Shooting Q/A
SHOOTING FAQs
Q. Where are the Shooting sessions held?
A. They are held inside Planet Ice Delta (formerly known as Great Pacific Forum of GPF) just to the right of the stairs down by the elevator, last door on the left. Address 10388 Nordel Court Delta, B.C.
Q. What are your shooting rates?
A. Rates are determined by several factors – Is the class off ice or on? If the session is desired for on ice then the client is responsible for the booking of the ice and my rate would be separate.
How long is the class? Classes run either 30 mins or one hour
How many clients attending? At this stage I can handle three clients per session but two is ideal.
What other factors do I need to consider? I live 30-45 mins away from my center depending on traffic. It doesn’t make much sense to travel for a 30 mins class so I would look at scheduling the slot around another class either before or after.
Call me for information on rates. They can vary depending on the above as either singles, doubles, on ice or off. My number is 604.317.7135
Q. Do you have other shooting or training centers?
A. Yes, there is another EHS training center in Reston Virginia which is owned and operated by one of my most senior instructors Shaylun Young. Please feel free to contact him if you are in the area. He is an exceptional instructor and has trained under me for the past 5 years. He can be reached at EHSreston@gmail.com
Q. How do I book a class?
A. Please check the shooting schedule by clicking on the link provided on the Calendar page of the site. Once you have identified the date/day/time that you are interested in, email me at ronjohnson07@gmail.com and I will update my site at the earliest convenience. You can also text me at 604.317.7135
Q. Is there any priority given to early registration?
A. Yes. All emails or text messages are sorted on a first come first serve basis. I do not take registrations over the phone due to the fact that I like to keep track of scheduling in hard copy. This allows me to better keep track of time commitments. However PLEASE NOTE: If you text or email me, please include the date and “Shooting Class” in the subject line. This way when I search for bookings I can find them quickly.
Q. How do I know if my registration has been accepted?
A. Through my online schedule. I update it regularly during the day once I am in office or near a wireless network to check on my emails. I will send you a quick email or text in response to your query. However, please check as noted on the schedule link page, if you do not see your booking on the site please reach out to me immediately. I have had trouble with my server at times uploading the new schedule.
Q. What do we do in the event that you have to cancel any of our booked sessions?
A. Unfortunately, this is a proprietary business in that there is only one person running the clinics …”myself”. I have obligations to other companies and professional clients to whom I am on retainer to that require my services on short notice. There have been several in the past few months due to my obligations to these clients (having to fly to Toronto or other training site both national and international) and there will be several more in the near future. I will however, post these changes on my site as soon as these travel dates are forwarded to me. I have been collecting people’s contact information so that I can forward the information as quickly as possible. However, I do ask people to check my web site several times per week for any updates that may effect their booking status. I do apologize for any inconvenience!
Q. Does it matter how old a player is?
A. I have found that the youngest age that really benefits from this training is 7 years of age. I have worked with 5 and 6 year olds that have done exceptionally well but I do prefer players to be a minimum of 7. Please check with me prior to booking in under 7. I do recommend a first 30 min class to see what issues are evident and we can work together to get them on the right path.
Q. How many players can you take at once?
A. The maximum number of players that I can work with at this time as long as there are two lefts or two right handed shots included in the session (not all rights or lefts). If this is not the case then 2 is the maximum number. This is due to the width of the training area.
Q. How many sessions does it take before I notice the results?
A. Generally speaking with younger age groups such as 7-9 year olds, 5 sessions are generally the time frame that works best however you will see an improvement immediately. With players that are very keen, 2-3 sessions for each shooting fundamental (wrist shot for example) often does the trick. With older players, one session is enough to appreciate the benefits. I do have clients that have been with me for up to 5-10 years. This is due to the many shots that are available and much goal tenders that train once or more per week over their whole career, shooting is a skill that requires much work; not just quantity since only perfect practice makes perfect stressing quality over quantity. Unfortunately, one of the main skills that advance ones career is the ability to score and having a great shot; accurate, powerful and deceptive goes a long way to making that happen.
Q. What is better, a half hour class or one hour class?
A. For first time students, one hour usually is best but 30 minutes works well also. It really depends on the player’s attention span and keenness to learn.
Q. Once my son/daughter has taken several lessons, is it okay for someone else to join them?
A. It is important to understand that this is a progression teaching system. I advise students/parents that once started, it is advisable to have the new student/s take at least one or two classes themselves before joining. This makes the learning experience more efficient for everyone.
Q. Do you have drop in classes?
A. At this time I do not due to current booking trends. I hope to offer this in the future.
Q. Why do you focus so much on the wrist shot.
A. The wrist shot is the basically the foundation of all shooting skills. The mechanical elements in the wrist shot are inherent in other shooting fundamentals so once learned, snap shot skills can be taught in about 10-15 minutes.
