(07) COMPARISON OF SPRINT SKATING PERFORMANCE AND PHYSICAL CAPACITIES BETWEEN SELECTED AND NON-SELECTED ATHLETES FOR THE AUSTRALIAN MEN’S ICE HOCKEY TEAM
Lecturer (Strength and Conditioning) University of Newcastle Ourimbah, New South Wales, Australia
Abstract Details: Previous research has identified that sprint skating performance and lower-body physical capacities are typically greater in ice hockey athletes at higher levels of competition, providing general performance targets. However, specific performance targets may vary between different ice hockey cohorts, requiring individualized analysis to establish these.
Purpose: To compare the sprint skating performance and lower-body physical capacities between athletes that were selected and not selected for the Australian national team, from the training squad.
Methods: Thirty-three male ice hockey athletes from the Australian National Men’s Team training squad were participants in this study. The positional groups of forwards and defensemen were combined, with goalkeepers excluded from analysis. Athletes were assessed for height, mass, on-ice 25m sprint skating (1080Sprint, 1080Motion, Sweden), and the lower-body physical capacity assessments of; countermovement jump (CMJ), isometric belt squat, and seated single leg jump (ForceDecks, VALD performance, Australia). Following testing the team for the World Championships was selected, and athletes were categorized as either selected (n=18; 29.9 ± 4.5 yr; 181.2 ± 6.0 cm; 87.2 ± 10.3 kg) or non-selected (n=15; 29.4 ± 5.9 yr; 184.6 ± 6.7 cm; 86.2 ± 8.4 kg). To compare the sprint skating and physical capacity variables between selected and non-selected athletes, a one-way ANOVA was performed with Cohen’s d effect sizes calculated. Statistical significance was set at p≤0.05.
Results: Significant differences were observed between selected and non-selected athletes for some variables of the on-ice 25m sprint skating assessment (Table 1). No significant differences were present between the selected and non-selected athletes for age, height, mass, or any variables of the CMJ, isometric belt squat or seated single leg jump.
Conclusions: In this study the athletes selected for inclusion in the Australian National Men’s Team displayed a significantly greater ability to accelerate from a standing start during the sprint skating assessment. Specifically, the peak velocity attained in the first 5 and 10m were significantly better, as well as the time to 10m. Whilst the selected group was significantly faster over the entire 25m, this was due to their ability to perform the initial acceleration quicker, as there were no significant differences in any split times or peak velocities achieved between the 15m and 25m components. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The data suggests that Australian ice hockey athletes require highly developed sprint skating acceleration to enhance their opportunity to be selected for the National Men’s Team. Whilst no significant differences were present between the groups for any physical capacity assessment, it is likely that there are minimum performance thresholds required to maximize transference to technical skating performance, highlighting the importance of well-developed lower-body strength and power.
