Introduction to the play it cool safe hockey program

The Play it Cool Safe Hockey Program was designed to enhance the preparation of ice hockey coaches through a structured curriculum, delivered online. The program consists of seven learning modules which included: sportsmanship and ethics, athlete centered/practice playing techniques, skating skills, principles of play, knowledge of the ice - playing location and area, teaching checking as a skill, and controlling risk as a coach. The program is delivered entirely online, with the assistance of a mentor/facilitator. The content of the Play It Cool program is delivered to coaches for players between the ages of 9 to 15 years. Results from a pilot intervention that introduced the Play it Cool program to a cohort of 24 volunteer coaches are discussed. The comments from post-program, focus-group meetings highlight the coaches’ need to better understand methods of teaching hockey concepts that could lead to safer behaviours by their players. The findings also support the need for continued efforts to maintain the partnership between minor hockey associations, hockey governing councils, and non-government organizations (NGO), which have injury prevention as their mandat