Q. Do you have an order in which you teach the different shots?
A. Most definitely! Depending on the age and position of the player, I tend to focus on those skills that would compliment their position. For defense: Wrist, backhand, snap and then slap shots. For forwards: Wrist shot, snap shot, backhand deke, then slap shot.
Q. Are you flexible in this order?
A. Of course. Students are asked every session about what they would like to work on so as to engage them in their concerns but where matters of strength come into play, sometimes requests are limited.
Q. How many levels are there if my son/daughter wanted to keep taking the program?
A. There are four fundamental levels. Level one breaks down all of the basic principles of each particular shot such as Loading, Aiming and Firing for the wrist shot forehand, wrist shot backhand, snap shot, slap shot, saucer pass and one timers. Within each of these shots are 5 basic levels such as stationary shooting, shooting off of a rebound, shooting off a carry, shooting off of a stickhandle and shooting one-timers off of a pass. Level two is where all sliding hand techniques are learned both forehand and backhand including draw, drag and toeing shots are learned. In level three all cross body loading, aiming and firing skills are learned and finally level four is where all passes into the feet are managed into various shooting skills.
Q. How long does it take to go through this program from start to finish (level one to level four complete)
I have players that have worked with me from 2 to 14 years. It is a progressive learning process that encompasses many skill elements. A snap shot for example has 34 micro mechanical skill elements inherent in the fundamental.
Q. Do my skating skills impact my shooting skills at all?
A. Most definitely! Players that bend over too far when they skate end up primarily utilizing their bottom hand for control and become push/sweep shot shooters. Upper back/body alignment is critical to the generation of power when shooting.
Q. What other skills do you cover in these classes – passing, stick-handling?
A. I cover both passing and stick handling. Stick-handling is in essence the method by which we put the puck into position so as to better generate power and accuracy so proper puck movement is absolutely critical to successful shooting in today’s high pressure game. Passing is a natural byproduct of shooting. Teaching shooting is really just about propelling the puck…passing really incorporates the same philosophy. Too often players think of shooting as being on net where as the means of shooting a puck can translate into clearing the puck out of the zone, dumping the puck into the opposition zone, wide ice or stretch passes, etc.
Q. Do you work with adults?
A. Most definitely. There are several senior players that want to tweak their shooting skills as well as several father son/daughter couples that come in together. I find this a great bonding experience. and it is always nice to have the son/daughter chat up their parent when they make a mistake!
Q. Do you have female classes?
A. Absolutely. While most of my clients are male, I have many girls and women that are determined to improve their shots. They learn very quickly and in some cases even faster than boys their own age. One of the misconceptions is that women are weaker than boys. Girls mature faster than most boys so it is important to stress strong shooting mechanics early so that they can use their nature strength early.
Q. Do you help students pick or give them advice on their sticks?
A. I am available to do so but what is important to consider with younger players is the weight of their stick and length of the blade. A 10″ blade should be the minimum length and anything between 320-400 grams is desirable (7-10 year olds). Another area of concern is shafts that have very rounded edges. This causes a problem when rotating the shaft quickly such as when taking a wrist shot. I recommend a shaft that has “grip” on it. This makes gripping the shaft much easier for younger players who have very weak grip strength.
Q. When should they move up in sticks say from a junior to intermediate or intermediate to a senior?
A. Hand size is critical to picking out shaft size. When the fingers wrap excessively around the shaft, which is very apparent with students around 10-13 years of age , it is necessary to move up in size. Most sport stores can provide this information and I will be posting this information soon as well.
Q. How important is flex when considering buying a stick?
A. At the younger ages groups, not important, weight, blade length and shaft shape are critical components to stick selection. This is a ‘fight’ that I have with sales people at the time. They stress flex but for younger player, they do not have the strength necessary to utilize the flex/recoil of their sticks. Weight of the over all stick, especially of the blade is critical to successful shooting as is the type of curve. One of the problems with sticks to day is that sales people are more interested in the toe curve sticks so that the player can raise of “flick” the puck up into the top of the net. While I’m sure that the player is satisfied with the results, mechanical patterns become problematic and this over time becomes very hard to fix. I prefer younger players to find a heel curve (looking at the blade, the face of the blade starts opening up from the heel). A toe or mid blade curve can cause problems but call me to discuss.
Q. How important is the “Brand” of the stick?
A. With older players, brand used to be important. Proper shooting techniques involve using the different flexes of the stick and some brands like Base and Warrior (although recently have changed), use primarily lateral flex. There are many new brands out there that provide excellent results. Make sure however that blade and shaft weight are correct (stick balance) when considering purchases for younger players.
Q. Are their problems transferring the shots learned off ice to on ice?
A. In some cases yes. Players usually bring their game stick in to practice with in the off ice shooting room which, if one takes into consideration that the skates are missing makes the stick about 2 inches longer that normal (no skate blades). A minor adjustment of a couple shots in the warmup usually solves this problem. A secondary influence is the player’s method of skating. Too often they skate bent over and subsequently cannot utilize their top hand effectively which decreases blade speed which becomes critical to controlling a puck on a very smooth surface such as rink ice. A final influencer is a player’s inability to stick handle properly to even load the puck ready to shoot. This can be remedied in several weeks.
