Inspiration
We are all avid basketball players. Particularly at the IMA, we noticed that we often had trouble finding enough players or had too many to create 5v5 pickup games. It was difficult to keep track of which group of players was up next to play.
What It Does
GotNext is a web app that streamlines pickup basketball games. It solves the issue of determining which group of 5 is up next, how many players are needed, and which players need to wait until the next game. Through a queueing/waitlist system, users can see the wait time until the next game, and it also provides opportunities for people to meet fellow hoopers. With GotNext, users are encouraged to play with new people, creating greater community and connection in pickup basketball.
How We Built It
For the front end of our web app, we used React, and for the backend, we utilized Flask. The SQLite database managed user IDs and accounts, forming the core of the queue system.
Challenges We Ran Into
We encountered several challenges, including:
- Integrating the front end with the backend: Ensuring seamless communication between the two was tricky.
- Managing user authentication: Implementing secure login processes was more complex than anticipated.
- Handling real-time updates: Keeping the queue updated in real time required careful consideration of state management.
Accomplishments That We're Proud Of
Our largest accomplishment was successfully connecting the front end to the backend, enabling a fully functional web app. We are also proud of creating a user-friendly interface that enhances the pickup game experience.
What We Learned
Although it was very intimidating at first, we became more comfortable using Flask, SQLite, and React. We also improved our CSS skills, allowing us to create a visually appealing website.
What's Next for GotNext
We hope to scale up the project by potentially integrating GotNext into more organizations, in addition to public parks. There's still work to be done improving the web app's queue system, and we aim to add a user verification layer. We are also exploring the possibility of expanding GotNext into a mobile application as an extension of the web app.
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