The Ultimate Goalie Fixes Some of the Issues with Other Canvas Targeting Systems

If you’ve been following me over the past couple of years, you probably know I’m a huge believer in developing your snipes both on and off the ice. One of the main tools I’ve recommended and used over the past 20 years has been the Shooter Tutor, which is basically a canvas goalie with holes cut out in the corners and five-hole.

Shooter Tutor Overview:
The Shooter Tutor is a fantastic product, and I’ve used it myself for a number of different reasons:

• It’s light weight, and easy to transport
• It’s durable
• It gives “dead” rebounds, which are more realistic in my opinion
• It’s fun to work with!

Shooter Tutor Design Flaws
As good as the Shooter Tutor has been for me over the past 20 years, there are also a few drawbacks to be aware of:

• The bungees are exposed, and will break if hit by pucks enough times (not a question of “if,” but “when”…)
• It can be a pain to fish the pucks out of the net

Ultimate Goalie vs Shooter Tutor
The Ultimate Goalie has improved on the idea of the Shooter Tutor, correcting some of the “design flaws,” while keeping all of the characteristics that have made the Shooter Tutor a staple in my set of coaching tools.

Here’s a quick run-down on what makes the Ultimate Goalie such a great product:

• NO BUNGEES EXPOSED – the Ultimate Goalie extended the canvas to wrap around the posts, keeping the bungees hidden behind the posts and crossbar
• EASY TO GATHER PUCKS – the pull-string lifts up the bottom foot of the net, and makes for quick and easy puck gathering
• Light-weight and portable – pack it up and bring it to the rink with you… no sweat!
• Durable material
• “Dead (realistic) rebounds”

One Potential Design Flaw:
I love the Ultimate Goalie, but in all fairness, I had to mention one potential design flaw. The pulley cord is a little on the thin side. When I took it out for practice, one of our players caught a skate on it, and sliced through the rope. I tied it all back together, no problem… but a more durable rope would make more sense on this type of product.

Conclusion:
All in all, the Ultimate Goalie is an awesome product, and one that I definitely recommend. I use it myself both on and off the ice, and the bungees haven’t begun to fray at all! And if you’re careful not to skate over the pulley cord, you shouldn’t have any problems whatsoever.

Technorati Tags: Believer, Bungees, Canvas, Coaching Tools, Design Flaw, Design Flaws, Different Reasons, Durable Material, Fairness, Holes, Pulley, Rebounds, Rope, Shooter, Snipes, Staple, Targeting System, Targeting Systems, Thin Side, Tutor

Slovakian 3-Pass and Shot Drill

Here’s a solid drill from my Slovakian friend Jan Bednar. He sends me awesome drills from time to time, and they’re always exactly my style! This drill has two variations, one ends in a 1 on 0, and the other ends in a 1 on 1. Here’s the diagram:

Slovakian 3-Pass and Shot Drill:

1. Player from low line passes to the first player from the line at center ice.
2. One-touch pass back, then loops around the center circle.
3. Player from low line receives pass, then executes side-step crossovers to the far side of the circle, powerturns out of the crossovers, and hits the other player with a long pass.

Variation: Same set-up as above, except play ends in a 1 on 1 (see diagram #2)

Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: Center Circle, Center Ice, Circle 3, Crossovers, Far Side, Friend Jan, Side Step, Variation, Variations

Here’s a Quick Tutorial on Installing the Sniper’s Edge Indoors

A few weeks ago I published a detailed review on the Sniper’s Edge, which is a shooting tarp that can fit in the opening of any standard two-car garage. The product is fantastic, and I had a blast putting that review together. You can check it out here: FULL SNIPER’S EDGE REVIEW.

Since then, I’ve relocated to a bigger house (Weiss Tech HQ), and the new house has a pretty big unfinished basement… perfect for my new hockey training facility!

