The X’s and O’s of Open Source with ShotGeek

What happens when your coding skills and your passions collide? Sometimes, you get a project like ShotGeek—and a whole lot of lessons along the way.

In this talk, I’ll walk through the real story behind ShotGeek: how casual group text arguments about NBA stats turned into an open-source Django application for tracking and comparing the performances of both current and retired NBA players. I’ll share:

• How the project got started and how I translated a playful idea into a real Django application.

• Technical challenges I faced (like designing flexible models for constantly evolving data).

• Lessons learned from encouraging community contributions and balancing “perfect code” with “good enough to move forward.”

• Insights into what went well—and what I wish I had done differently—as the project grew.

• How shared passions (in my case, basketball!) can create opportunities for real community and learning in open-source.

This talk is for anyone curious about starting a project outside of work or school, especially those wondering:
"Is my idea really worth building?"

Attendees will leave with a better understanding of:

• How to scope a passion project realistically

• Strategies for inviting and managing community contributions.

• How to navigate the inevitable technical and emotional challenges along the way.

• Why joy and authenticity can be powerful fuel for long-term open-source success.

Whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting out, I hope to show that some of the most meaningful projects start with a spark of personal excitement—and that Django can bring those sparks to life.