Driving Results Through Technology: New Approaches to Developing Neftekhimik’s Prospects
28.10.2026
Thanks to KHL funding last season, we were able to make substantial improvements to our school’s facilities and equipment for the benefit of our young athletes. As a reminder, this funding is provided to hockey schools and academies ranked among the top 50 in the Kontinental Hockey League standings.
Here is what we have implemented at our school with these funds over the past and current seasons:An additional digital scoreboard has been installed at the ice rink.
To develop agility, coordination, mental processing speed, and focus, our goaltender training sessions now use a system of light-up blocks that illuminate in random order. We have also added a tennis ball machine, now used to help players build agility and reaction time.
Another new addition is the "Power of Attention" system. It involves specialized training with VR headsets; as athletes complete tasks in a virtual environment, they improve peripheral vision and reaction speed.
For precise testing and assessment of physical standards, we now use a "digital referee" – a tracking system based on light-beam sensors.
Neftekhimik Hockey School Director Ildar Nugmanov:
– With the KHL’s support, we are putting new resources to work developing the very qualities that define the modern game: reaction time, coordination, and hockey IQ. This equipment is not an end in itself but a tool that makes our training program systematic and measurable.
