So last weekend I participated in a BASE Hockey shooting analysis session hosted by Steven Wiggins (Base's regional director for QC) along with two friends. It was an awesome experience, and I'd like to share my impressions with you guys.
I made an appointment about two weeks in advance, and the cost was $50 per person for the session, which includes high speed camera footage, analysis of your shot by the BASE instructor, and having some custom two-piece setups built for you to try. We showed up at Athletic Republic's small synthetic rink facility in Pierrefonds, where the session would take place. The setup was pretty awesome: There were a multitude of shafts and blades for Steven to create different demo sticks for us to try. There were also several BASE one-piece sticks, which Steven introduced us to and even let us try out on the synthetic surface. Steven went over the many custom options for ordering sticks, and he then let us get our skates on as he prepped the high-speed camera.
My friends and I each got our own individual turn on the surface after getting to warm up together by shooting some pucks and skating around. For those who haven't skated on synthetic ice, it's a bit tough to get used to at first, but the shot analysis is mostly standing shots anyway so it's not too bad. Each time one of us went up to start our analysis, Steven got us to take some shots with our own stick. He gave us quick pointers on our form, then asked if we were ready to get a slow-motion video of our shot with the high-speed camera. After taking a few shots and getting some footage for each type of shot we wanted analyzed, Steven brought us over to his laptop, where we could see our shot in slow-motion. He then gave us precise tips to improve, taking into account all possible factors, including blade position, knee bend, the amount of flex in the shaft, and puck/ice contact. He also recommended a different stick set-up for us to try based on the footage, and then built a two-piece stick for us according to our preferences and his recommendation. We got to try out these two-piece setups on the surface, and we even had the option to get some slow-motion footage of our shot with the new stick build. I elected to get footage with my stick (a True A5.2) only, since I was happy with my current stick. It was really cool to try out a two-piece stick with BASE's unusual pro curves, such as the BC06 Turk (basically a toned-down Lidstrom, as used by NHL shooting coach Tim Turk) and the BC10 Russell (a Hossa with a taller blade). We also got to try out some of BASE's one-piece offerings, including the Nasty, Nasty R, and Supernatural.
After it was all said and done, we had shot hundreds of pucks, tried out new curves, flexes, and sticks, and gotten invaluable tips on how to improve our shot. Also, Steven sent us the slow-motion video of our shots by e-mail, which was awesome. This was one of the coolest hockey-related experiences I've had. It really gives you a different perspective to see your shooting mechanic slowed down frame-by-frame and get some personalized feedback from someone who knows his stuff. At $50 for about 45 mins each, this session was an absolute bargain, and I highly recommend it. The only constructive criticism I had was that BASE's Pierrefonds location doesn't have a radar gun for shot speed, but Steven told me they're working on acquiring one.
Below, I've included the video of my slapshot. It's a work in progress, of course, but I was relieved to see that I have some of the fundamentals down. Feel free to provide your own constructive criticism, as I'll take any advice I can get! Also, if you have any questions, you are more than welcome to ask.
Slapshot analysis video - click here
