**Our Take**
This user's struggle with free throw stats is exactly why traditional spreadsheets fail so many coaches. The problem isn't that Excel can't handle the math, it's that the tool expects you to become a formula writer before you can see a single trend. A coach of young players shouldn't need to debug a SUMIF to understand which kids need extra work at the line. The free throw section isn't broken because of a data flaw; it's broken because the spreadsheet demands that you translate your coaching intuition into syntax first.
What this user is describing is a workflow that should be simple: track attempts in column A, makes in column M, then see the percentage. But the moment you add a second sheet, the logic gets tangled. The summary sheet doesn't know where the data lives unless you explicitly tell it, and one misplaced reference collapses the whole calculation. For a volunteer coach or a parent managing a team, that friction kills momentum. You don't want to think about cell references, you want to see that your point guard is 2-for-8 from the stripe over the last three games and decide to run more free throw drills.
The real opportunity here is to reimagine the relationship between data and decision. Instead of forcing the user to master Excel's formula language, the tool should recognize the pattern: a column labeled "A" followed by a column labeled "M" almost certainly means free throw attempts and makes. An AI-native spreadsheet could offer to build that summary automatically, ask for confirmation, and then let the coach slice by player, by quarter, or by game without writing another formula. The user's instinct to track specific stats for development purposes is exactly right, the tool just hasn't caught up to that vision yet.
For anyone building stats for youth sports, the lesson is clear: don't let the spreadsheet become the obstacle. If you're fighting with formulas instead of studying shot charts, step back and look for tools that understand intent. The goal isn't a perfect pivot table; it's a clearer picture of which eight-year-old needs to bend their knees on the free throw. Solve for that, and the percentages will follow.