Directions for Research in Oldtimers Hockey: A Summary of Findings on Physical Preparation and Attitudes in the Jordan Oldtimers Hockey League

With the growing number of participants in Oldtimers hockey, there appears a number of research-related questions. For example: (1) Why do individuals continue to participate in this intense activity? (2) What is the attraction of Oldtimers hockey? (3) What benefits do participants feel they are receiving? (4) What is the prevalence and incidence of injury? and, finally, (5) Does Oldtimers hockey provide fitness benefits that could be acquired through other forms of physical activity? A series of questionnaires were administered to the members of the Jordan Oldtimers Hockey League. The league is made up of 6 teams with a 20-game, 20-week schedule plus playoffs. Consistent with Oldtimers regulations, the league is noncontact and nonslapshot, and helmets are mandatory. The incidence of violence-related penalties is also minimal. Questionnaires gathered information on players' motivation to play, perception of the role of participation in stress reduction, physical preparation for play, as well as some information on type and rate of injury within the league. The findings indicate that players are motivated by fun and the social aspects of the game, that participation in once-a-week hockey is perceived as an emotional stress reducer, that Oldtimers do very little to prepare for the physical stress of play, and that injuries are generally musculoskeletal or the result of contact with a stick, the puck, the boards, or an opponent.