Get through to your players. Get more from your team.
Keep what you learn about each player in one place. Give every athlete Sam, a private AI assistant that knows your program and helps them prepare, reflect, and follow through.
Funded by an NCAA Innovations in Research and Practice Grant
- Oct 6Reads it right in film. A step late once the scrimmage speeds up.
- Oct 2Asked what “be more consistent” means.
- Sep 26Best scrimmage of the season.
- Sep 19The family watches every game on the stream.
- Sep 12One-on-one film session with Coach Diaz.
- Sep 4Dad turns 50 in October.
- Sep 2Two exams the week of Oct 13.
- Aug 25Rooming with the backup goalie.
- Aug 18Played center back in high school.
- Aug 15Survey goal: captain next year.
- Jordan’s dad’s birthday is Friday. In September, Jordan said the whole family watches every game on the stream.Sep 4 · Sep 19
- Jordan was sharpest in the Sept 26 scrimmage, the one week without the 6 a.m. dining hall shift.Sep 26 · Sep 29
- All three late calls you noted came in the final 15 minutes of practice.Sep 22 · Sep 30 · Oct 6
- Oct 6Played 18 minutes against Rider, down from 40.
- Oct 2Asked about the new role after Tuesday’s practice.
- Sep 22Moved to the second line.
- Sep 13Best game of the year, against Drexel.
- Sep 9Off in practice. Midterm week.
- Sep 2Led the conditioning test.
- Aug 28Asked how captain voting works.
- Aug 21Parents drive four hours to every home game.
- Aug 19Wants to coach after college.
- Aug 15Preseason goal: captain by senior day.
- Kate’s mom’s birthday is Saturday, the day of the Delaware game. Kate’s parents drive four hours to every home game.Aug 21 · Sep 30
- Both practices you flagged as off for Kate fell in midterm weeks. Kate’s stats exam is Thursday.Sep 9 · Oct 1
- Kate asked about the move on Tuesday. You said you’d talk after the weekend. That was eight days ago.Sep 29
- Oct 7Asked: can we talk before Thursday about minutes?
- Oct 6Hung back after film, then left without a word.
- Oct 1Back at full practice after the ankle sprain.
- Sep 28Parents booked flights for Saturday’s game.
- Sep 27Sat alone on the bus to Towson.
- Sep 16Ankle sprain. Out two weeks.
- Sep 15Started extra shooting on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
- Sep 3Asked about minutes. Said we’d revisit after four games.
- Aug 20Older brother transferred last spring.
- Aug 15Preseason goal: earn the coaches’ trust.
- Ari’s parents fly in for Saturday’s game, the first time this season.Sep 28
- Ari asked about minutes once before, on Sept 3. You said you’d revisit after four games. It’s been seven.Sep 3
- Ari’s older brother transferred out of his college program last spring.Aug 20
“How well I’m helping them grow as players. How they’re handling life. How they’re feeling valued. How they’re relating with their teammates. That is easily fifty percent of what’s going on in my world every day. Easily. And when it’s not addressed, it shows up on the field.”
Which player comes to mind?
From what you noticed to what you say next.
Talk through what you noticed. A voice note on the way out of practice is enough.
Journai files it under the right player. It also flags players you haven’t mentioned in weeks, often the ones not getting minutes.
Open their profile and get ready. Your next conversation starts from what you already know.
“Jordan called every switch right in film today. In the scrimmage he waited until the attacker was already moving.”
No new notes yet. Record one first.
- Oct 4Ran the players-only meeting after the Rider loss.
- Sep 30Asked for more film on Delaware’s press.
- Sep 24Younger sister is visiting for the Oct 18 game.
- Sep 21Players-only meeting after the Drexel loss.
- Sep 15Rolled an ankle in practice. Back the next day.
- Sep 8Called the first players-only meeting of the year.
- Sep 2Applying to physical therapy grad schools.
- Aug 22Last one-on-one: talked about senior year.
- Aug 18Voted captain.
- Aug 15Goal: win the conference tournament.
- Maya’s younger sister visits for the Oct 18 game, the same weekend as senior day photos.Sep 24
- Maya has run three players-only meetings this season, all after losses.Sep 8 · Sep 21 · Oct 4
- Maya’s PT grad school applications are due Nov 1, in the middle of the season.Sep 2
- Oct 6Played 18 minutes against Rider, down from 40.
