Shooting a puck. Sounds easy, right? Not if you’re looking to develop proper technique and hone key skills to maximize your shot – and, thus, become a better hockey player.
It’s a major component Snipe Academy instructors and coaches focus on, and they do so with the help of the ‘RapidShot,’ hockey training system, which is the only professional shooting system that measures accuracy, shot speed and reaction time. It’s leading the way in hockey skills training and analytics.
Just ask the youngsters and their parents that utilize the system. Young Jack Matthison has been working on his shot at Snipe, and he’s been making big strides, thanks in large part to RapidShot. What’s been the process?
“We’ve gone through correcting Jack’s shooting form in order to maximize his power and accuracy, as shown in the video assessment,” says Jack’s Snipe instructor, Billy Faragher. “In future sessions, we will continue to practice correct shooting form and make it a habit instead of reverting back to his original form.”
And then? Faragher will work with Jack on individual shooting aspects, including shot speed (power), reaction time (how quickly he gets his shot off), and accuracy (target hit rates). The program works on one aspect per week, honing those techniques along the way.
“As he gets better,” Faragher says, “we will incorporate resistance such as pass speed, pass interval and danglers to challenge him more.”
The Snipe program has shown it works – and the data is there to prove it. Jack’s father, Greg, is certainly a believer in the power of RapidShot.
“By getting feedback, it is easier for Jack to develop, and for me to help him continue to improve,” said the elder Matthison. “RapidShot keeps stats, so it shows improvement over the weeks and months. Shooting technique can be confusing, and I think Snipe is greatly helping kids improve their game.”
What else is Snipe up to? Besides continually adding top-notch instructors, many of whom have played at high levels of hockey, the Academy offers group classes which teach new skills and allow players and teams to get more reps in; Snipe also offers personalized 1-on-1 training – or 2-on-1 or 3-on-1, depending on a player’s preference; and they offer goalie training, too.
As always, the Academy lives up to its original philosophy: providing real hockey training experiences (on skates, on training ice) without the cost of ice time. It’s about offering smaller class sizes, excellent instruction, and a focus on honing the finer points of the game.
Contributions by Snipe Academy and photos by Greg Matthison
