You can run and you can try to hide, but Sport Testing Inc. will reveal the truth. This statement appears intimidating for an extremely recreational hockey enthusiast, like myself, however this is a business model that major sporting organizations worldwide are getting behind.
The bar has been raised and this infusion of analytical technology has already created a ripple effect in the way scouts, GMs, and more importantly, the athlete themselves perceive a skill set needed to excel in professional sports. This precise, top-of-the-line technology, will be able to pinpoint weaknesses players never thought were an area of concern.
Although the birthplace of Sport Testing was on the soccer field, it has since grown to each and every sport you played at recess. Hockey has been a great focus of Jonathan and Jamie Hollins, brothers from Toronto, Canada who co-founded the company. In a true example of “opposites attract” in terms of their professions, Jamie spent his days studying kinesiology and operating gyms. On the other end of the spectrum sat Jonathon, who honed his skills in the software industry. Sport Testing now runs and operates testing for CHL combines, minor league hockey affiliates as well as some NHL organizations.
It doesn’t take long to realize why there is such an interest in hosting an event such as this. It’s all about data. In so many other industries, people rely on data, trends, and more importantly to their bosses, projections to help grow the company. It’s this kind of tangible ammo that helps attract investors and to build longevity. Hockey is a business as well, and those investors you’re hoping to attract, now become season ticket holders coming to watch your young superstar you just drafted.
The days of a stopwatch and clipboard are long gone, as the Hollins brothers have developed a way to collect invaluable data that in the company’s 3-year tenure. This has created a precedent on athlete evaluation. The newer, more progressive GMs will no longer rely solely on “gut instinct” when judging a players skill. They now have the advantage of looking beyond the G’s and A’s on the scoresheets, as a plethora of data will now be readily available to make a solid conclusion on specific players.
Take an OHL combine for instance, which might not appear to be out of the ordinary for this new generation of hockey bred adolescents, or saavy tech professionals who are embracing this lifestyle to its fullest. However, if you ask the guy who’s perplexed by the blinking light on his VCR (not sure who has a VCR anymore) go find a chair, because that person might need to have a seat. Even take an average gadget user/abuser and Sport Testing’s setup would be sure to impress.
Identification in the form of a wristband is given to a 15 year old, looking to find a home in the OHL. With very little guidance, these teens are put through rigorous exercises, which are evaluated by hands-free equipment. This data, sent to the cloud and back via WIFI connection, then registers in Sport Testing’s system as well as a real-time leaderboard for all guests and parents to see.
While the observers judge comfortably from the sidelines, these combatants are monitored up and down the ice with equipment testing their every movement. It’s no secret that training and preparation in the life of a budding hockey star has begun earlier than years past. Maybe not as much in the age category, but the intensity and commitment has increased to meet these new levels of standards they are about to endure in the upcoming years. With so much parody amongst young hockey players, they are all striving to separate themselves throughout this testing. While some use this process as a stepping-stone, others have to face the realization that playing sports for a living is not in the cards.
The off-ice workouts are as precise and efficient as ever. How often do you hear an NHL analyst compare a young, up-and-coming hockey stud to a current NHL player? Now, with enough data compiled over the years, GMs, scouts and coaches don’t have to just warrant a comparison by watching their style of play, but also by the numbers that back it. It might even give that under the radar kid a true shot to show their potential.
We are witnessing a new wave generation of athlete. An idol that they used to follow on Twitter, could become a future line mate when they make the NHL. In what used to be hours of shooting a broken tennis ball against a wall has now become hours in the gym for a 13 year old. Bobby Hull used to be strong as an ox from throwing hay bails around on the farm, which translated into a Hall of Fame career. Now, farmers unfortunately fall by the wayside, while youngsters find themselves breaking down their stride, their wrist shot and their eating habits.
This open-minded way of stepping back and viewing these individuals as complete player is paving the way to an easier decision at the draft table. It seems so simplistic when there’s a case of beer and a pepperoni pizza in front of you at your fantasy keeper draft, but when jobs are on the line, the tension builds. Some General Managers are praised for their track record throughout their career draft picks, others hide behind scouts and most of them are just lucky. For every Alexandre Daigle, there’s a Pavel Datsyuk.
Sport Testing Inc. has certainly set the bar. The moment this registers with a youngster whose only dream is to make the NHL, they will begin training to exceed these tests. Luckily for the couch potato hockey fanatics out there, this progression will surely create a new breed of talent to enjoy for years to come. A level of hockey that will eclipse what we’ve deemed today as the fastest and most elite ever watched. Well, just wait, the greatest sport on the planet is about to take strides beyond the imaginable.
If you have kids or plan on reproducing with hopes of creating a little money making NHL player so you can retire early, then keep Sport Testing bookmarked (http://www.sporttesting.com/). Just be prepared to suffer the cold hard truth!
SPORTS TESTING INC.
BY TYLER CAMERON
UNCOMMON KNOWLEDGE
THE NEW STANDARD