Research Impact: Evidence of a direct relationship between maximal speed and performance within competition (i.e., games and matches) is lacking in most stop-and-go sports. In ice hockey specifically, most research investigating skating speed and acceleration involves male players, despite the growing participation in women’s ice hockey. To address this, we (1) quantified and compared peak skating speeds and accelerations between 40-m on-ice linear sprints and collegiate-level gameplay and (2) quantified the relative time-on-ice (TOI) spent at several different speeds and the frequency that players accelerated at different thresholds during games in competitive female ice hockey players. Our results suggest that while skating speed may be advantageous in specific game situations, players spend little time at near-maximal speeds while accelerating frequently during games. Based on the previous and current literature in this area, we believe there should be further investigation of direction changes, skating transitions, repeated sprints, and other determinant variables potentially related to on-ice success and the implementation of training strategies to improve repeated acceleration or qualities beyond maximal skating speed.
Gamble, Alexander S.D., Thompson, Kyle M.A., Bigg, Jessica L., Pignanelli, Christopher, Spriet, Lawrence L., & Burr. Jamie F.. (2024). Investigating the Relevance of Maximal Speed and Acceleration in Varsity-Level Female Ice Hockey Players. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2023-0417.
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