Cape Cod dad builds NHL-approved hockey training dummies

Professional athletes and amateurs alike are always trying to find an edge when it comes to getting better at their sport. In hockey, it’s all about putting the puck in the net. Or, if you’re the goalie, it’s about keeping the puck out of it. Turns out, one local hockey dad on the Cape is no “dummy” when it comes to creating a training tool for just that purpose. “I call them ‘Hockey Screening Dummies,'” said Bill Farrington, of Sandwich. Inside his home garage on the Cape, Farrington is helping build a better hockey player, literally. On any given weekend, you can find him hand-building life-sized training dummies. “As my son Dan says, ‘What’s dad out playing with his dolls?'” Farrington said with a laugh. Starting out as a hockey dad looking to help his son become a better goalie, Farrington began building the fully adjustable screening dummies. The goal of the dummies is to block the shooting lanes on the net. “It’s all about the sight lines. Goalies are big on sight lines. What you can see, what you can’t see. What you can move around, what you can’t move around,” he said. Being a general contractor and home builder by trade, Farrington’s first few dummies were made with any materials he could get his hands on. “Somebody (was) throwing out an old teak rocking, yard rocking chair, and that’s what I made first legs out of,” he said. Farrington said his first few dummies were a little rough around the edges, but they got the job done. “The first one I made went to the Worcester Sharks. And that spent two weeks in the (American Hockey League) and then got called up to the big club,” Farrington said. From humble beginnings on Cape Cod, Farrington’s screening dummies have made it all the way to 13 different teams in the National Hockey League. When asked if he was surprised that similar types of training tools hadn’t been invented yet, Farrington answers: “The Worcester Sharks coach, that’s the first thing he said. ‘I can’t believe nobody thought of this.'” From versatility to durability, Farrington said, don’t mistake the stiffs as simply menacing-looking mannequins. “Mannequins are supposed to look pretty. Dummies are supposed to work. It’s not crash test mannequins, ya know? It’s crash test dummies. They are somewhat bulletproof. I knew they were going to the NHL, so I needed to make this thing not fall apart,” he said. So far, it seems Farrington’s dummies have passed the test. His next goal is to get the next generation of players access to his brilliant idea. “They’re at the NHL level now, but the college level could use them because everyone wants to get to that next level,” Farrington said.

SANDWICH, Mass. —

Professional athletes and amateurs alike are always trying to find an edge when it comes to getting better at their sport. In hockey, it’s all about putting the puck in the net.

Or, if you’re the goalie, it’s about keeping the puck out of it.

Turns out, one local hockey dad on the Cape is no “dummy” when it comes to creating a training tool for just that purpose.

“I call them ‘Hockey Screening Dummies,'” said Bill Farrington, of Sandwich.

Inside his home garage on the Cape, Farrington is helping build a better hockey player, literally. On any given weekend, you can find him hand-building life-sized training dummies.

“As my son Dan says, ‘What’s dad out playing with his dolls?'” Farrington said with a laugh.

Starting out as a hockey dad looking to help his son become a better goalie, Farrington began building the fully adjustable screening dummies. The goal of the dummies is to block the shooting lanes on the net.

“It’s all about the sight lines. Goalies are big on sight lines. What you can see, what you can’t see. What you can move around, what you can’t move around,” he said.

Being a general contractor and home builder by trade, Farrington’s first few dummies were made with any materials he could get his hands on.

“Somebody (was) throwing out an old teak rocking, yard rocking chair, and that’s what I made first legs out of,” he said.

Farrington said his first few dummies were a little rough around the edges, but they got the job done.

“The first one I made went to the Worcester Sharks. And that spent two weeks in the (American Hockey League) and then got called up to the big club,” Farrington said.

From humble beginnings on Cape Cod, Farrington’s screening dummies have made it all the way to 13 different teams in the National Hockey League. When asked if he was surprised that similar types of training tools hadn’t been invented yet, Farrington answers: “The Worcester Sharks coach, that’s the first thing he said. ‘I can’t believe nobody thought of this.'”

From versatility to durability, Farrington said, don’t mistake the stiffs as simply menacing-looking mannequins.

“Mannequins are supposed to look pretty. Dummies are supposed to work. It’s not crash test mannequins, ya know? It’s crash test dummies. They are somewhat bulletproof. I knew they were going to the NHL, so I needed to make this thing not fall apart,” he said.

So far, it seems Farrington’s dummies have passed the test. His next goal is to get the next generation of players access to his brilliant idea.

“They’re at the NHL level now, but the college level could use them because everyone wants to get to that next level,” Farrington said.