The Pygmalion Effect and the Importance of Fair Treatment in Hockey Coaching

I had another youth hockey coaching session last night. As always, some players were more advanced than others. They were skating better, shooting with more accuracy, and had a greater sense of hockey IQ. When these kids would execute a drill well or score on goal it would be easy to get wrapped up in the joy of their performance. In contrast, it was difficult to exude the same amount of excitement on a drill which was not executed quite as precisely by a less skilled player. This is dangerous and something I need to remind myself every time I step on the ice to coach young athletes. There is a name for this dynamic and it is called the Pygamilion Effect.

What is the Pygmalion Effect?

The Pygmalion Effect, also known as the self-fulfilling prophecy, is a psychological phenomenon in which people's beliefs about others influence the behaviors and performance of those individuals. In other words, if an athlete is playing well they will get preferential treatment as compared to the athlete who is not as skilled or talented - yet. The keyword here is "yet" because there is another component called the Relative Age Effect.

What is the Relative Age Effect?

In his book, Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell discusses another phenomenon called the Relative Age Effect. When athletes are born earlier in a selection year (for hockey it would be January-March) they have an advantage over those born later in the year. The idea behind the Relative Age Effect is that those who are older within a particular age group may have a developmental advantage over those who are younger, as they are often more physically and mentally mature. As a result, individuals born earlier in the selection year are more likely to be selected for higher-level teams and receive more coaching and training opportunities, leading to a compounding effect on their development and performance.

Fair and Inclusive

These two psychological phenonmenons obviously pose serious problems for coaches everwhere. When considering an athelete's growth trajectory and the selection processes surrounding his or her sports development, a fair and inclusive environment must exist. So, what is the solution?

Hockey coaches should strive to have realistic expectations of their players and provide equal attention and opportunities for development to all team members. There should be zero favortism. This can be achieved by setting clear and achievable goals for each player and providing individualized feedback and coaching. Additionally, coaches should create an environment that promotes open communication and encourages players to ask for help and provide feedback to the coach.

Final Thoughts

The Pygmalion Effect can have a significant negative impact on hockey coaching by leading to a decrease in performance, poor communication, and a lack of team cohesion because it is simply unfair and bias. To prevent this effect from occurring, coaches should aim to have realistic expectations of their players and provide equal attention and opportunities for development to all athletes.