Head’s Up! Examining the Relationship between Field of View and Head Position in Ice Hockey Players
Abstract
Ice hockey is a dynamic, fast-paced game where players need to be aware of multiple factors, devoting appropriate attention to varying salient aspects to enhance performance. The term “keep your head up” is ubiquitous encouragement because if players do not, their visual field (what they can see) is compromised, performance (what they can do) decreases, and likelihood of injury increases. Head-down behaviour is problematic and is observed at all skill levels. Head position (HP) behaviour has not been quantified objectively in any sport. Through collaboration with an NHL player development coach, their practice-based knowledge and tacit experience informed the direction of the research objectives. The overall question of this dissertation was “How does head position effect game vision and skill demonstration in ice hockey players?” Objective one utilized a 3-week coaching intervention that incorporated helmet-mounted player point of view (PPOV) video and specialized training drills to provide post-practice feedback regarding HP and vision (n=18). It was hypothesized that these training sessions combined with video feedback would alter head position behaviours (Chapter 2). Results revealed this approach did not refine behaviour. Objective two simultaneously quantified multiple players’ HPs during small area games (SAG). The HP were measured in 2-on-2, and 3-on-3 SAGs (commonly used in practice). Players’ HPs (n=25) were measured with accelerometry during each on-ice shift and categorized further into HP during stickhandling or skating during offensive and defensive play (Chapter 3). The range of HP were portrayed as frequency distributions indicating player HP behaviours changed with respect to the number of players involved and the skills exhibited. Objective three quantified how players’ on-ice field of view (FOV) changed as HP decreased from the horizon, both with and without a half visor (Chapter 4). The results illustrated that head down positions severely impact FOV and it becomes dominated by immediate ice area, reducing game visibility regardless of eye movements. This dissertation, the approaches, and the results, suggests how closer collaboration of coach and performance scientist afford better blending of practice-based knowledge derived from experience with evidence-based knowledge derived from research for coaches to enhance team performance.