Pocket Tennis Team · release and development timeline · Oct 2026 – Jun 2027

From preview to a team people pay for

The full plan for Pocket Tennis Team: ship a public preview in 11 days, grow it with a friends beta, make it a strong portfolio piece, then decide with real evidence whether to turn it into a paid product in March 2027.

Today: Thu, Oct 15, 2026 Capacity: about 10 h a week (you), with AI agents doing most of the build and testing License: PolyForm Noncommercial; commercial rights stay with you Dates are targets; holidays have buffer built in

Season chart

Five tracks run in parallel. Solid bars are planned; dashed ones only happen if the March decision is "go". Scroll sideways on a phone.

Releases Development Testing and feedback Portfolio and sharing Business Only if "go" in March

The next four weeks

Bold items need you; the rest the agents and I can do. Checked items are already done.

Oct 15 – 18 · this week

Get it saved and online

Switch to the non-commercial license
Clean up for public view, portfolio README
Check your employment contract for side-project rules
Share your GitHub username; approve first commit
Create the repo, push, add topics and description
Turn on GitHub Pages

Oct 19 – 25

Prove it on real Macs

Live demo on GitHub Pages (works without Claude)
Screenshots and a short GIF for the README
Real-mic talk-mode test; tell me how it feels
Fresh install on a second Mac (friend or spare)
Auto-open check in the CLI, Desktop Code tab and Cowork
Fix anything that blocks a first-time user

Ship Mon, Oct 26 · v0.2.0 Preview

Oct 26 – Nov 1

Friends beta starts

Invite 5–8 testers: 3–4 adult players, 1–2 parents
Beta kit: install guide, demo link, 2-minute feedback form
Build: plan review appears instantly (draft while setup runs)
Case study page live (from the Blueprint)
Add the project to your resume and portfolio

Nov 2 – 8

First fixes, first post

v0.2.1 patch from beta feedback
Build: lighter background updates, daily cost cap
60-second demo video
LinkedIn or blog post: "how I built an AI tennis team"

Ship Mon, Nov 9 · v0.2.1

Phases and versions

Each phase ends in a release with clear exit criteria, so it's always obvious what "done" means.

Phase	Dates	Version	Scope	Done when
0 · Preview	Oct 15 – Oct 26	v0.2.0-preview	License, cleanup, portfolio README GitHub repo and Pages demo Real-device test pass and blocker fixes	Installs from GitHub on 2 Macs; demo link works without Claude
1 · Launch-ready beta	Oct 27 – Nov 22	v0.2.1 – 0.2.4 (weekly)	Instant plan review Lighter bookkeeping (about 30% of today's cost) Daily cost cap; friendly error recovery Case study, demo video, first post	5+ active testers; no data-loss bugs; reply cost under half of today
2 · Feels like a real team	Nov 23 – Jan 18	v0.3.0	AI understanding replaces keyword rules Streaming replies (coach speaks in about 5 s) On-device Whisper recognition Player Scout and Fitness Coach Holiday buffer Dec 21 – Jan 3	Persona retest 4.5+ on every stage; coach starts talking within 5 s
2b · Directory	Jan 25 – Feb 21	v0.3.x	Privacy note and listing assets Submit to Anthropic's plugin directory Review time isn't in our control	Submitted; feedback from the review addressed
3 · Family and on the go	Jan 19 – Mar 28	v0.4.0	Knowledge library part 2, Sunday check-in, match tools Phone voice memos, then phone access Nutrition (adults), Google Calendar sync	Parents use it courtside; phone notes reach the team without a laptop
4 · Product (if go)	Mar 30 – Jun 21	v1.0 hosted beta	Hosted version: accounts, Claude API backend, phone-first Pricing, privacy policy, minors compliance Coach and academy pilot	10+ paying users or a signed academy pilot

Decision gates

Four checkpoints where the evidence decides the next step, not enthusiasm.

G1 · Preview shipped

Mon, Oct 26

Install from GitHub works on 2 Macs
Live demo runs without Claude
README and case study are ready to show

If not: slip one week; never ship a broken first run.

G2 · Beta health

Sun, Nov 22

5+ testers active
60% log a second note within 7 days
Average reply under 20 s; no lost notes

If not: interview the drop-outs and fix the first-week experience before v0.3 features.

G3 · v0.3 quality

Mon, Jan 18

Persona retest 4.5+ everywhere
Coach starts speaking within 5 s
Ready for directory review

If not: keep polishing; directory submission waits.

G4 · Profit decision

Mon, Mar 1

40% of testers still active at week 8
3 of 10 interviewees would pay a monthly fee (test about $8–15)
One clear segment: adult players, parents, or coaches
Per-user AI cost fits under the price

If no-go: keep it as an open portfolio project with small releases. Nothing is wasted.

Risks to watch

Risk	Why it matters	What we do
AI cost per message	Each message is two AI runs; background bookkeeping cost about $0.90 in one test	Phase 1 cost work and a daily cap; a hosted price must cover it
Your side-project rules	Some employment contracts claim side projects	Check before making the repo public (this week)
Solo time	About 10 h a week; life and tennis happen	Weekly patches stay small; holiday buffer; agents do the heavy lifting
Platform changes	Claude plugin features are still evolving	Keep the server and skills simple; follow release notes
Minors and privacy	Junior players and health notes	Parent-operated only; local data; a legal review before any hosted version
Directory review timing	Not in our control	Grow through GitHub and friends first; the directory is a bonus