Master of Education in Human Movement, Sport, and Leisure Studies Graduate Projects

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine goal orientation in college hockey players and how a task or ego orientation can affect enjoyment. The Task and Ego Orientation Sport Questionnaire (TEOSQ) surveys were used to determine goal orientation as either task or ego, and a scaled score of how much they enjoy participating in college hockey. After surveying (N=28) male college hockey players in the American Collegiate Hockey Association that play for a medium sized University in North central United States, 23 were categorized as having a Task Goal Orientation, and 5 were Ego Goal Orientation. The results of PACES test showed that the ego group had a mean score of 72.6, and the mean score for the task group was 83.4. A t-Test: Two-Sample Assuming Unequal Variances was performed to determine if there was a significant difference in the enjoyment scores of task and ego oriented players. The results proved the hypothesis that there was a significant difference between the two orientations in regard to their enjoyment. If a college hockey athlete has a task orientation, then they will enjoy participating and playing college hockey more than an athlete with an ego orientation. Conversely, ego oriented players will leave hockey earlier and have less enjoyment playing the sport.

Advisor

Ray Schneider

Second Reader

David Tobar

Semester

Spring

Year

2015

Degree

M.Ed.

Program

Kinesiology

COinS