- Oct 2Asked about the new role after Tuesday’s practice.
- Sep 22Moved to the second line.
- Sep 13Best game of the year, against Drexel.
- Sep 9Off in practice. Midterm week.
- Sep 2Led the conditioning test.
- Aug 28Asked how captain voting works.
- Aug 21Parents drive four hours to every home game.
- Aug 19Wants to coach after college.
- Aug 15Preseason goal: captain by senior day.
- Kate’s mom’s birthday is Saturday, the day of the Delaware game. Kate’s parents drive four hours to every home game.Aug 21 · Sep 30
- Both practices you flagged as off for Kate fell in midterm weeks. Kate’s stats exam is Thursday.Sep 9 · Oct 1
- Kate asked about the move on Tuesday. You said you’d talk after the weekend. That was eight days ago.Sep 29
- Oct 7Asked: can we talk before Thursday about minutes?
- Oct 6Hung back after film, then left without a word.
- Oct 1Back at full practice after the ankle sprain.
- Sep 28Parents booked flights for Saturday’s game.
- Sep 27Sat alone on the bus to Towson.
- Sep 16Ankle sprain. Out two weeks.
- Sep 15Started extra shooting on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
- Sep 3Asked about minutes. Said we’d revisit after four games.
- Aug 20Older brother transferred last spring.
- Aug 15Preseason goal: earn the coaches’ trust.
- Ari’s parents fly in for Saturday’s game, the first time this season.Sep 28
- Ari asked about minutes once before, on Sept 3. You said you’d revisit after four games. It’s been seven.Sep 3
- Ari’s older brother transferred out of his college program last spring.Aug 20
- Sep 18Back from an ankle sprain. Easing into full practice.
- Sep 108 a.m. lab on Tuesdays clashes with lifts.
- Sep 4First college game. Nervous on the bus, fine on the field.
- Aug 28Homesick in week one. Calls home every night.
- Aug 22From Ontario. First time living away from home.
- Aug 20Wants to study nursing.
- Elle hasn’t had a note in 19 days. The last one was the day she came back from the sprain.Sep 18
- Elle is from Ontario. Canadian Thanksgiving is Monday, Elle’s first one away from home.Aug 22
- In week one, Elle called home every night. There’s no note since on how that’s going.Aug 28
- TodayVoice note, 0:09
- Oct 6Reads it right in film. A step late once the scrimmage speeds up.
- Oct 2Asked what “be more consistent” means.
- Sep 26Best scrimmage of the season.
- Sep 19The family watches every game on the stream.
- Sep 12One-on-one film session with Coach Diaz.
- Sep 4Dad turns 50 in October.
- Sep 2Two exams the week of Oct 13.
- Aug 25Rooming with the backup goalie.
- Aug 18Played center back in high school.
- Aug 15Survey goal: captain next year.
- Jordan’s dad’s birthday is Friday. In September, Jordan said the whole family watches every game on the stream.Sep 4 · Sep 19
- Jordan was sharpest in the Sept 26 scrimmage, the one week without the 6 a.m. dining hall shift.Sep 26 · Sep 29
- All three late calls you noted came in the final 15 minutes of practice.Sep 22 · Sep 30 · Oct 6
Illustrative example.
Talk through what you noticed. A voice note on the way out of practice is enough.
Journai files it under the right player. It also flags players you haven’t mentioned in weeks, often the ones not getting minutes.
Open their profile and get ready. Your next conversation starts from what you already know.
“Kate asked about her role after Tuesday’s practice and I didn’t have a good answer. First time she’s asked since we moved her to the second line.”
No new notes yet. Record one first.
- Oct 4Ran the players-only meeting after the Rider loss.
- Sep 30Asked for more film on Delaware’s press.
- Sep 24Younger sister is visiting for the Oct 18 game.
- Sep 21Players-only meeting after the Drexel loss.
- Sep 15Rolled an ankle in practice. Back the next day.
- Sep 8Called the first players-only meeting of the year.
- Sep 2Applying to physical therapy grad schools.
- Aug 22Last one-on-one: talked about senior year.
- Aug 18Voted captain.
- Aug 15Goal: win the conference tournament.
