1. Psychological characteristic of hockey players’ positions
(Problem statement)
Gattarova E., Nepopalov V.
RSUPESYaT, Moscow, Russia
Introduction. Today men's ice hockey is the highest-speed and combinatory
compound sportsgame, that demands from the athletes the highest physical qualities
and have special requirements for personality mental functions.
There are three generally accepted types of positions in ice hockey, which have
essential distinctions from one another in terms of players’ assigned task, but there
are no differentiation by their psychological features yet. Thus, the purpose of this
article is to reveal psychological maintenance of athlete activity depending on its
position.
The following methods are used in the study in question: personal survey,
observation and literary analysis.
Results.
I. The conducted analysis has showed that string gathering of playing five, as a
rule, begins with the selection of the center forward. This is due to a variety
and versatility of its functions on ice, as well as necessity to close
cooperation with all other players directly during playing time span.
In comparison with the others, his significant feature is tactical wisdom and
strategic thought. Moreover, the player is also expected to have creative and
original thinking and exceptional «ice vision», which makes him
unpredictable for the adversary. Despite the fact that he often takes the lead
in attack, he has to pass the puck without any regret in order to give an
opportunity to wingers to skate in the opposing zone and to attack the net.
II. In turn, wingers’ distinctive feature is quick reaction capability and speed
maneuvers, which are the consequences of the sensorimotor process
manifestation and operational decision-making ability under stress. At the
same time, a winger should be skilful and be the permanent threat to the
opponent’s goal. They always implement the main attacks, which
predetermine the athletes’ selection for this position.
III. The principles of modern defense in ice hockey are based on the power
struggle. That is the reason why the series collision between the players of
contending teams usually take place. The defencemen ability to feel the
game situation is highly valued and destroyadversary's attack by predicting
its direction. In addition, it is a player position whose primary responsibility
is to conducting high-speed counterattack at the expense of snap pass after
puck receiving. Among the special mental characteristics can be identified

2. waiting skills and close marking of adversary until receiving the puck.
Successfuldefenseman assign primary importance to tenacity and self-
control. Defensemen should never forget that he is «the servant» of the
attack and act under their forwards control.
Moreover, the modern ice hockey requires more and more universalization
from the players of all positions, so in the particular playing situation
defenseman often appears in the offensive zone. Thereby, if the defenseman
need to solve the dilemma – shot on goal or pass – ceteris paribus,
defenseman must pass the puck. In the other hand, at the back zone
defenceman is forced to act in concord with the goalie and carry out all his
instructions.
IV. Maintenance of goaltender playing activity is significantly different to the
fielders’ actions. The specific character of this activity makes enhanced
demands to physical and psychical skills level development. The distinctive
feature of his play is that, as a rule, he stays the whole match at his place,
while the fielders change every 30-35 seconds. Themain goalie physical
skills may include speed, which manifest as complex quick choosing
reaction capability, to the moving object and anticipation; coordination skills
and flexibility. Goalie’s chief task is to take the correctposition at the net.
The goalie's reliable play inspires calm and confidence to his partners, strong
goalie often can get the average team to the top of the standings. The goalie's
poorplay brings nervousness and randomness in theirs actions and, as a rule,
leads the team to defeat. Thus, the function of the goaltender is the most
psychologically difficult; it makes the strictest requirements to his
psychomotorcapability. Even though the team have the serious problems on
the defensive, it lays very much responsibility on the goalie for the each
missing puck.
V. Based on the abovementioned, psychological maintenance of hockey-players
activity depending on its position was found. It includes operational,
cognitive and meaning side of playing activity, which determines by
appearing and constantly varying situation. Hence, the selection was made
of the psychodiagnostical methods oriented to revelation propermental
functions (operatory thought, attention, sensorimotor reactions) and athletes'
psychosocialcharacteristics (social-psychological climate, the place of the
player in interpersonal relationship system, proneness to conflict), but on the
whole determining the «spirit» of the team.