If you want to work on a professional sports coaching staff, in the scouting department, or as a front office member, you need to understand the nerve center of modern game preparation and review: the video room.

For years, breaking into sports video analysis meant learning a few standard software platforms like Catapult Thunder (formerly XOS) and spending countless late nights cutting up game tape.

Just like the athletes on the field or ice, the technology behind the scenes is evolving at breakneck speed. Today, the conversation in elite video rooms across the NHL, AHL, PWHL, Major Junior Leagues and NCAA isn't just about capturing video — it's about seamless, real-time video and data integration.

Enter Catapult Focus (part of the Catapult Pro Video suite), the platform that is rapidly replacing legacy heavyweights. But what exactly is Focus, who is using it, and why are teams abandoning the tools they've used for a decade? Let's dive in — and look at how understanding this shift could be your big break into the industry.

What Is Catapult Focus?

Catapult Focus is a modern, cross-platform video analysis application designed for live and post-game workflows, as well as for pregame opponent scouting purposes. While older software acts simply as a digital archive for tagging clips and entering data, Focus operates as a flexible video analysis software that allows any coach anywhere with internet to collaborate with their team on shared sessions and presentations. Focus allows analysts to capture multi-angle video, tag events live, and instantly stream those insights to iPads on the bench or in the locker room.

More importantly, it bridges the gap between video and data. By natively integrating with wearable tech (like Catapult Vector) and other third party data providers (like SportLogiq), Focus ties physical exertion metrics and advanced tactical data directly to the video clip.

Who Is Using Catapult Focus?

The adoption of Focus is happening globally across multiple sports, especially ice hockey in the North American market. Elite teams in the NHL, AHL, PWHL, Professional Soccer, NCAA Football, hockey and basketball, as well as International Rugby have adopted the Catapult Pro Video suite — bringing an importance to the knowledge of the Focus program as much as knowledge of any given sport.

Catapult's Pro Video suite of Focus and Hub, in conjunction with the wearable data from Catapult's elite sensors, is particularly popular among progressive coaching staffs who value in-game adjustments over post-game reactions. Whenever you see a coach on the sidelines or the bench swiping through a tablet immediately after a play, there is a high chance they are utilizing Focus to review live, multi-angle feeds synced with tactical tags.

The Shift: Why Are Teams Switching from Thunder and Sportscode?

For the last 15 years, the industry standard was largely split in two: Hudl Sportscode (heavily dominant in global soccer, basketball, and field hockey) and Thunder/XOS (the traditional powerhouse in American Football and ice hockey). So, why the mass exodus to Focus?

1. Cross-Platform Flexibility vs. OS Lock-In

Legacy software has historically forced teams into a corner. Sportscode is famously Mac-only, forcing teams into expensive Apple ecosystems. Thunder is traditionally a heavy, Windows-based software that relies on rigid, localized servers. Catapult Focus is completely device-agnostic and doesn't rely on a traditional client-server approach to a shared database. Analysts can use a high-powered PC, coaches can use MacBooks or tablets on the plane, and players can review custom playlists on their iPads or mobile devices.

2. Seamless Data Integration

Legacy products were built in an era before wearables and AI analytics. Getting third-party data into Sportscode or Thunder often requires clunky XML imports or complex workarounds. Focus was built for the modern data era. For example, through Focus's integration with SportLogiq, a team can bring in an entire collection of tags and data from a source or provider and apply over a full game or session.

3. True Live Collaboration on the Bench

While older systems can do live capture, pushing that video out to the bench in real-time often requires complicated networking, extra hardware, or third-party apps (like Hudl Replay). Focus simplifies the live workflow. Using a localized router, the capture machine instantly mirrors its timeline to any connected iPad. Coaches can make crucial tactical adjustments mid-game and also create their own tags that can be a part of the final session file of the game.

4. A Modern, Intuitive Interface

Let's face it: legacy systems like Thunder look and feel like they were built in the early 2000s. They are bulky and take months to master. Focus provides a sleek, app-like, and highly intuitive user experience. This allows younger coaches and players to interact with the software naturally, reducing the learning curve and making film sessions much more engaging.

How to Turn This Into Your Big Break

In the sports industry, your technical skillset is your currency. As teams transition away from Sportscode and Thunder, they are actively looking for a new generation of video coordinators, data analysts, and scouts who understand modern workflows.

If you want to fast-track your sports career, don't just learn the legacy tools of the past — learn the tools of the future. Understanding how platforms like Catapult Focus combine video and data will make your resume jump off the desk of any General Manager or Head Coach hiring for their staff. Stay ahead of the technology curve, and you might just find yourself inside the video room of your favorite franchise.

Looking to build your skillset for a career in the front office? SMWW's Hockey Video Performance Analysis with Catapult course trains you on the exact platform that NHL, AHL, and PWHL organizations rely on — at a professional level — before you ever walk through the door. Check out our full range of professional sports career courses in Video Performance Analysis, Scouting, and Analytics at SMWW.com.