Sarah Jeffery-Tosoni -DOCTORAL STIPEND 2010
Fraser-Thomas, J.
Français
Extensive literature and media coverage has reported widespread violence and aggression (e.g., Loughead & Leith, 2001), making the need to study Canadian minor hockey culture very clear. This violent and aggressive atmosphere has been consistently linked to decreased perceptions of sport enjoyment among youth (Petlitchkoff, 1993). Factors contributing to this increasingly aggressive culture, and thus, decreased perceptions of enjoyment, include game atmosphere and parent involvement (Goldstein & Iso-Ahola, 2008), as negative parental behaviours have been linked to inhibited performance, competitive stress, and dropout (Petlitchkoff, 1993). The purpose of the present study was to develop a comprehensive understanding of minor hockey culture by qualitatively examining perceptions of athlete enjoyment, game atmosphere, and parent involvement held by (a) elite hockey insiders in Canadian minor hockey (i.e., Study 1; 10 current or former players, coaches, officials or national media personalities with experience at the professional, major junior, or CIS/NCAA level), and (b) Canadian minor hockey players (i.e., Study 2; 40 athletes; representative level; 11-12 years of age). Participants engaged in in-depth semi-structured interviews on their perceptions of enjoyment, parent involvement, and game atmosphere in Canadian minor hockey. Results from Study 1 indicated sources of enjoyment (e.g., social interaction), detractions from enjoyment (e.g., hockey taken too seriously), negative parental involvement (e.g., over-involvement), ideal parent involvement (e.g., not over-doing feedback), and a primarily unsupportive, aggressive game atmosphere. Preliminary results for Study 2 indicate that minor hockey players perceive hockey as fun and enjoyable for the most part, they are satisfied with the way their parents are involved in their hockey, and the game atmosphere is generally positive, although parents from opposing teams sometimes make negative comments during games. Findings will offer a more comprehensive understanding of enjoyment, parental involvement, game atmosphere over the course of an entire minor hockey season.
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