Benefits of the Indoor Installation
After getting everything moved in, one of the first things I did was install my Sniper’s Edge in the basement. As much as I liked it outdoors, I must admit, the indoor install has been even nicer! I prefer the indoor install for a few reasons:

• No need to roll and unroll to make the garage usable
• No worries about weather – the tarp is weather proof, but I was concerned about snow and ice weighing it down in the winter
• More level surface – my driveway was slightly slanted as you can see in my previous video. This was throwing off my vertical aim

Indoor Installation Process (The Harder Way)
The Sniper’s Edge doesn’t come with any of the necessary hard-ware to install it. So you’ll need to pick up the following items from Home Depot or Lowe’s to install your Sniper’s Edge the same way I did it (NOTE: THERE IS AN EASIER WAY TO DO It… DETAILS FURTHER DOWN):

• One 16x2x4
• Four 2×4′s long enough to connect the top of the Sniper’s Edge to your rafters
• Screws
• Washers
• 16′ wooden dowel

Here’s how I did it… Unbox the Sniper’s Edge and screw the top of it into the 16x2x4. Screw each of your smaller 2x4s into the 16x2x4, evenly spread – MAKE SURE YOU MEASURE FIRST. You want the measurements such that after it is hung, the bottom of the Sniper’s Edge just barely touches the ground. Screw or nail the entire unit into the rafters.

This method seems easy enough in theory (at least it did to me…), but it was actually quite difficult to make it come together properly! One of our YouTube subscribers suggested a more effective way… READ ON!

An Easier Way to Install the Sniper’s Edge

After posting this video on YouTube, flyers10az (one of our subscribers) suggested a MUCH easier way. If you get a sec, shoot him/her a thank-you note… this could save you TONS of time.

Here’s what you do:

• Screw the Sniper’s Edge into the 16x2x4 as in the first method
• Buy 8 metal hooks and 4 lengths of chain
• Screw 4 hooks into your rafters or ceiling, and 4 hooks in corresponding locations on the top of your 16x2x4
• Attach the hooks on the 16x2x4 to the corresponding hooks in the ceiling using the chain

Isn’t that brilliant? I wish I had thought of it before doing it my way. Since the chain is adjustable, you don’t need to be as exact on your measurements either. I haven’t tried it… but it seems like a WAY better way of doing it.

Conclusion
Having this in my basement has been awesome. We use it all the time and the kids love it. It works really well for indoor use because it’s virtually impossible for a puck to take a bad ricochet off it into a window, or light, or something breakable. I definitely recommend this targeting system for your home!

Technorati Tags: Aim, Car Garage, Fit, Hockey Training, Home Depot, Hq, Hung, Level Surface, Lowe S, Measurements, No Worries, Rafters, Screw, Screws, Sniper, Snow And Ice, Tarp, Unfinished Basement, Weather Proof, Wooden Dowel

The Weiss Tech Hockey Summer Camp provides a fantastic opportunity for world-class training, at a world class facility

Weiss Tech Hockey: History

We started Weiss Tech Hockey back in 2004 as a high-quality summer camp for local players in the Salt Lake area. Over the years, Weiss Tech Hockey has evolved, becoming very involved in the online hockey community. With a world-wide following, we have been receiving an ever-increasing number of requests from hockey folks wanting us to put forth a camp format that would would be more accessible for players from out of state (or out of country).

Summer Camp: New Format

We decided that this was the year to accommodate those requests, and we have put together a camp that could be considered a “Hockey Vacation.” This a camp where you will receive world-class instruction, at world class facilities, and the rest of the family will have a blast at the same time!

You see, Utah is really the perfect location for a camp like this. It’s a central location for hockey in the Western United States, and we will be running the camp out of the Olympic Oval, a venue from the 2002 Winter Olympics. Utah is also a fantastic vacation spot for the outdoor enthusiasts with tons of stuff for the family to do while the players are on the ice.

Camp Overview

The camp runs July 30 through Aug. 3 at the Olympic Oval in Kearns, UT. The daily schedule consists of the following:

• 2.5 hours of ice
• 45 min dryland conditioning
• 45 min off-ice skill development (sponsored by HockeyShot.com)
• 30 min classroom session (chalk-talk/video training)

Needless to say, this will be an intense week of hockey training, and a ton of fun as well!

