"XOs Digital is the leading provider of digital asset management solutions, facility design and integration services and digital coaching technologies for collegiate and professional sports organizations."It has recently extended their newest platform into the hockey world. It is called Thunder Hockey and it is the greatest thing since sliced bread.
I had the privilege to get a sneak peak into Thunder this summer when I attended a week long information and training seminar hosted by XOs Digital. In fact, the Hockey Product Specialist for XOs Digital and leader of the seminar, Brant Bergland, is the predecessor I'm always being reminded of. He is a great guy with an unmatchable passion for the game. It is this passion that caused him to develop Thunder.
What is Thunder?
Thunder is a program that uses a SQL database system to store clips that are logged by a video coach during a game. These clips are assigned to video files, which enables coaches to quickly access specific portions of games. Stored data is also used to develop coaching strategy and player statistics. This is an extremely simplified description, mainly because there are so many aspects to this program that is it hard to describe in proper detail.
Why is Thunder so revolutionary?
A Boston.com article helps describe the foundation behind Thunder and the role video plays in hockey, but I want to give some concrete examples of why this program is a video coordinators best friend.
1. Thunder uses a server approach, which means no longer having to waste countless hours transferring and re-transferring video files and clips between computers.
2. Thunder allows for multipul users to clip during games at the same time using a remote logger, which instantly syncs clips into master computer and then into the server. This feature is huge because it allows for the stats person to log individual player time-on-ice, while the video coordinator simultaneously logs the usual clips, and any other person, whether it be a coach or staff member, logs special instance clips.
3. Players on the ice while a clip is logged are autormatically assigned to that clip, which is used to generate player profiles. What that means is that a coach can identify basically anything they want about a players performance based on the stats provided by Thunder. For example, a coach can see how successful their second line center is on face-offs in the offensive zone against left handed players. Video coordinators no longer need to stay hours after the game creating excel spreadsheets for this information. It is automatically done for them.
4. Finally, the overall design is much more flexible and efficient. The new folder structure makes navigation easier and video file grouping much easier to organize.
5. One of the main selling points of this program is that it is HD compatible. For me as a college video coordinator, this is pure gold. I no longer have to risk ruining my eyesight trying to watch games filmed by fifteen year old video cameras. Sweet.
Thunder is a revolutionary program that makes life easier on the entire organization through its time saving and job-combining features. Professional organizations can also use this for scouting purposes as well. As technology continues to evolve and other companies begin to develop similar programs, new features will result, which will be even more revolutionary than this one. The next BU video coordinator will be getting lectures on how I had to carry four laptops up all these stairs when he complains about glitches in the software on his iPad. Oh, technology... how hate to love you.
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