Advantages and Disadvantages of Introverted Hockey Players: What You Need to Know

I worked in the presentation training space for over 15 years before deciding to embark into the world of mental performance coaching for hockey players. As someone who trained high achievers in the business world, a foundational element of my training was to always acknowledge in every audience situation you were going to have a 50/50 balance of introverts and extroverts. I had to stress over and over again that as a presenter you needed to prepare accordingly for both groups.

The same reality exists on the ice. A hockey team is never going to be comprised of just one personality set. You are going to have both introverts and extroverts and the sooner you can embrace and accept this truth, develop strategies for it, the better you will be as a player, teammate, or perhaps coach if that it your ultimate goal.

I am going to tackle this conversation in two parts and we will kick off our discussion by dissecting introverted hockey players firts. The exciting part of this analysis is that one group is not better than the other. Each personality possesses unique strengths and weaknesseses which contributing to the exciting and complex world of hockey.

Let's start by exploring the advantages of introverts:

Advantages

Ability to Focus

As a self-professed introverted, one of my Top 5 strengths (according to StrengthsFinder) is Focus. I can select a task and dial into it with ease. This also translates into how I approach the game of hockey. I can focus and concentrate for longer periods of time than my extroverted counterparts.

Practical Application Examples

Off-the-ice: Introverted hockey players have no trouble studying a playbook.

On-the-ice: Introverted hockey players are less likely to get distracted by external stimuli or the noise of the crowd, which can be a huge advantage in a game situation.

Strong Work Ethic

One of my favorite books of all-time is James Clear's Atomic Habits. Why? I love a good routine or habit which I can abide by and lock in. Rituals make me feel more secure, balanced, and accomplished. It is the same reason why introverted hockey players often develop a reputation for being rigid or routine-based.

Practical Application Examples

Off-the-ice: Think about your introverted teammate who eats the same meals and at the same time on gameday. It is a ritual in existence to help dial their thinking and mindset.

On-the-ice: Some goalies never take their eye off the puck when a game begins. They are focused like we discussed above, but they are also incredibly dedicated to their job function. They do not stop. They do not socialize. They simply embrace their duty as the goalie.

Analytical Thinking

At my core, I am task-oriented individual. I want to know the tasks, what is expected of me, and then given permission to be free to chip away at the work. How this translates into the world of hockey is this: praise me for my processes rather than who I am as a player.

Practical Application Examples

Off-the-ice: Introverted hockey players crave to know the systems and processes including the "why" behind the thinking.

On-the-ice: Introverted hockey players would rather hear statements like: "I like how you did that forecheck" rather than "You are an amazing player."

At this point, we have unpacked the advantages of being an introverted hockey player. Let us now transition into discussing some of the disadvantages.

Disadvantages

Difficulty Building Relationships

This next part of our conversation hits home with me since I have struggled with each of these areas including building deeper and more meaningul relationships with my teammates. I see this with my daughter as well who is also an introvert. If I had to headline this part of our discussion it is this: introverts take longer to trust others so we hold back on our thoughts and feelings which makes us be perceived as distant or aloof which can be detrimental to our reputations. We are not anti-social but rather people who take longer to earn our trust.

Practical Application Examples

Off-the-ice: Introverted hockey players need time to build trust with their teammates and coach so it is best to create experiences outside of the locker room for relationships to build.

On-the-ice: Introverted hockey players may find themselves working more in a silo on ice so there needs to be intentionality around the team construct.

Overthinking

I am absolutely guilty of this one as an introvert. I overthink almost every life decision to the extent where it causes paralysis by analysis. Introverted players are prone to overthinking and second-guessing themselves which can hurt themselves and the team.

Practical Application Examples

Off-the-ice: Paralysis by analysis ensues which leads to slow or no decision-making.

On-the-ice: Instincts get neglected and overthinking emerges. This causes hestitation and second-guessing which leads to missed opportunities on the ice.

Energy Drain

One of the sad realities of being introverted is that it only takes a small amount of stimuli to reach capacity. In other words, introverts are more sensitive and overload more quickly than their extroverted teammates. Hockey can be a physically and mentally draining sport which can emerge as a challenge for some introverted players.

Practical Application Examples

Off-the-ice: Introverted hockey players need more downtime and alone time to recharge their batteries, which can be difficult to achieve in a team environment.

On-the-ice: Introverted hockey players may find it more challenging to maintain their energy levels over the course of a game.

Parting Advice

Introverts and extroverts both exist in the game of hockey. Each personality brings unique strengths and weaknesses on the ice and one is not better than the other. The key to your success though lies in your ability to dial into those strengths and find ways to mitigate your weaknesses.