Machine learning-based classification of ice hockey skating tasks using kinematic data

This study evaluates the ability of body segment kinematic data to identify skating tasks in ice hockey using machine learning models and compares the performance of models trained on different body segments. We employed XGBoost, Support Vector Machine and Random Forest models to classify four primary ice-hockey skating tasks: forward skating start and strides, skating stop & go, and skating into a wrist shot. Trunk, pelvis, thigh, shank, and foot segment centre of mass linear accelerations were derived from retro-reflective markers and used as inputs for feature engineering. The models were trained and evaluated using a 10-fold cross-validation stratified by participant. Overall, the machine learning models demonstrated strong performance, with mean accuracy scores ranging from 86.5% to 98.9%. The pelvis yielded the best overall performance, followed by the trunk and foot, whereas the thigh segment generally exhibited lower accuracies across models. These results indicate that prediction performance depends on the body segment kinematic data used as input. This study highlights the potential of body segment kinematic data for automated identification of ice hockey skating tasks, providing insights into sports analytics and player performance assessment.