Ice hockey teams in four olympic games: analysis of age and anthropometric characteristics

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Dr.Hab., Professor A.V. Samsonova1
Dr.Hab., Professor L.V. Mikhno1
I.A. Chichelov2
1Lesgaft National State University of Physical Education, Sport and Health, St. Petersburg
2HC «Lesgaft University», St. Petersburg

The study was designed to make an age and anthropometric characteristics (body length and body mass) analysis of the six ice hockey teams (n=580) that competed in the last four Olympic Games in Turin (2006), Vancouver (2010), Sochi (2014) and PyeongChang (2018). It was found that the offense and defense pools may be provisionally classified by their anthropometric characteristics into two subgroups each. Thus the offense may be grouped in the attack-only and offense-and-defense specialized subgroups; likewise the defense may be grouped in the defense-only and defense-and-offense subgroups.
The study findings may be interpreted as supportive of the latest trend in the professional ice hockey, with the strongest players’ anthropometric characteristicss noted to decrease and the field specialization tending to narrow. Knowing this trend, the selections to the beginner ice hockey groups shall no more give a high priority to the would-be players anthropometric characteristics and rather make an emphasis on the fast thinking and reactivity due to the increased speed of the modern game. It may be beneficial to complement the traditional game positions by the following four ones: offensive-only, offensive-and-defensive, defensive-only and defensive-and-offensive game positions.

Keywords: elite ice hockey players, physical development, anthropometric characteristics, body length, body mass, age, Olympics, game positions.

References

  1. Mikhno L.V. (2006), “Features of a line-up of highly skilled hockey players (winter Olympic Games of 2006)”, Uchenye zapiski universiteta imeni P.F. Lesgafta, no. 20, pp. 31-37.
  2. Samsonova A.V., Mikhno L.V. (2013) “Indicators of age and physical development of highly skilled ice hockey players” Uchenye zapiski universiteta imeni P.F. Lesgafta, no. 102, pp. 152-157.
  3. Samsonova A.V., Mikhno L.V. (2013) “Indicators of age and physical development of highly skilled ice hockey players” Uchenye zapiski universiteta imeni P.F. Lesgafta, no. 102, pp. 152-157.