Can Positioning Systems Replace Timing Gates for Measuring Sprint Time in Ice Hockey?

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Biomechanics
• Performance Analysis

Background:

• Accurate measurement of sprint times is crucial for evaluating ice hockey player performance.
• Traditional timing gates can be cumbersome and may not capture the nuances of on-ice movement.
• Advancements in positioning systems offer potential for more dynamic and precise performance tracking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the accuracy and usefulness of optical and radio-based positioning systems against traditional timing gates for measuring ice hockey sprint times.
• To evaluate the systems' ability to detect meaningful changes in performance over various sprint distances and maneuvers.

Main Methods:

• Six elite U19 ice hockey players performed linear sprints and shuttle runs on ice, wearing standard equipment.
• Sprint times were measured using a single-beam timing gate (Brower Timing) as a benchmark.
• Two radio-based (InMotio, Kinexon) and one optical (Iceberg) positioning system were evaluated.
• Data analysis included Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Intra-Class Correlation (ICC), and Coefficient of Usefulness (CU).

Main Results:

• Radio-based systems demonstrated higher accuracy (lower MAE, higher ICC) than the optical system for both linear sprints and shuttle runs.
• All systems effectively measured Smallest Worthwhile Change (SWC) for longer shuttle runs.
• Accuracy was limited for short linear sprints (11m) and turning sections, with potential for masked or erroneous detection of small performance changes.

Conclusions:

• Radio-based positioning systems are a promising alternative to timing gates for assessing ice hockey sprint performance, especially over longer distances.
• Limitations exist for measuring very short sprints or performance changes immediately after rapid directional changes.
• Further research may refine positioning system application for specific ice hockey movement patterns.