included in the analysis, but the user may also choose to limit the analysis to a specific player or group of players ( 36 ). 
         [0085]    The second option in ANALYTICS ( 12 ) is the ‘DEFENSE’, or Defensive Analytics, screen that displays various efficiency ratings and frequency statistics for the current game, or current season. As shown in  FIG. 11 , the statistics are displayed in two columns (Column # 1  ( 39 ) and Column # 2  ( 40 )), where each play is ranked in order of efficiency or frequency depending on which option the user has chosen to view. For each column, the user can choose from 4 different modes of analysis: Game DER, Game Frequency, Season DER, and Season Frequency. 
         [0086]    The third option in ANALYTICS ( 12 ) is the ‘SHOTS’ popup window ( 33 ) shown in  FIG. 12 . The current game player shot distribution chart displays all shots taken during the game by all players that have been active during the game. Both made and missed shots are shown, indicated by green and red markers, respectively. The jersey number of the player is also indicated on the marker. Markers are positioned based on where the shot and outcome was executed. Placing the cursor over the marker also indicates the name of the play that was executed to achieve the outcome. The filter option at the top of the popup allows the user to focus on one or more players ( 41 ). By toggling players on and off by clicking on their jersey numbers, the user can show and hide shot markers of specific players on the diagram. There are also convenience buttons to show or hide all markers. 
         [0087]    The fourth option in ANALYTICS ( 12 ) is the ‘STATS’ ( 34 ) popup shown in  FIG. 13 . The current game quick statistics popup displays basic statistics for both teams, including the number of turnovers and the attempts and shot percentages of 2 pointers, 3 pointers, and free throws. 
         [0088]    The fifth option in ANALYTICS ( 12 ) is the ‘SUMMARY’ ( 35 ) popup shown in  FIG. 14 . The current game analysis summary report popup displays all pertinent statistics of all play outcomes for the current game. The primary statistics include turnover counts, current game, current season and all-time OER and DER. The report also displays the top 5 offensive and defensive plays ranked by their OER/DER and frequency. Current game and season efficiency ratings and frequencies for all offensive and defensive plays are also ranked. Plays can be sorted by column values by clicking on the respective column. For convenience, users also have the option to export the report to PDF (Postscript) and XLS (Excel Spreadsheet) format by clicking on their respective icons. The application will ask the user where the file should be saved. 
         [0089]    The ‘CRYSTAL BALL’ ( 13 ) main menu option allows the user to ask custom scenario questions against the entire outcomes database to determine the most effective and efficient plays given a certain dataset. Several criteria filters selected by the user will determine this dataset. The selected criteria can also be saved into the saved questions area where it can be asked again at a later time without having to re-enter the criteria manually. A flow chart for the CRYSTAL BALL module can be seen in  FIG. 15 . 
         [0090]    The main screen of the ‘CRYSTAL BALL’ module is the saved questions list screen shown in  FIG. 16 . From this screen, the user can ‘RUN’, ‘EDIT’ or ‘DELETE’ a previously saved question. In order to create a new report, the user clicks on the ‘ASK A QUESTION’ button, which loads the question asking screen shown in  FIG. 17 . This multi-step process allows the user to configure a precise scenario for which to run the report. The user selects and applies a filter by toggling the criteria value. Green coloring indicates selection. Convenience options for select and deselect all are also available to toggle filters. The first criterion is the ‘Season’ filter selection ( 42 ) also shown in  FIG. 15 . Season values are loaded from database records managed in the ‘Season’ admin area ( 63 ) shown in  FIG. 31  and  FIG. 32 . The next filter is the ‘Opponent’ criterion shown ( 43 ) in  FIG. 15 . Opponent values are loaded from database records managed in the ‘Teams’ admin area ( 64 ) shown in  FIG. 34  and  FIG. 35 . The next filter is the ‘Game’ criterion shown ( 44 ) in  FIG. 15 . Game values are loaded from a combination of database records for the schedule and teams as described above. The next filter is the ‘Player’ criterion ( 44 ) shown in  FIG. 15 . Player values are loaded from database records managed in the ‘Roster’ admin area ( 62 ) shown in  FIG. 28  and  FIG. 29 . The next filter is the Playbook ‘criterion ( 45 ) shown in  FIG. 15 . Playbook values are filtered by offensive and defensive plays. Playbook plays are defined in the PLAYBOOK’ admin area ( 60 ) shown in  FIG. 23 ,  FIG. 24 , and  FIG. 25 . The next filter is the ‘Outcome’ criterion shown in  FIG. 15 . Outcome values are loaded from database records managed by the system for this particular application. The next filter is the ‘Clock’ criterion ( 47 ) shown in  FIG. 15 . Clock values are loaded from database records managed by the system for this particular application. The last and final ‘CRYSTAL BALL’ setting includes the option to give the question a title ( 48 ) and description ( 49 ) so that it can later be easily identified for quick execution. The minimum number of attempts requirement ( 50 ) for a play to be included in the report can also be set. This is shown in  FIG. 15 . Once the filters have been set, the user has the option to choose to either ‘SAVE QUESTION’ ( 52 ) or “FIND ANSWER’ ( 51 ). 