- Maya’s younger sister visits for the Oct 18 game, the same weekend as senior day photos.Sep 24
- Maya has run three players-only meetings this season, all after losses.Sep 8 · Sep 21 · Oct 4
- Maya’s PT grad school applications are due Nov 1, in the middle of the season.Sep 2
- Oct 6Reads it right in film. A step late once the scrimmage speeds up.
- Oct 2Asked what “be more consistent” means.
- Sep 26Best scrimmage of the season.
- Sep 19The family watches every game on the stream.
- Sep 12One-on-one film session with Coach Diaz.
- Sep 4Dad turns 50 in October.
- Sep 2Two exams the week of Oct 13.
- Aug 25Rooming with the backup goalie.
- Aug 18Played center back in high school.
- Aug 15Survey goal: captain next year.
- Jordan’s dad’s birthday is Friday. In September, Jordan said the whole family watches every game on the stream.Sep 4 · Sep 19
- Jordan was sharpest in the Sept 26 scrimmage, the one week without the 6 a.m. dining hall shift.Sep 26 · Sep 29
- All three late calls you noted came in the final 15 minutes of practice.Sep 22 · Sep 30 · Oct 6
- Oct 7Asked: can we talk before Thursday about minutes?
- Oct 6Hung back after film, then left without a word.
- Oct 1Back at full practice after the ankle sprain.
- Sep 28Parents booked flights for Saturday’s game.
- Sep 27Sat alone on the bus to Towson.
- Sep 16Ankle sprain. Out two weeks.
- Sep 15Started extra shooting on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
- Sep 3Asked about minutes. Said we’d revisit after four games.
- Aug 20Older brother transferred last spring.
- Aug 15Preseason goal: earn the coaches’ trust.
- Ari’s parents fly in for Saturday’s game, the first time this season.Sep 28
- Ari asked about minutes once before, on Sept 3. You said you’d revisit after four games. It’s been seven.Sep 3
- Ari’s older brother transferred out of his college program last spring.Aug 20
- Sep 18Back from an ankle sprain. Easing into full practice.
- Sep 108 a.m. lab on Tuesdays clashes with lifts.
- Sep 4First college game. Nervous on the bus, fine on the field.
- Aug 28Homesick in week one. Calls home every night.
- Aug 22From Ontario. First time living away from home.
- Aug 20Wants to study nursing.
- Elle hasn’t had a note in 19 days. The last one was the day she came back from the sprain.Sep 18
- Elle is from Ontario. Canadian Thanksgiving is Monday, Elle’s first one away from home.Aug 22
- In week one, Elle called home every night. There’s no note since on how that’s going.Aug 28
- TodayVoice note, 0:12
- Oct 6Played 18 minutes against Rider, down from 40.
- Oct 2Asked about the new role after Tuesday’s practice.
- Sep 22Moved to the second line.
- Sep 13Best game of the year, against Drexel.
- Sep 9Off in practice. Midterm week.
- Sep 2Led the conditioning test.
- Aug 28Asked how captain voting works.
- Aug 21Parents drive four hours to every home game.
- Aug 19Wants to coach after college.
- Aug 15Preseason goal: captain by senior day.
- Kate’s mom’s birthday is Saturday, the day of the Delaware game. Kate’s parents drive four hours to every home game.Aug 21 · Sep 30
- Both practices you flagged as off for Kate fell in midterm weeks. Kate’s stats exam is Thursday.Sep 9 · Oct 1
- Kate asked about the move on Tuesday. You said you’d talk after the weekend. That was eight days ago.Sep 29
Illustrative example.
Talk through what you noticed. A voice note on the way out of practice is enough.
Journai files it under the right player. It also flags players you haven’t mentioned in weeks, often the ones not getting minutes.
Open their profile and get ready. Your next conversation starts from what you already know.
“Ari hung back after film. Looked like he wanted to say something, then left.”
No new notes yet. Record one first.
- Oct 4Ran the players-only meeting after the Rider loss.
- Sep 30Asked for more film on Delaware’s press.
- Sep 24Younger sister is visiting for the Oct 18 game.
- Sep 21Players-only meeting after the Drexel loss.
- Sep 15Rolled an ankle in practice. Back the next day.
- Sep 8Called the first players-only meeting of the year.
- Sep 2Applying to physical therapy grad schools.
- Aug 22Last one-on-one: talked about senior year.
- Aug 18Voted captain.
- Aug 15Goal: win the conference tournament.
