USA Hockey Develops Innovative Digital Coaching Tool

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USA Hockey Develops Innovative Digital Coaching Tool

William Deyesso

Former real estate developer William Deyesso serves as CEO of Royal Administration Services, a third-party insurance administrator. A former hockey player at his Alma Mater of Bryant & Stratton School of Business, William Deyesso remains a passionate fan of the sport.

Registration in USA Hockey has been steadily rising since the 1990s and, as of the 2016-17 season, there were 555,175 players and 57,801 coaches. With coaches having to work with upwards of 20 young players in practices, it can sometimes be challenging to create the best possible practice plan. However, USA Hockey's Mobile Coach 4.0 digital application can assist coaches with their practices by evaluating their plans and measuring them against guidelines recommended by the American Development Model.

The first version of the app was launched in 2012 and recent updates have expanded upon the initial features and given coaches a wealth of resources to utilize when planning their practices. The updated app includes a library of 1,500 drills categorized for different age groups and includes a breakdown of how effective each drill is in improving individual skills, systems, hockey sense, and goaltending. Parents or off-ice coaches can also use the app to more effectively monitor a goaltender's development by tracking shots faced in a game or practice, while the app produces a chart of both saves and goals from five scoring areas.