Your Invitation

We would love to have you attend our Summer Camp this year. Please feel free to give me a call or shoot me an email if you have any questions at all. Cheers!

Jeremy Weiss
801-687-0273
info@weisstechhockey.com

Technorati Tags: 2002 Winter Olympics, Central Location, Chalk Talk, Classroom Session, Email, Hockey Community, Hockey History, Hockey Summer Camp, Hockey Training, Kearns Ut, Local Players, Olympic Oval, Outdoor Enthusiasts, Salt Lake Area, Skill Development, Vacation Spot, Video Training, Western United States, Winter Olympics, Winter Olympics Utah

Butterfly Passing is a Simple but Effective Hockey Passing Drill

Butterfly Passing is a great drill to work on passing fundamentals with youngsters, and to iron out technical “wrinkles” in more experienced players. Although the drill itself is simple, players should use this drill as an opportunity to work on passing accuracy in stride, and should focus on precise execution at full speed. Here’s the diagram:

Butterfly Passing Drill:

1. Two lines at one end, the width of the goal posts
2. Players skate in pairings all the way down the ice, passing back and forth while maintaining stride
3. At far end, players peel off, around the bottom of each’s respective circle, then skate back making cross-ice passes back into the zone they started from

Variation: have d-men skate backward

Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: Accuracy, Butterfly, Full Speed, Hockey Drill, hockey passing drills, Opportunity, Precise Execution, Variation, Wrinkles, Youngsters

The Sniper’s Edge is an Awesome Hockey Targeting System that Offers Plenty of Versatility

A few months ago, I got my hands on the Sniper’s Edge from HockeyShot. I had seen this Hockey Targeting System in the past, but hadn’t ever used one before. So, I was excited at the chance to give it a whirl, and was impressed with the experience.

Product Overview
The Sniper’s Edge fits over any standard two-car garage door opening, and comes in 2 sizes, 7′ x 16′ or 8′ x 16′ (so make sure you measure the height of your garage door before ordering).

The unit comes tightly wrapped in a box – make sure you follow the labeling and DON’T USE A KNIFE TO OPEN THE BOX, as you will risk slicing a hole in your tarp before you even get it open.

Installation
The Sniper’s Edge doesn’t come with any of the necessary hard-ware to install it. So you’ll need to pick up the following items from Home Depot or Lowe’s:

• Screws
• Washers
• 16′ wooden dowel

Once you have the proper hardware, assembly is pretty easy… Just follow the directions included in the box. I put it up myself in about 22 minutes, and it would have been a lot quicker if I had had a partner.

My Experience
Once your Sniper’s Edge is all set up, just grab a Shooting Pad, some Pucks, and have at it! This set-up works really well in neighborhood or indoor settings, where you don’t want errant pucks damaging houses, windows, or other valuable items. The Sniper’s Edge is a tarp, so everything hits with a dead bounce and drops straight down.

Another cool feature on the Sniper’s Edge is the pocketing system. Anytime you snipe a corner, the puck is caught in the back pocket, and drops down to the bottom of the unit, making clean-up easy (as long as you’re hitting the corners!).

All in all, this is a great product, and one I highly recommend!

Technorati Tags: Bounce, Car Garage, Garage Door, Hardware Assembly, hockey shooting aids, hockey shooting targets, Home Depot, Indoor Settings, Lowe S, Neighborhood, Product Overview, Proper Hardware, Puck, Pucks, Screws, Shooting Targets, Sniper, Targeting System, Tarp, Versatility, Whirl, Wooden Dowel

Double Bank Pass is Great, High-Tempo Passing Drill

The Double Bank Pass Drill is quick paced, and a lot of fun. This is one you should definitely try out on the ice, as the diagram doesn’t always do it justice (at least it didn’t for me!). Here’s the diagram:

Double Bank Pass Drill:

1. 4 lines, each with pucks
2. On whistle, two players leave from diagonally opposite lines.
3. The first player fires a cross-ice pass to the opposite line, then skates up ice to receive the first bank pass.
4. Receiver steps out to create a good passing angle, then executes a bank pass to the player who passed to him.
5. The second player skates further up ice, timing it to be ready to receive the second bank pass from the first player in his line.
6. Both players attack 2 on 0

Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: Bank 1, Double Bank, Pucks, Skates, Tempo, Whistle

Here’s a Quick Tour of my Basement Hockey Training Center!