- Maya’s younger sister visits for the Oct 18 game, the same weekend as senior day photos.Sep 24
- Maya has run three players-only meetings this season, all after losses.Sep 8 · Sep 21 · Oct 4
- Maya’s PT grad school applications are due Nov 1, in the middle of the season.Sep 2
- Oct 6Reads it right in film. A step late once the scrimmage speeds up.
- Oct 2Asked what “be more consistent” means.
- Sep 26Best scrimmage of the season.
- Sep 19The family watches every game on the stream.
- Sep 12One-on-one film session with Coach Diaz.
- Sep 4Dad turns 50 in October.
- Sep 2Two exams the week of Oct 13.
- Aug 25Rooming with the backup goalie.
- Aug 18Played center back in high school.
- Aug 15Survey goal: captain next year.
- Jordan’s dad’s birthday is Friday. In September, Jordan said the whole family watches every game on the stream.Sep 4 · Sep 19
- Jordan was sharpest in the Sept 26 scrimmage, the one week without the 6 a.m. dining hall shift.Sep 26 · Sep 29
- All three late calls you noted came in the final 15 minutes of practice.Sep 22 · Sep 30 · Oct 6
- Oct 6Played 18 minutes against Rider, down from 40.
- Oct 2Asked about the new role after Tuesday’s practice.
- Sep 22Moved to the second line.
- Sep 13Best game of the year, against Drexel.
- Sep 9Off in practice. Midterm week.
- Sep 2Led the conditioning test.
- Aug 28Asked how captain voting works.
- Aug 21Parents drive four hours to every home game.
- Aug 19Wants to coach after college.
- Aug 15Preseason goal: captain by senior day.
- Kate’s mom’s birthday is Saturday, the day of the Delaware game. Kate’s parents drive four hours to every home game.Aug 21 · Sep 30
- Both practices you flagged as off for Kate fell in midterm weeks. Kate’s stats exam is Thursday.Sep 9 · Oct 1
- Kate asked about the move on Tuesday. You said you’d talk after the weekend. That was eight days ago.Sep 29
- Sep 18Back from an ankle sprain. Easing into full practice.
- Sep 108 a.m. lab on Tuesdays clashes with lifts.
- Sep 4First college game. Nervous on the bus, fine on the field.
- Aug 28Homesick in week one. Calls home every night.
- Aug 22From Ontario. First time living away from home.
- Aug 20Wants to study nursing.
- Elle hasn’t had a note in 19 days. The last one was the day she came back from the sprain.Sep 18
- Elle is from Ontario. Canadian Thanksgiving is Monday, Elle’s first one away from home.Aug 22
- In week one, Elle called home every night. There’s no note since on how that’s going.Aug 28
- TodayVoice note, 0:07
- Oct 7Asked: can we talk before Thursday about minutes?
- Oct 6Hung back after film, then left without a word.
- Oct 1Back at full practice after the ankle sprain.
- Sep 28Parents booked flights for Saturday’s game.
- Sep 27Sat alone on the bus to Towson.
- Sep 16Ankle sprain. Out two weeks.
- Sep 15Started extra shooting on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
- Sep 3Asked about minutes. Said we’d revisit after four games.
- Aug 20Older brother transferred last spring.
- Aug 15Preseason goal: earn the coaches’ trust.
- Ari’s parents fly in for Saturday’s game, the first time this season.Sep 28
- Ari asked about minutes once before, on Sept 3. You said you’d revisit after four games. It’s been seven.Sep 3
- Ari’s older brother transferred out of his college program last spring.Aug 20
Illustrative example.
You already do the work of knowing your players. Now none of it gets lost.
“I have great conversations, but then I carry that by myself after the conversation. I need a way to retain that value and to start to cultivate and curate the key parts of all the conversations.”
With Journai, you keep every conversation.
Let us show you howEvery conversation has two sides. Sam helps your players with theirs.
Sam gives athletes a private place to work through feedback, prepare for conversations, and turn the goals you set together into something they can practice.
Your player starts with what they have: feedback they don’t understand yet.
Sam brings in the development plan you set together, so the answer starts from your goal.
Sam asks what happens in practice and turns it into one clear question.
Your player decides what to share. You get the question, not the conversation.
Sam
I want to ask Coach if we can talk. She said I need to be more consistent and I don’t know what she means.
