This study was designed to help and improve international ice hockey performance as well as increase domestic hockey participation in the United States. Over 200 sources of literature on sport delivery systems from 28 Australasian, North and South American, Western and Eastern European countries were analyzed to construct a globally applicable model of high performance ice hockey integrated with mass participation, comprised of the following seven elements distributed across three levels: Micro level (operations, processes, and methodologies for development of individual athletes): 1. Talent search and development, 2. Advanced athlete support. Meso level (infrastructures, personnel, and services enabling sport programs): 3. Training centers, 4. Competition systems, 5. Intellectual services. Macro level (socio-economic, cultural, legislative, and organizational): 6. Partnerships with supporting agencies, 7. Balanced and integrated funding and structures of mass and elite sport. The above model was used to design a questionnaire of 54 statements reflecting desired practices. The 54 statements were validated by 12 international experts, including executives from sport governing bodies and academics who publish ad on high performance and sport development. The survey samples of 2,000 hockey professionals` email addresses were collected from various sources, including web pages of USA Hockey, regional and state hockey associations, college and university athletics as well as high school and club hockey teams. Completed online questionnaires were returned by 111 coaches from all key regions of the country for a response rate of 5.5%. Additionally, 15 regional administrators were interviewed to suggest possible hockey system improvements. The study identifies best management practices as part of the American Development Model used by USA Hockey and provides suggestions for improvement, particularly consistent national qualification, education and award systems for athletes and coaches across all participation levels, further education of volunteers, and provision of greater number of competent coaches per participant at the youth level.
© Copyright 2016 21st Annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science (ECSS), Vienna, 6. -9. July 2016. Veröffentlicht von University of Vienna. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.