Q. Are parents welcome to sit in on the classes?
A. Most definitely. I prefer it actually since having the adult influence at home understand some of the basic concept makes it easier for students to practice properly. As the saying goes; “practice makes permanent only perfect practice makes perfect”.
Q. Is videoing or taking photos of classes permitted?
A. Video or camera shots of the class is strictly forbidden unless given permission. I will take videos when it is necessary and will email or text them to the client. However, clients are allowed to take notes if they so chose. It is important for the player to engage in the learning process and I encourage them to take notes after on what they learn. This demonstrates real maturity and desire to learn.
Q. How should we arrange payment?
A. I accept cash, e-transfer or credit card (I use the Square app). I would appreciate payment immediately before the class unless alternate arrangements have been made. I accept E-transfers l to ronjohnson07@gmail.com
Q. What happens if an emergency arises and we have to cancel. What is your policy?
A. As long as I receive a phone call or email, I am satisfied with the effort. Life is that way…full of little surprises! However, if I have a no-show, without a phone call then I will charge a 50% fee on the original class. If it happens again, regular charge and the third time I cancel their classes.
OTHER IMPORTANT NOTES:
Q. Have you shared your information and/or certified other instructors in the area?
A. I have heard that there are instructors out there that are telling people that they worked with me and know what I know. Unless they are my age and have worked both corporately and professionally with me side by side, this is impossible. Sadly this is not the case. I have been both progressive and aggressive with my research and as such have worked with no-one that has any information that is close to being current. Many of my students are recruited by other services but one must remember that I corrected their issues and DID NOT teach them how to diagnose a problem as well as teach them the layering of the corrections in such as way as to NOT damage a student. Each student is unique with their own problems.
Q. Are industry professionals allowed to come in a view classes?
A. Believe it or not, I have professionals that have sons in hockey and I have had them come in for shooting or alternate classes so that they can take away information that they learn in my classes and then benefit from it when teaching their own. I can not stress enough that I find this type of conduct reprehensible. I have spent over 40 years and 10 of thousands of dollars on research and studies and I feel that this industry; or many for that matter, are all about taking short cuts at other’s expense. I will ask and expect full disclosure from parents and do not appreciate this kind of deception.
Q. What do I do that is different from other instructors?
A. This a difficult question to answer in that people don’t really know what they don’t know. I hope that the following information helps to provide some clarity:
- I have a Master of Science degree specializing in hockey biomechanics. This includes skating, stickhandling and shooting as well as other related skills.
- I have a degree in exercise methodology and physiology, owning/operating a hockey specific training area for over 20 years. This provided valuable correlative training integrating both on and off ice training exercises/techniques.
- I have taught hockey skills and operated hockey schools for over 40 years.
- I pioneered on ice testing first in 1990 (Excel Hockey) and then again in 2005 (Next Testing). My job was to create all the skating profile tests for both central scouting and the NHL. I was also responsible for report generation and explanations for Excel Hockey as well for all ALL NHL general managers and coaches at the NLH combine in Edmonton 2008.
- I have presented lectured and many conferences both nationally and internationally on skills and offensive production.
- I have worked and consulted with, both current as well in the past, with over 50 elite NLH clients as well as hundreds of amateur junior, college, university and semi professional players on skills and offensive production. These are demonstrated in the client section of this site.
- I just finished a PhD study on behavioural mechanics and physiology which took over 5 years to complete ending in 2017. This research has been ground breaking in that it explains the 5 step forward and 3 step backwards problem with current developmental techniques.
- I have a research and analytics company that performs statistical assessments on over 80 data points on every goal in the NHL. This information is constantly updated every year and has been ongoing for the past 10 years. This is to provide my amateur and professional clients with the most optimal and current information relative to their careers.
- I was scouted when I was 17 and was ranked in the top 80% of NHL shooters of that day which included Gordie Howe, Lafleur, Orr, Esposito, Bossy and many others.
- I DID NOT play professional hockey. While I was scouted by the Boston Bruins, my father passed away when I was 17 and as a result of being a very poor family, I had to immediately go to work so support myself. I did play an elite level of senior A hockey. Unfortunately junior hockey was not an option since I had to raise a daughter when I was 19 years old so family came first. However, passionate for the game, I started coaching in the lower mainland of Vancouver when I was 19 years old and stayed coaching in the game, retiring in 2017.
- I have been written up in the New York Times as an elite skills coach along side Adam Oates. I have been interviewed by many local and international radio stations and newspapers on elite skill development and am featured as an elite coach in Joe Pavelski’s NHL career story on K39.com
- I am open to all questions that you may have regarding the above and feel free to reach out to me by cell at 604. 317.7135
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