Ice Hockey U20 World Championships Sweden 2024
World leading research
Amateurs focus on the outcome, the elite focus on the process
Introduction
On 20th April 2023, in the Male U18 Ice Hockey World Championship game of USA vs Latvia, sporting history was made with referee Riku Brander wearing eye tracking technology for the first time in a live sanctioned competition.
Up until that point only systems such as body and head cams had been used to understand the processes officials engage in to make decisions.
Although they had provided interesting results, this first project allowed the utilisation of a never seen before perspective to truly explore the processes of information gathering in the arena of performance.
Footage
Stats:
- 200 minutes of first person cutting edge footage was gathered, spanning 75 recordings, across 5 group games in Basel, involving 7 officials, 5 referees and 2 linesmen.
- We proved that the technology works regardless of the exceptionally dynamic and fast-paced setting. It accurately and uniquely, allowed us to explore the processes the officials go through when making decisions in the 'heat of battle' on the ice like never before.
- Adopting this approach will enhance the current methods of feedback that at present, rely on third person perspectives that have the potential to be based on assumption and bias.
- We can truly understand the effects of adopting certain gaze behaviours in terms of decision-making success, sight lines & fatigue.
- This approach can be used successfully as a reflective tool to assist officials in their future performance through the unique view they gain.
- That it will provide unique insight to other officials from an educational perspective
Findings:
- Scan behaviour in open play is high for referees and low for linesmen.
- Scan behaviour at the net becomes lower.
- The use of a gaze anchor is pivotal to successful information gathering in all incidents and this is an area that needs to be explored further to be accurately trained.
- The more consistent relevant information is focused on, the better decisions are. More exploration as to what the relevant information needs to be carried out.
- Sight lines are pivotal to successful information gathering and drills to address the 'flash lag effect' need to be devised.
- The experience, or lack, of the 4-man system can affect gaze behaviour. It is recommended that drills to address this in the opening days of camp are engaged in.
- Eye dominance is a factor that needs to be explored further.
- Emotions have a significant effect on gaze behaviours. Devising strategies to reset quickly could be essential in this regard.
- Often increasing scanning rate leads to less fixations meaning less information is being taken in by the visual system.
- Visual system fatigue could play factor in explaining lower scan paths in the 3rd period. More work needs to be done to explore if this behaviour is under a conscious or unconscious control.
- None of the officials at this tournament had previously engaged in eye exercises or considered eye health.
"Eye tracking + questions + visualisation = insights. Hence, eye tracking = must have." - Arthur Isaksson
Footage in collaboration with Matt Darlow.
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