         [0091]    When a question is asked, all the stored criteria filters are applied in a complex query to generate a set of play outcome data that meets all the constraints of the question. Statistical computation is then performed on this set of data only. 
         [0092]    When the user reaches the Question Answer Screen ( 53 ), the first answer format screen they will see is the top 20 offensive efficiency rating report screen, or ‘Top Offense’ ( 56 ), shown in  FIG. 18 . Plays are ranked by their overall OER in descending order. The play&#39;s frequency is also displayed. For each play, the top 4 player contributions are displayed by their percentages. The number of points scored by a player for a play divided by the total number of points scored for a play results in the player&#39;s contribution percentage. This gives the user an indication of which players have been more successful in the execution of a play. The minimum attempts filter ( 55 ) can also be modified on the fly to do more complex comparative analysis. This change in value will not be saved in the report. 
         [0093]    The next report screen is the top 20 offensive frequency report screen, or ‘Top Frequency’ ( 57 ) shown in  FIG. 19 . This screen is very similar to the previous screen but differentiates in that the plays are ranked by frequency of execution in descending order. The OER for the play is also displayed. Again, the top 4 player contributions are displayed by their percentages. 
         [0094]    The next two report screens are the top 20 defensive efficiency rating ( 58 ) and top 20 defensive frequencies ( 59 ) shown in  FIG. 20  and  FIG. 21 . The logic for these screens is the same as their respective offensive screens, with the exception that plays are ranked in descending DER order. 
         [0095]    The ‘ADMIN’ module ( 14 ) allows users to configure most of the custom data for the system. An overview diagram of the Admin Area can be seen in  FIG. 22 . The types of data that can be managed from the ADMIN area include: PLAYBOOK ( 60 ), SCHEDULE ( 61 ), ROSTER ( 62 ), SEASON ( 63 ), TEAMS ( 64 ), VENUES ( 65 ), and USERS ( 66 ) 
         [0096]    The PLAYBOOK area ( 60 ) allows users to design and customize their own playbook. A diagram of the PLAYBOOK area is shown in  FIG. 23  and a screen shot is shown in  FIG. 24 . The playbook has a hierarchical node tree structure. The root node may contain multiple play groups and plays. Each play group may contain more play groups and plays. In this manner, the playbook can be tailored to the specific structure of each team. Each team can have an offensive ( 67 ) and defensive ( 68 ) playbook. Further details of the group and play creation process can be seen in  FIG. 23 . 
         [0097]    The SCHEDULE area ( 61 ) allows users to manage the games within each schedule. Schedule games are created and managed according to the diagram shown in  FIG. 25 . A screen shot of the Schedule selection area is shown in  FIG. 26 , and a screen shot of the Schedule creation process is shown in  FIG. 27 . 
         [0098]    The ROSTER area ( 62 ) allows users to manage an active and inactive roster for their team. Rosters are created and managed according to the diagram shown in  FIG. 28 . A screen shot of the roster selection screen is shown in  FIG. 29 , and a screenshot of the roster creation screen is shown in  FIG. 30 . 
         [0099]    The SEASON area ( 63 ) allows users to create or manage a season for their team. Seasons are created and managed according to the diagram shown in  FIG. 31 . A screen shot of the Season selection screen is shown in  FIG. 32 , and a screenshot of the Season creation screen is shown in  FIG. 33 . 
         [0100]    The TEAMS area ( 64 ) allows users to manage information about the other teams in their league or on their schedule. Teams are created and managed according to the diagram shown in  FIG. 34 . A screen shot of the Team selection Screen is shown in  FIG. 35 , and a screenshot of the Team creation screen is shown in  FIG. 36 . 
         [0101]    The VENUES area ( 65 ) allows users to manage an active and inactive roster for their team. Rosters are created and managed according to the diagram shown in  FIG. 37 . A screen shot of the Venue selection screen is shown in  FIG. 38 , and a screenshot of the Venue creation screen is shown in  FIG. 39 . 
         [0102]    The USERS area ( 66 ) allows users to manage an active and inactive roster for their team. Rosters are created and managed according to the diagram shown in  FIG. 40 . A screen shot of User selection screen is shown in  FIG. 41 , and a screenshot of User creation screen is shown in  FIG. 42 . 
         [0103]    The database schema for the entire system is shown in  FIG. 43 . 
         [0104]    While embodiments of the present disclosure have been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.