Parents App for tracking meets

[Matt L]

Hi everyone!

I hope this isn't against forum rules but I wanted to let you know about a new iPhone/iPad app called Kip that launched today. It's got quite a few features that I think parents will like and in full disclosure, I'd want you to know that I created the app. I spent quite a bit of time talking with parents just like you at various meets to find out what people would want in a gymnastics scoring app. If you end up trying it out I'd love to hear your thoughts on how it works for you or if you see something that could be improved upon.

Hopefully the forum moderators don't regard this post as an advertisement, my intent is just to add to this thread regarding apps for tracking meets.

If you'd like to know more about it please let me know (I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post the website for more information on it).

Good luck to your girls/boys at their meets!

 

[gymbeam]

matt- i just checked it out- looks cool! i've yet to start using an app but may consider that one if i do. one thing my daughter and i were talking about last night is that it would be great to have a gymnastics journal app- a place that gymnasts can record their goals and milestones and other gymnastic memories- like maybe a calendar that lets you add a picture from that team sleepover or that team rafting trip or a video of that first giant. that could be really fun to integrate into your app and would make it stand out from other meet scoring apps.

 

[SeaActually]

I am going to try the app as well. So if all the parents on our team got it, we could each enter our child's score and everyone could see all? Last year we all entered each team member on tumble tally. Our favorite feature was being able to see when one of them beat their personal best.

 

[Matt L]

matt- i just checked it out- looks cool! i've yet to start using an app but may consider that one if i do. one thing my daughter and i were talking about last night is that it would be great to have a gymnastics journal app- a place that gymnasts can record their goals and milestones and other gymnastic memories- like maybe a calendar that lets you add a picture from that team sleepover or that team rafting trip or a video of that first giant. that could be really fun to integrate into your app and would make it stand out from other meet scoring apps.

Those are very cool ideas! I'll definitely add the journal/calendar to my list of possible upgrades. As for the pictures and video, the app I built can do that. You have the option of taking a video directly from the scoring screen and then linking that video to a score (this link allows you to tap on the score in the gymnast detail area and play the video from there), or from an area called My Media within the app. You can choose your video quality, such as standard definition, or 240 frames per second ultra slow-motion (as long as your device supports it). You can even set a title and description for the video as well as add tags for the video (such as Practice - Trampoline, or Competition - Vault). The part that my daughters like the most is the 240 fps video. While building the app I tested it out with them doing their vaults and since I added playback at different speeds to the video player I was able to show them their vaults in super slow-motion so they could see what they could work on to improve! I thank you for the kind words about the app and I sincerely hope you enjoy it if you decide to get it. If you or your daughter have any more cool ideas please let me know here or via the feedback option in the app!

I can't guarantee that I can add in every idea because I work full-time and I built this app over the last year in my spare time at night, but I'll certainly try!

 

[Matt L]

I am going to try the app as well. So if all the parents on our team got it, we could each enter our child's score and everyone could see all? Last year we all entered each team member on tumble tally. Our favorite feature was being able to see when one of them beat their personal best.

Hi SeaActually, you are correct. For example, if you were all on the same scoring screen for Session 1 in a meet and one of you entered a score for your gymnast, all of the other people would see that score show up almost immediately. The app knows how to update it's scores and gets notified (not in an intrusive way, just behind the scenes) when a new score has been saved for a gymnast in the session you are viewing. It then will go fetch the new scores and display them to you. Each of you would not need to enter all of the gymnasts, you would just need to enter your own gymnast and join the session. Once there each parent can enter their own child's scores and the others will see them.

As for the personal bests there is a screen in the app called Gymnast Details. When you go into My Gymnasts, and then tap on a gymnast you will get to this screen. It will have a graph for average scores, personal bests, and individual event graphs. The personal bests and individual event graphs are interactive meaning you can tap on a point on the graph to show additional information about that score. The individual event graphs allow you to scroll side to side so you can go back as far as you'd like in time to view the scores

My goal for the app was to give parents more time to watch their little ones doing what they love. When I was at various meets I would see so many parents with their heads down in a set of papers scribbling down scores frantically. I thought that there had to be a better way so when I first started building the app my focus was on making it save all information as well as be interconnected. I really hope that I've achieved this and that parents like you will find it useful!

If you decide to try it out please let me know how it goes!

 

[SeaActually]

I downloaded the app and entered a couple meets from last season. It looks like when you view personal best, it is over their career (whatever you have entered) not just the current season or level. Is that correct? If so I will delete last season and keep only current season on the app, which is fine. Also, can you import video from camera roll or does it have to be taken on the app? I will be interested to use it during a meet. Thanks for posting it here Matt L!

 

[Matt L]

I downloaded the app and entered a couple meets from last season. It looks like when you view personal best, it is over their career (whatever you have entered) not just the current season or level. Is that correct? If so I will delete last season and keep only current season on the app, which is fine. Also, can you import video from camera roll or does it have to be taken on the app? I will be interested to use it during a meet. Thanks for posting it here Matt L!

