Perceptions of learning opportunities in youth women's ice hockey.

The purpose of this study was to examine how young female ice hockey players, their coaches, and their parents perceived the learning opportunities provided in women's ice hockey. Learning opportunities constitute one part of the overall participation and withdrawal motives cited by young athletes, and include factors related to optimal practice and playing time, as well as instruction and feedback from the coach. Focus group interviews were conducted with three groups of female competitive ice hockey players aged 12 to 15 years (n = 33), two groups of coaches (n = 7), and three groups of parents (n = 30). The focus group forum allowed participants to discuss what they felt the players liked and disliked about women's ice hockey using their own descriptions and perceptions.Comparisons were made to determine how accurately the perceptions of the parents and coaches coincided with what players reported they liked and disliked about ice hockey. Results indicated that the coaches' and parents' perceptions were very similar to the players' perceptions. The players, coaches, and parents of the present study all reported that factors related to learning opportunities were important to players. Participants cited that players enjoy improving and learning new skills, well organized practice, and instructive, corrective, and positive feedback from coaches. The findings in this study provide support for existing literature regarding the importance of numerous participation motives of female athletes. The current study contextualized many motives into factors players like and and dislike specifically about practice and competition. The present study also revealed additional participation motives specific to women's ice hockey, such as young female ice hockey players enjoying playing against boys' teams. (Abstract shortened by UMI.