What's New

See what we've been building for you

Sep 21

Making Things Feel Better

This week: cleaning up the interface and making everything work more smoothly.

Reorganized button placement for better workflow
Redesigned booking modal with clearer information hierarchy
Enhanced notification details with session context
Cleaned up visual design throughout the app

Sep 14

Connecting Without the Social Drama

This week: creating a simple connection system using links and QR codes - because skating is social enough.

Built connection system - link coaches, parents, and skaters
Implemented QR code sharing - scan to connect at the rink
Created shareable links - text or email your connection link
Added approve/decline flow - you control who connects with you
Kept it simple - no social feed, no friend suggestions, just connections

Sep 7

Your Team, Your Way

This week: creating team management so you can start using Rinkly even if your skaters aren't on the app yet.

Built the team page - see all your coaches and skaters in one place
Created local profiles - add skaters without them needing accounts
Enabled solo usage - use Rinkly for scheduling even if others don't have it yet
Added profile claiming - skaters can claim their profiles when they join
Made it flexible - works for individuals or entire skating clubs

Aug 31

Building the Rink Catalog

This week: creating a comprehensive catalog of local rinks so coaches never have to type addresses again.

Built the rinks catalog - all local rinks in one place
Added rink selection - choose which rinks you work at
Implemented favorite rink - your favorite rink is always selected by default on session creation
Made rinks searchable - find by name, nickname, or location

Aug 24

First Iteration: The Calendar Takes Shape

Spend time coding the first version of the calendar - rough around the edges but functional.

Built the weekly view - 7 days across, hours down, just like coaches expect
Added a 3-day view - when you need to see more detail
Implemented the date picker - jump to any date without endless clicking
Created forward/back navigation - smooth week-to-week browsing
Made time slots clickable - the foundation for quick booking

Aug 3

From Paper to Plan

A week of turning our ideas into actual designs on paper.

Sketched the calendar view - making it visual and color-coded for different rinks
Designed the booking flow - had to be faster than sending a text
Drew the coach dashboard - everything a coach needs at a glance
Mapped out the parent view - read-only access to their skater's schedule
Created the notification system - keeping everyone informed without the spam

Jul 23

Why We're Building Rinkly

Watching our coach juggle texts, notes, messages, and emails about schedule changes while trying to teach a lesson - we knew there had to be a better way.

Had the idea during a regular week at the rink
Bought rinklyapp.com on July 24, 2024 from the rink parking lot
Discovered coaches spend 2+ hours every Sunday on scheduling alone
Learned that group texts + spreadsheets = coaching nightmare
Started building the solution coaches actually need