Nov. 1, 2006

The use of cutting-edge technology enables Ferris State Director of Hockey Operations and Video Coordinator Dave Cencer the ability to provide the Bulldogs with up-to-the-minute highlights and statistical breakdowns before, during and after a game. Although the use of computers has revolutionized the way teams prepare for games, sometimes technology can fail.  The end result means teams must rely on something computers cannot provide, talent.

Mixing Talent with Technology

By Dave Cencer

I remember the game well.  Ferris State trailed Michigan, 3-0, heading into the third period at Yost Ice Arena.  It was the final night of the 2005-06 regular season and home-ice advantage was on the line. If the game ended in a loss or tie, we travel to Fairbanks, Alaska, but a win alone would allow us to host a series at Ewigleben Arena.

A good portion of my job on the coaching staff at Ferris State involves using video technology to help our team perform better on the ice, so it was a little ironic how technology failed me that February night in Ann Arbor, Mich.  With half the league's standings still up for grabs, I kept close tabs on the other games out of town. Sure enough, 3-0 turned to 3-1, then 3-2, and finally 3-3.  As we headed into overtime, I knew a loss or tie meant a long trip north and a win gave us home ice.

Our coaching staff had reviewed the scenario before.  My job was to keep track of all the happenings up top, then use one of two football referee signals to inform our staff.

If I signaled for a "touchdown", that meant we needed to pull the goaltender and play for the win.  If I signaled "no-good", arms waving, then we would leave the goaltender in.  Unfortunately, we confused our signals.  I tried calling one of our assistants on my cell phone but received no service.  I tried a text message but encountered the same issue.  I attempted to yell, but screaming over 6,500 people and a pep band made it difficult to hear me.  As I tried using my cell phone one last time, junior forward Zac Pearson took off on a 2-on-1, went top shelf and ended the game one shift into overtime.

What is the moral of the story?  Even the finest planning and technology yield to skill and desire, but utilizing them both creates a smarter and stronger breed of hockey.  In today's hockey world, the work behind the scenes has become a place of technological detail. 

Nearly every school in the league has a person on staff like me.  My job during the game is to take a camera feed into a laptop computer and digitally break down the video as it happens live.  At the end of a period, coaches and players can see 45 different scenarios, from scoring chances and line rushes to forechecks and face-offs, all at the click of a mouse.  It uses in-game preparation and in-game adjustments that allow for an edge that 15 years ago could never have been imagined.

How does it work?  At Ferris State, we use software from a company called XOS.  The software allows us to input the video and keep track of those 45 situations as they occur. It covers everything from on-ice personnel to goals and penalties. Between periods, coaches can review clips or show video to players.  Immediately after the game, players can see all their shifts, goaltenders can review all their situations and the coaching staff can review all of its systems   We can even burn the compiled video to DVD and send them home with the players and coaches.

We utilize the video in individual sessions with players and goaltenders, in tactical sessions with the coaching staff and during team meetings as teaching tools for points to be made in practice.  As our team prepares for its next opponent, the CCHA supports a game exchange server, where the home team uploads every league game, allowing coaches to download video played just hours before by their next opponent. This video is then broken down the same way, and teams can scout everything from forecheck and defensive zone coverage to power plays and penalty kills.  A season's worth of pre-scouts and game video can be stored on one single drive, allowing coaches to access any year-long trend in just a matter of seconds.

In today's game, technology provides an advantage in preparing players and giving them the edge once the puck drops.  It has come a long way from the days of reel-to-reel projectors and "chalk-talk" sessions.