Expert assessment of competitive activities of highly qualified field hockey players

Background and study aim. In team game sports, including field hockey, one of the most effective types of control over competitive activities is expert evaluation. Purpose of the study is to develop a methodology for expert assessment of competitive activities of highly qualified field hockey players. Material and methods. The study involved 16 highly qualified field hockey players, aged from 19 to 37 years. The average age of the players is 27.3±5.06 years. Sports Qualification: Master of sports of Ukraine. All players were given informed consent to participate in the study. The study was conducted in 2024 during the 2024 Olympic field hockey qualification competition (the city of Valencia, Spain). The research was carried out on the basis of the following methods: theoretical analysis and generalization of scientific and methodological literature; pedagogical observation; video recording of competitive activities; method of expert assessments; methods of Mathematical Statistics. Results. The author's methodology for expert assessment of competitive activity of field hockey players has been developed based on a 10-point scale, consisting of 5 criteria in the ball ownership phase and 5 criteria in the ball picking up phase. Each of the criteria is rated from 1 to 10 points. The fluctuation of the average values of the expert assessment of players of the national team of Ukraine in the matches of the Olympic qualification 2024 is in the range from 4.2±0.45 to 6.6±0.49 points. Conclusions. The developed methodology of expert assessment of competitive activity of highly qualified field hockey players is appropriate for effective management influences in the process of competitive activity of club and national teams in the Olympic sport – field hockey.