Your plan with Coach has one focus right now: speaking up earlier on defense. Could that be the consistency she means?
Maybe. I call switches late when it gets fast.
So your question is about timing under pressure: “Is calling switches earlier what you mean by consistent?” Want me to send that to Coach Rivera?
Yes. Before practice tomorrow.
Illustrative conversation in Sam.
Players’ conversations stay private. Privacy policy
“The most valuable thing I’ve gotten from Sam has been navigating conversations with coaches.”
Make the next practice count.
Sam checks in on the actions you agreed on together, reinforces preparation and reset routines, and keeps the next priority clear.
50%of athletes in the NCAA study started a new habit or routine they attributed to Sam.
Journai
Illustrative athlete view.
One team priority. Help for every player.
Add your standards and priorities once. Sam uses them with every player, and they stay in place when staff change or new players arrive.
Next play: after a mistake, reset fast and get back in it.
What do you all do to reset after a mistake?
Two taps of my stick, look at the clock, next play.
Already using ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini?
General assistants help one person with almost anything. Sam helps your whole team with one thing: developing players. Here’s how they compare.
| General AI assistantsChatGPT, Claude, Gemini | Sam by JournaiBuilt for college athletics | |
|---|---|---|
| Learns from | You. Each person’s memory is kept separately. | Your whole team. Coaches add standards and notes. Players add what they choose to share. |
| Knows | A lot about almost everything, plus what you’ve told it. | Your sport, your program, and each player’s development plan. |
| Built for | Helping with almost anything. | Developing players: clear goals, follow-through, and better conversations with coaches. |
- Learns from
- General AI assistants
You. Each person’s memory is kept separately.
- Sam by Journai
Your whole team. Coaches add standards and notes. Players add what they choose to share.
- Knows
- General AI assistants
A lot about almost everything, plus what you’ve told it.
- Sam by Journai
Your sport, your program, and each player’s development plan.
- Built for
- General AI assistants
Helping with almost anything.
- Sam by Journai
Developing players: clear goals, follow-through, and better conversations with coaches.
New AI tools every week. Here’s how to decide.
Our practical AI guide for athletic organizations: five steps from your first prompt to purpose-built AI, the safety rules to start with, and ten questions for any vendor.
- 00Five safety rules before the first step
- 01Learning to ask AI for help
- 02Tools built for one job
- 03Teaching AI who you are
- 04Agents: where AI starts doing the work
- 05When off-the-shelf tools stop fitting
- BonusTen questions to ask any AI vendor
The research is in. Sam is already working for athletes.
An NCAA-funded study led by Dr. Elizabeth Taylor with researchers at Temple University looked at how athletes used Sam and what changed.
- universities
- 8
- NCAA divisions: I, II, and III
- 3
- conversations with Sam
- 1,226
What athletes told us halfway through the study.
- 62%said something they talked through with Sam led to a conversation with someone in their life.
- 72%reported more confidence handling challenges in sport, school, and life.
- 85%were comfortable being honest with Sam about things they might not share with others.
- 50%started a new habit or routine they attributed to Sam.
Source: mid-study survey of engaged athletes, n = 40. Self-reported responses.
Read the full study brief.
Study design, methods, and pre- and post-study findings from the NCAA-funded evaluation of Sam across eight universities, including how athletes used it.
Built by people who know athletics.
Jeff Nyquist, PhD
CEO and Co-FounderA neuroscientist and the founder of NeuroTrainer, Jeff brings experience turning research into tools people can use.
Robin Goetz
CTO and Co-FounderRobin leads Journai’s product and engineering work, bringing the perspective of a former Division I athlete.
Read Robin’s story
Elizabeth Taylor, PhD
Research LeadLiz studies athlete support and leads the research informing Journai’s work.
“I believe it is imperative to identify and collaborate with high-potential AI-native companies and founders that operate with integrity, empathy, and deep subject matter expertise in the relevant domain. Journai meets all three of these criteria, and they are invaluable thought partners as we navigate toward a future that will undoubtedly see artificial intelligence become central to the systems we have been tasked to design.”
What’s the hardest part of developing your players right now?
Bring a situation from your season. We’ll walk through how Journai could help.
Let’s talk about your teamWe’re taking two more programs this season as founding partners. They get founding pricing and a direct line to our team. Journai opens to every program in early 2027.