A McGill University-led study suggests that Canada's elite hockey system would benefit from placing a greater emphasis on developing well-rounded individuals.
The researchers found that while Canada continues to produce world-class athletes, the "win-at-all-costs" culture often associated with elite male hockey players can overshadow the personal growth of players ages 15 to 17 and may contribute to broader issues within the sport, including unhealthy team environments and recurring off-ice transgressions.
Going beyond technical and tactical skills
The study is based on interviews with six coaches and administrators from across Canada recognized for their success in developing athletes both on and off the ice.
The coaches agreed that elite player development should go beyond teaching technical and tactical hockey skills and include fostering leadership, promoting teamwork and character development, and supporting athletes' psychosocial well-being.
The coaches emphasized that a positive team culture was essential to the development of healthy players.
"One of the most interesting findings was that participants did not view developing better hockey players and developing better people as competing priorities, believing that the two support one another," said co-author Gordon Bloom, Director of the McGill Sport Psychology Laboratory, and Professor and Chair of the Kinesiology & Physical Education department. "At the same time, they felt that a win-first culture can create the perception that coaches and organizations must choose between the two."
The paper's first author is Marc Glaude, a McGill PhD candidate in Kinesiology. Bloom and Glaude conducted the study with co-author Joseph Baker, who is a Professor of Sport Science at University of Toronto.
Hockey Canada's leadership role
The researchers said the coaches maintained Hockey Canada should take a stronger national leadership role in supporting holistic player development, including by:
- establishing clear expectations about their coaching philosophy;
- delivering consistent messaging;
- strengthening support systems;
- increasing parental involvement; and
- providing practical resources that focused on off-ice team culture, leadership development and athlete well-being.
While Hockey Canada promotes holistic athlete development, the coaches who participated in the study said that these goals were often undermined by a pervasive "win-first" culture among players, parents and coaches that prioritizes immediate results and draft-related opportunities.
According to participants, these pressures can begin as early as age 13 and are evident through events such as Hockey Canada's World Junior Showcase and intensify between the ages of 15 and 17 as players become eligible for the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) draft. They suggested that this environment can result in excessive training, an increased risk of player burnout and limit opportunities for social and personal development.
About the study
"The holistic development of elite male hockey players in Canada" by Marc Glaude, Gordon A. Bloom and Joseph Baker was published in Psychology of Sport & Exercise
