Sports Analytics: Exploring Data and Technology in Women’s University Hockey in Canada

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore stakeholder perspectives on sports analytics in women’s inter-university hockey in Canada. The study looks at how sports analytics is being incorporated at this level while also looking at the advantages and challenges that arise. Keeping the concept of mediatization in mind, I completed 13 interviews between two different participant pools, 6 athletes and 7 coaches. Three main themes arose from the data: 1) The varied ways analytics is defined and implemented in the U Sports context; 2) the positives that come from incorporating analytics into areas such as coaching and performance analysis; and 3) challenges that remain for athletes and coaches in effectively incorporating analytics into practice. Based on these findings, three key implications emerged from the research: first, the ongoing evolution of mediatization and the application of this concept to women’s university hockey; second, inconsistencies in defining sports analytics and between perceptions and actual uses of analytics; and finally, the significant role of resources in realizing the potential of analytics. This study yields both substantive and practical contributions to the sports management field in relation to the topics of sports analytics and university sport.