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PREDICTION OF ICE SKATING PERFORMANCE WITH OFF-ICE TESTING IN YOUTH HOCKEY PLAYERS 981
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1997
Year
Functional Movement ScreeningPhysical ActivityNeuromuscular CoordinationStrongest PredictorsSport InjuryKinesiologyHuman Performance MeasuringApplied PhysiologyClinical ExerciseSport PhysiologySport ScienceStatisticsHealth SciencesPhysical MedicinePhysical FitnessOff-ice VariablesRehabilitationExercise ScienceFull SpeedHigh-performance SportExercise PhysiologyHuman MovementAthletic TrainingMedicineSport-related Injuries
Vertical jump anaerobic power has been found to be the best off-ice predictor of ice skating speed in professional hockey players (Mascaro, Seaver& Swanson, 1992). Off-ice predictors of skating performance have not been investigated for youth hockey players. The purpose of this study was to identify the off-ice variables that are associated with high performance skating acceleration, speed, full speed, and agility in youth hockey players. Thirty male ice hockey players between the ages of 10 - 14 years (mean age = 12.5 years, mean playing experience = 7.12 years) participated in the study. Subjects were one to three weeks post-season and continuing to practice, on ice, one to three times per week. Skating tests (ST) included: 1) 6.10 meter acceleration (Naud & Holt, 1980 & 1979), 2) 47.85 meter speed, 3) 16.3 meter full speed and 4) agility comering S tum (Greer, Serfass, Picconatto& Blatherwick, 1992). Two trials of each ST were measured. Brower* Speedtrap II* OD 175 photo electric timing system was used to measure time. Off-ice variables included: age, years of playing experience, height, weight, fat%, sit & reach and hip abduction flexibility, vertical jump height, standing long jump distance, vertical jump average and peak mechanical power (Johnson and Bahamonde, 1996), vertical jump anaerobic power(Adams, 1994) and one minute timed sit-ups and push-ups. Age was strongly related to each response variable. Regression analysis found the strongest predictors (p ≤.05) for all subjects when adjusted for age were: 1) Acceleration: vertical jump height (p =.0092) and push-ups (p =.0124), 2) Speed: vertical jump height (p =.0006), 3) Full Speed: push-ups (p =.0098) and average mechanical vertical jump power (p =.0188), and 4) Agility: no off-ice variables were significantly associated with agility. These results indicate vertical jump height, push-ups and average mechanical vertical jump power are reasonable predictors of skating acceleration, speed and full speed in youth hockey players age 10 - 14 years old. The results of this study suggest that consideration of these off-ice variables may be important in the training of youth hockey players.