| We live in a "numbers-based" world. | | | | important for coaches to have an idea of where their |
| Players want to know where they "stack-up" relative | | | | players stand in terms of fitness so that they can plan |
| to their peers, and the easiest way to judge where | | | | their off-ice and on-ice programs accordingly. |
| they stand is by comparing their "numbers" to those of | | | | The reality is that these tests are not being done for |
| the competition. | | | | the coaches - they are being done for the players. |
| One goalie may be considered better than another | | | | Young female hockey players that are looking to take |
| because they have a better winning percentage. | | | | their game to the next level of performance are often |
| One forward may be considered better than another | | | | looking for 'the edge' that will allow them to stand out |
| because they score more points. | | | | from their competition. So while their performance in |
| There are hundreds factors that lead to some teams | | | | off-ice testing is certainly not the only indicator of their |
| and players excelling more than others. However, | | | | ability to excel on the ice, it is an objective way for |
| unlike some more subjective measures of | | | | players to determine where they stand relative to their |
| performance, fitness testing numbers give us an | | | | peers and to their own past performances off the ice. |
| objective measuring stick that we can use to | | | | More than that, it gives players an idea of what abilities |
| determine where we stand. | | | | they need to improve on to get to the next level. |
| Fitness testing for young female players is becoming | | | | There is a direct connection between an player's |
| more commonplace. Although young players are now | | | | performance on the ice and their commitment and |
| routinely being tested on their strength, speed, power | | | | dedication to improvement off the ice. Good hockey |
| and conditioning, many coaches and parents remain | | | | players are a 'dime-a-dozen', while players who are |
| unsure as to what they should do with the results. | | | | seriously committed to improving off their off-ice |
| Obviously, a player's scores on these tests are not the | | | | abilities are much harder to come by. And it is this |
| 'be all and end all' of their playing careers. A coach | | | | commitment to off-ice improvement that quite often |
| should never base an evaluation of a player solely on | | | | separates the 'best' from the 'rest'. Testing gives |
| their fitness testing numbers alone. Every coach in the | | | | players an idea of where they are starting from in |
| world would prefer that their athletes excel on the ice, | | | | terms of fitness and allows them to plan how they are |
| rather than at the tests themselves. You are always | | | | going to improve accordingly. |
| going to look at an athlete's ability to perform in | | | | After all, if you want to know where you are going, |
| competition long before you consider an athlete's | | | | you need to know where you are starting from. |
| score in the standing long jump. That being said, it is still | | | | |