Wednesday, April 3, 2002
He Shoots, He Scores - Pocket PCs in the NHL
Posted by Jason Dunn in "ARTICLE" @ 11:42 AM
He Shoots, He Scores! Pocket PCs in the NHL
by Sean Draper
Director, Research, Analysis & Software Development
The Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club
It's been a long time in the making, but here it is! My application went through some "growing pains" getting ready for some major changes to the way the NHL makes its information available to the teams.
Compaq Sponsorship
About twelve months ago I was approached by our Systems Administrator. He was looking department by department for hardware needs that could be met by Compaq Canada (a recent team sponsor). The scouting staff had laptops already, and we had access to a nice Compaq Projector, bit I told him that I would take a look on Compaq's web site and get back to him. One look at the iPAQ and I knew scouting would never be the same.
As of today we have fifteen iPAQ's hard at work with the Amateur & Pro Scouting Staff, and the team management. It's been an interesting twelve months to say the least - from learning Embedded Visual Basic, to the perils of synchronizing the leagues Lotus Notes Data with Pocket Access. As we stand right now, I am confident that the Oilers are light years ahead of the rest of the NHL (sorry Flames fans).
The Difference It Makes
When Oiler scouts go into a rink, they bring with them their game reports and all the game reports done by the entire scouting staff. They have the entire Central Scouting Prospect Database (16000+ players). When our pro scouts and team management go into a rink, they bring with them all the pro reports, plus the complete NHL Contract Database (each players contract, right down to the bonus clauses and addendums), the career statistics database, and the year to date statistics on every player in the NHL or in the minor leagues. The information on the iPAQs is synchronized with their laptop or desktop computers, which, in turn are updated with our server. Ignoring for the moment the implications of the software, as non-computer-literate scouts often do, the most commented-on aspect of our Pocket PC was the ability to be used anytime, anywhere.
While other scouts are drinking coffee at the rink, our scouts, with their iPAQ's and clip-on thumb keyboards are working on game reports. While other scouts thoughtfully banging their laptop screens on the seatback in front of them, our scouts with their Stowaway portable keyboards are working on the airplanes in absolute comfort. While the Glen Sathers of the NHL have to make that phone call to the office to get a copy of the contract faxed to the hotel so he can evaluate a trade, Kevin Lowe looks it up on his iPAQ in about 10 seconds. While I might be inclined to think it's the software that matters most, being a developer, my users seem to think it's the "Pocket PC Lifestyle" they have fallen in love with.
by Sean Draper
Director, Research, Analysis & Software Development
The Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club
It's been a long time in the making, but here it is! My application went through some "growing pains" getting ready for some major changes to the way the NHL makes its information available to the teams.
Compaq Sponsorship
About twelve months ago I was approached by our Systems Administrator. He was looking department by department for hardware needs that could be met by Compaq Canada (a recent team sponsor). The scouting staff had laptops already, and we had access to a nice Compaq Projector, bit I told him that I would take a look on Compaq's web site and get back to him. One look at the iPAQ and I knew scouting would never be the same.
As of today we have fifteen iPAQ's hard at work with the Amateur & Pro Scouting Staff, and the team management. It's been an interesting twelve months to say the least - from learning Embedded Visual Basic, to the perils of synchronizing the leagues Lotus Notes Data with Pocket Access. As we stand right now, I am confident that the Oilers are light years ahead of the rest of the NHL (sorry Flames fans).
The Difference It Makes
When Oiler scouts go into a rink, they bring with them their game reports and all the game reports done by the entire scouting staff. They have the entire Central Scouting Prospect Database (16000+ players). When our pro scouts and team management go into a rink, they bring with them all the pro reports, plus the complete NHL Contract Database (each players contract, right down to the bonus clauses and addendums), the career statistics database, and the year to date statistics on every player in the NHL or in the minor leagues. The information on the iPAQs is synchronized with their laptop or desktop computers, which, in turn are updated with our server. Ignoring for the moment the implications of the software, as non-computer-literate scouts often do, the most commented-on aspect of our Pocket PC was the ability to be used anytime, anywhere.
While other scouts are drinking coffee at the rink, our scouts, with their iPAQ's and clip-on thumb keyboards are working on game reports. While other scouts thoughtfully banging their laptop screens on the seatback in front of them, our scouts with their Stowaway portable keyboards are working on the airplanes in absolute comfort. While the Glen Sathers of the NHL have to make that phone call to the office to get a copy of the contract faxed to the hotel so he can evaluate a trade, Kevin Lowe looks it up on his iPAQ in about 10 seconds. While I might be inclined to think it's the software that matters most, being a developer, my users seem to think it's the "Pocket PC Lifestyle" they have fallen in love with.
