Beyond the game plan: a qualitative exploration of health education in junior hockey

Abstract

As with many sports, (ice) hockey is often positioned as a site for health promotion; yet, the culture of elite men’s junior hockey continues to normalize behaviors that undermine athlete wellbeing. This study examines how young men in Canadian junior hockey understand and act on health information and education, with particular attention to how cultural norms shape decision-making around injury and care-seeking. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 male players (ages 17–20) competing in the Western Hockey League, British Columbia Hockey League, and Junior A leagues. Using a reflexive thematic analysis within a constructionist framework, two key themes were developed: (1) Structured Education, and (2) Experiential Learning. While players described league-mandated workshops and training modules as increasing their awareness of health topics, this knowledge rarely translated into behavioral change. In some cases, heightened awareness enabled strategic avoidance, such as learning how to ‘pass’ concussion assessments to remain eligible to play. In contrast, informal, socially embedded learning, through conversations with older teammates, observations of trusted peers, or guidance from family and billet parents, had a more meaningful influence on players’ health behaviors. These findings illustrate how health education is filtered through social norms of toughness, performance expectations, and masculine ideals that continue to structure junior hockey environments, and how informal peer-based learning operates more powerfully within these norms than formal education. By exploring the dynamics that shape how athletes interpret health information, this research highlights the limits of formal education in cultures where injury is normalized and healthcare-seeking behaviors is mediated by masculine norms of toughness and stoicism. More culturally integrated, peer-informed, and contextually grounded approaches are needed to support meaningful health behavior change in elite youth hockey.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Sport Education and Society, 2026 · DOI ↗