Hi SeaActually, the personal bests are over their career (I don't think I fully thought through how that would work over multiple years/seasons!). Being pretty new to the sport (my girls have only competed for 2 seasons) I tried to think of all scenarios but as you've mentioned I think I missed one! I'll have to think about how I can implement that but I think it's a great idea. As for deleting what you've entered unfortunately I didn't add that in. It's somewhat complicated but with how the backend database is set up that could cause some serious issues if I started allowing removal of data if I didn't do it properly. If I find that many people want that functionality I'll certainly look at adding it in. For the video, it does have to be taken with the app. I thought about adding in an import feature but ran out of time!

I thank you for downloading Kip and I sincerely hope that it works well for you! I've already spotted a bug that I will be submitting a fix to Apple for (the app still functions, it's just a popup error that is shown). They have to review the app and that can take anywhere from 3 to 9 days before they approve an app or an app update. If you find that you are experiencing issues please don't hesitate to use the Feedback button in the menu within the app to let me know!

 

[dmbgymnast]

Im seeing in the description that all USAG meets are there to join. Are there YMCA meets too?

 

[skschlag]

would you also see other teams if they are on the app at the meet? Or jjust the ones on your team??

 

[Matt L]

Im seeing in the description that all USAG meets are there to join. Are there YMCA meets too?

Hi dmbgymnast, I do not believe that I have YMCA meets loaded. Are they sanctioned by USAG? If so, can you give me an example of one so I can research it to see if it's something I can add in?

 

[Matt L]

would you also see other teams if they are on the app at the meet? Or jjust the ones on your team??

Hi skschlag, yes you would see everyone that has joined the session, however you do have the option of filtering the scores by team if you'd like. I'll explain how it works and please let me know if it answers your question!

1. A Kip user gets the app and enters their gymnast(s)
2. They then find a meet and tap on it to get the meet details
3. Once in the meet details people will either see a list of sessions available to join (that others have entered) or they will see a button to add a session
4. The user can then tap on a session to either join or watch. If they choose to watch the session there has to be at least one gymnast in the session for them to watch. If they choose to join the session the user will need to have already added at least one gymnast into Kip (typically their daughter or son) then they will be asked to enter the ID number (this is usually found on a program and it's the number that flashes on the score screens) and their age group.
5. Once joined you will see all others that have joined the session regardless of team. You can also add what I call an anonymous gymnast. An anonymous gymnast is a gymnast that is a competitor at the meet that you'd like to track scores for and that anyone in the session can enter a score for. These are kids whose parents don't have the app but are competing at your meet/session.
6. From the scoring screen you have the option of sorting the scores by gymnast name, ID #, event, or all-around score. When you're ready to add a score you can tap on any row that is white (this would be for your own gymnast, or for an anonymous gymnast) and enter the score in the following screen.
7. Also on the scoring screen is a camera button in which you can bring up the video recorder, and a trophy button in which you can enter individual placements for your gymnast, or view team award calculations.
8. At the bottom of the scoring screen you can also switch between different levels and age groups for the session (only if there are other gymnast that have joined the session under a different age group and/or level) as well as a filter button in which you can choose a single team to view.

I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any more questions

 

[motigymnasticsmom]

Hi, Matt, I use the current windows/nokia phone. Will my phone support your app?

 

[Matt L]

Hi motigymnasticsmom, unfortunately the app is for iPhone/iPad only at this time. Since I am just a dad that built this in my spare time I have only had time to build it for the Apple devices. I also have not developed anything for Android nor Windows phones yet so if I do that in the future it would probably take me awhile since I'll have to learn the programming environments for each. I'm not saying it's out of the question by any means, it would just take me some time! Thank you for your question and you can periodically check www.kiptracker.com to see if there is an update to what devices I have developed the app for. Sorry I couldn't be of more help!

 

[aksaunders]

It would be nice to offer a week free trial period before purchase especially since app is $3.99.

 

[Matt L]

It would be nice to offer a week free trial period before purchase especially since app is $3.99.

Hi aksaunders, that is a good idea. As far as I understand it, the Apple guidelines disallow this. Their review guidelines say these two things:

• 2.9 - Apps that are "demo", "trial", or "test" versions will be rejected. Beta Apps may only be submitted through TestFlight and must follow the TestFlight guidelines
• 11.9 - Apps containing content or services that expire after a limited time will be rejected, except for specific approved content (e.g. films, television programs, music, books).

Apple has a lot of guidelines that must be followed before the app can make it onto the store. Some apps will do a free version, and a premium version but the way that I structured the Kip app didn't give me the ability to break it out into two different apps. Hopefully the app will be received well and get good reviews and you will give it a shot some day.

Thank you for the suggestion!