Identifying the Task Requirements Essential to the Success of a Professional Ice Hockey Player: A Scout’s Perspective

Vickers (1990) developed a cross-disciplinary knowledge structure of ice hockey by soliciting the expertise of various knowledge engineers (e.g., elite players, coaches, scientists). However, in developing this knowledge structure, the expertise of one important knowledge engineer, the professional hockey scout, was overlooked. The purpose of this investigation was to improve the knowledge base of ice hockey by utilizing professional hockey scouts as knowledge engineers. Through a qualitative analysis of NHL scouting reports filed between 1982 and 1990, several task requirements that were deemed essential by scouts for success as a professional player were identified. Having identified these task requirements, scouts were solicited to provide insight regarding the relative importance of such task requirements. Results established significant differences for between- and within-task requirements for the positions of forward and defense. The importance of these findings to coaching are discussed.