You may have already heard… but we recently moved houses (literally across the street, actually!). We’ve got two crazy boys, and a third boy on the way, and it was just time to expand. Lucky for us, a bigger house across the street went up for sale just at the right time, so we jumped on it!

It’s taken a bit of time to get everything moved over and situated, but I finally had a chance to sort through, and set up my hockey training center. You might remember, space was a big concern in my old house, and I had most of my stuff crammed into the one side of our two-car garage. In our new house we have enough room to put it all in our unfinished basement, and I’m really happy about how it all turned out!

I figured I’d shoot a quick vid with the iPad, just to show you my new set-up. With summer quickly approaching, be on the lookout for more off-ice training videos, tips, and drills from Weiss Tech Hockey!

Cheers!

Jeremy

Technorati Tags: Big House, Car Garage, Cheers, Crazy Boys, Hockey Training, Ipad, Lookout, New House, Right Time, Stuff, Tour Hockey, Training Videos, Unfinished Basement

This Hockey Plus Minus App for iPad is a Fast and Easy Way to Track Plus Minus During Games!

Anybody who follows my blog knows I’m a huge believer in using technology to enhance hockey coaching. I recently came across an iPad app that I’m really excited about… it’s called Hockey Plus Minus.

If you check out the app store, you’ll see there are a number of hockey stat apps that have begun cropping up, some are really complex with the ability to track tons of different stuff, some are extremely simple, and only track a few things. With all the different options out there, I figured I’d take the chance to throw in my 2 cents worth on the subject.

Here are three questions you should ask yourself before picking a mobile stat tracker:

What do you want to track?

You can get REALLY in depth with your stat tracking, or you can stay pretty basic. Higher level teams need a lot more depth in their tracking (hits, faceoffs won, shots on goal and shot locations, etc.), younger teams don’t need to dedicate as much time and effort into stat tracking––in my opinion.

What is already being tracked?

Obviously, an app that tracks goals and assists will be redundant, since that’s already being tracked on the game sheet. Some leagues require the score keepers to track shots on goal as well. I don’t care about wasting time and effort tracking things that are already being tracked.

Who will be tracking the stats?

If you, as the coach, are planning on tracking the stats yourself from the bench, you’ll need an interface that is clean and simple, that requires little time to input each event. This is the main reason I love this Hockey Plus Minus app. The interface is simple, and I can enter in the info quickly, with minimal effort.

Conclusion:

As a coach, Plus Minus is the main stat I prefer to keep control of. The real strength of Plus Minus is what it shows over the course of a season, so if it is inconsistently tracked, its useless and might as well not be tracked at all. This app makes it really easy to track it consistently.

There are a few suggestions I’d make to the developers of this app as they roll new versions out:

1. add the ability to view, select, and edit by individual goal (if you made a mistake and need to change it)
2. add the ability to see the score
3. add the ability to export a report into an excel doc

Hope this app comes in handy for you,

Cheers!

Jeremy

Technorati Tags: Apps, Assists, Believer, Bench, Blog, Coach, Conclusion, Game Sheet, Games, Hockey Plus Minus, Interface, Ipad, Little Time, Love, Minimal Effort, Score Keepers, Shots On Goal, Stat Tracker, Using Technology, Wasting Time

The Key to Killing a 5 on 3 is to Have the Right Players on the Ice!

Killing a 5 on 3 can be tough. In my opinion, the most important factor is having the right personel on the ice. You’ll want to throw out your fastest, smartest players. Players who are good at reading and reacting, anticipating, and keeping their heads on a swivel. The video above outlines my preferred method for killing a 5 on 3, the Rotating Triangle.

Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: 5 on 3, hockey penalty kill, Outlines, penalty kill 5 on 3, Personel, Preferred Method, Triangle