Aggressive Vs Assertive

There is a theory that aggression is a positive and encouraged characteristic for hockey players. I think it is absurd and by no means meant to be a part of hockey. Assertiveness on the other hand, I encourage and believe is an essential characteristic for elite hockey players.

I come to this conclusion because aggression is defined as a behavior with the intent to harm or injure a living organism. The literature defines two kinds of aggression:

Hostile Aggression - the primary goal of the behavior is to inflict physical or psychological harm. Example: I hate that player, so I am going to hurt him.

Instrumental Aggression – the behavior is a stepping stone to a nonaggressive primary goal. Example: I am going to hurt their top player so we can win the game.

Not what I think the sport of hockey had in mind and hopefully not encouraged characteristics for hockey players.

The key distinction between aggression and assertiveness falls within the intent behind the behavior. Assertiveness involves no intent to cause harm. Some examples to illustrate what I would encourage and call assertiveness include:

- Making a hard hit to send a message that I’m going to play assertive (often confused with intimidation, but if done assertively not aggressively, it is more to do with setting a tone or a standard)

- Pushing and/or stick checking to win a puck battle

- Hitting a player because you want to make sure he falls down, giving you more time and space

In being assertive it is also crucial to be aware and choose appropriate behaviors. For example, if you want to send a message that you are going to be playing assertive all game, this does not validate a hit from behind. A hit from behind is likely to result in injury, consequently choosing this behavior to send your message, is choosing harm as a secondary intention. The rules of the game aid in separating appropriate from inappropriate behaviors.

Simply put, if you are staying within the rules of the game, not intending to harm and are playing physical then you are being assertive, not aggressive.

Consequently, this brings us to the idea of creating an environment that promotes assertiveness, not aggression. The factors that shape the environment around assertiveness and aggression are our authoritative figures such as parents and coaches and the social atmosphere created by teammates and peers.

My tip for creating this environment is for coaches, parents, teammates and peers to intend to promote assertiveness and not aggression, especially in times of frustration when aggression is most likely to occur, these are known as “Coachable Moments.” During the times when a player is losing, receiving unfair officiating, being embarrassed, in physical pain or playing below their capability are the times where the guidance and influence they receive are the most important.

Guidance could include keeping winning in perspective, teaching non-harmful conflict resolution skills, or merely a reminder of appropriate behaviors and to be assertive, not aggressive. Simple, but in a sport where so much aggression has been so lightly punished or even praised and promoted, it is much needed.

Intrinsic Motivation

In hockey, a player’s motivation level can predict whether or not they will be successful. However, usually a player’s level of success is used to determine how motivated they are.

It is my philosophy that a player can become more successful from restructuring their motivation to promote a greater desire to train, practice and play. To optimize the structure of player’s motivation let’s begin with gaining a greater understanding of motivation, and then apply the subtle focus points that can change everything.

The Integrated Theory of Motivation by Vallerand and Losier, helps explain that social factors such as how much success, failure, coaching and competition we have, help shape our preconceptions about our competency and autonomy (self control over our success). Together, the social factors and preconceptions we develop determine our level of motivation, which decides the levels of sportsmanship, persistence and intensity we exert.

Vallerand and Losier further determined a continuum for the five different types of motivation. The least to most powerful types of motivation are:

External Motivation - wanting to earn money or a title. Or doing it because you were told to.

Introverted Motivation - avoid negative emotions. Doing it because you fear what will happen if you don’t.

Identified Motivation – wanting to compete in sport or associate with its benefits, such as health benefits.

Integrated Motivation – associating it as a part of you. “It’s who I am.”

Intrinsic Motivation – the big word here is FUN. It is fun to participate in the sport or the training.

In summary, there are all sorts of different reasons that move us to do things, but the key is that the most important one is doing something because we enjoy it. Notice that when we do things because we have to, ought to, or even want to, that we are not nearly as motivated with respect to when we do things because we enjoy to or love to.

So, the subtle focus point is that it is “ok” to be motivated by reasons outside of pure enjoyment, but in order to optimize our motivation the core of our focus needs to be on the enjoyment we experience during the activity. Focusing on the enjoyment will make players train, practice and play with more intensity and persistence, which we know is instrumental to being successful.