A pilot study on bio-banding in male youth ice hockey: Players' perceptions and coaches' selection preferences

Abstract

Classifying athletes based on estimates of biological maturation (i.e., bio-banding) as a supplement to traditional age grouping has been shown to be a potential tool for enriching player development in team sports; however, bio-banding has not yet been evaluated in ice hockey. The primary aim was to investigate player experiences and coaches' selection preferences in bio-banding versus age-banding in a group of 12-13-year-old (early growth spurt) male elite players (n = 69). We also examined the relationship between somatic maturity, expressed as a % predicted adult height (%PAH), and fitness performance. Bio-banding was assessed using a questionnaire and 29 coaches selected their top players in each game based on age or bio-bands. %PAH correlated with grip strength (r = .57, p>0.001) and jumping power (r = .63, p<0.001), but not with vertical jump height, sprint time or endurance. Players who played against more mature players in bio-bands than in age groups experienced higher demands, while players who played against less mature players were able to utilize their skills to a greater extent. Coaches generally favored later-than-average maturing players who performed better on performance tests and chronologically older players in bio-banding. We conclude that bio-banding in youth ice hockey has some promising effects and warrants further evaluation.

Fig 1. Maturity status in age bands.

Symbol color: orange = BBL, blue = BBH. Zones for maturity status are indicated in different colors: yellow = pre-PHV, red = circa-PHV, green = post-PHV. The horizontal black line is the mean for respective age band and vertical black line is 95% CI. Dotted horizontal line is the grand mean of all players. %PAH = percentage of predicted adult height. U13 = Under 13 years, U14 = Under 14 years. ****: p ≤ 0.0001.

Fig 2. Pearsons’ correlation between physical performance tests and maturity status and chronological age.

%PAH: percentage of predicted adult height. HGS: Hand grips strength (kilogram force), SJ: Squat jump, YYIRT: YoYo Intermittent Recovery Test level 1.

Fig 3. Anthropometrics and physical performance in games.

BBL and BBH are bio-banded games (BBL = 82.2%–87.4% PAH, BBH = 87.5%–93.4% PAH), U13 and U14 are age-banded games (U13 = 11.7–12.7 years old, U14 = 12.8–13.7 years old). Black symbols mark the mean value. Black vertical lines: ranges within games. SJ = Squat Jump, HGS = Hand grip strength, YYIRT = Yoyo intermittent recovery test level 1. 30-meter sprints were performed on ice. *: p ≤ 0.05, **: p ≤ 0.01, ***: p ≤ 0.001, ****: p ≤ 0.0001.

Fig 4. Summary of player perception in bio-bands compared to age-bands.

Data are presented as Density plots from Likert-scale responses. Statements are shown above the respective density plot. Less mature opponents: players assigned to U14 and BBL, More mature opponents: players assigned to U13 and BBH, Mostly equally mature opponents: players assigned to U13 and BBL or U14 and BBH. Vertical line: mean for each group.

Fig 5. Coaches’ player selection in BB and AB.

%PAH: percentage of predicted adult height, PAH: predicted adult height, SJ: squat jump, YYIRT: YoYo Intermittent Recovery Test level 1. Each point is one coach’s mean value of selected players. Horizontal red line: grand mean for coaches. The vertical red line indicates the 95% confidence interval of the grand mean. Black dotted horizontal line: average of all players. P-value of two-sample t-test comparing BB and AB is shown. §: p ≤ 0.05 in one sample t-test for grand mean per format vs. the average player. *: P ≤ 0.05 in two sample t-test between formats. ****: P ≤ 0.0001 in two sample t-test between formats.

Fig 6. Relationship between number of selections and various metrics of maturity, anthropometrics, and fitness performance.

%PAH: percentage of predicted adult height, PAH: predicted adult height, SJ: squat jump, YYIRT: YoYo Intermittent Recovery Test level 1. AB: age-bands, BB: bio-bands. See also related correlation data in S1 File.