The Influence of Junior Hockey Participation on Ontario University Male Hockey Players' Identity Development

The over-prioritization of a professional hockey career in junior hockey has impacts on athletes’ academic motivation and identity development. Systematically, junior hockey does not support the traditional path that students take into postsecondary education, leaving many male hockey players viewing their Canadian postsecondary options as a ‘backup plan’ they hope they never have to use (Chard, 2013). The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of junior hockey participation on university expectations, experiences, and motivations. An explanatory mixed-methods approach was followed consisting of two phases of data collection and analysis (Creswell, 2009). The phase one online survey collected responses from Gaston Gayles’ (2005) Student-Athlete Motivation towards Sport and Academic Questionnaire (SAMSAQ), and produced a two-factor modified academic and sport motivation solution. The survey was completed by 113 male hockey players from 12 Ontario universities and indicated that while in university, athletes’ academic motivation is slightly higher than sport motivation, and similar to previous research on university student-athletes, male hockey players experienced a role conflict between their academic and sport roles. In phase two, semi-structured interviews were completed with 14 participants representing 9 institutions across Ontario. A thematic analysis of the data (Braun Clarke, 2013) produced results that pertained to identity development theories and led to the creation of a proposed Professional Hockey Identity Mindset Model. This model provides unique insight into the impact of sport-over-prioritization in high school on identity development and has significance for future research in hockey and athletics more broadly.Ph.D