SJHA is always working hard to understand the diverse experiences of families and players across the association. Feedback that we receive will help us modify, enrich, and/or remove aspects of the program in order to make this the most transformational hockey experience for all players. These are the takeaways from the analysis of the End-of-Season Survey.

This survey received 155 responses which is not exactly enough to extrapolate the data to be applied to the whole association's membership experience. Therefore, the conclusions we drew from the data can only be considered trends. However, these trends are certainly helpful for the leadership team to understand membership experiences and to create solutions to problems we see forming across the association as well as bolster areas in which we are excelling. 
 

What are we doing well? Development!

• Growth is happening at SJHA!: 84% of respondents reported that their kid grew as a hockey player this season. Transformation experiences for all players, coaches, and families through the game of hockey is our mission. So, to see in the data that so many kids are transforming as hockey players is massively uplifting for the Seattle Junior Leadership. This reported growth is as much a testament to the passionate and hard-working kids in our program as it is to our incredibly supportive coaches and parents for facilitating the experiences that led to such wide-spread growth. 
• Approval rating for skill development is up: across the association over 70% of respondents agree or strongly agree that practices consistently challenging both physically and mentally. Up from 57% in the Mid-Season survey, this resurgence is expected as coaches spiraled on skills, introduced new and exciting small area games to round out their curriculum plans for the season, and held end of season meetings with families to discuss each player's progress from the coach's perspective. 
   

What do we need to be aware of? Connecting.

• Individual player meetings matter: families who did not have individual player meetings or end of season meetings with their Head Coaches were more likely to disagree or strongly disagree with the following statements: In general, our membership experience reflects the expectations that SJHA set at the beginning of the season; From my player’s perspective, practices are consistently challenging both physically and mentally; My player grew as a hockey player this season; My player enjoys playing for their Head Coach. They feel challenged and motivated. In contrast, players who had at least 2 individual meetings and an end of season meeting with their Head Coaches all agree or strongly agree with the statements above. In general, this information shows that the individual connection points between coach and player/family are imperative to fostering a growth mindset, teaching about the long-term development process of youth hockey, and building partnerships with parents to create a lasting impact for kids. As we prepare and plan for next season, individual meetings with players and parents will be held to a much higher standard for coaching expectations. 
• Social media and newsletter engagement is stagnant: over the course of the season we have seen no major growth or decline in engagement with social media or the Chip and Go Newsletter. When compared with answers to questions about Head Coaches, skill development, communication, and willingness to recommend Seattle Junior to others, respondents who do not access our social media or newsletter are more likely to have stronger negative responses. As we enter another planning phase, Seattle Junior leadership will use this information to create new plans to engage more families digitally to make sure we are as informative, communicative, inclusive, and community-forward as possible. 
   

Where are we falling behind? Consistent experiences in Rec hockey. 

• Responses from 8U, 10U, and 18U Rec were overwhelmingly positive across evaluations of skill development, SJHA pride, relationship with Head Coach, and perception of growth. At 12U and 14U Rec, however, the responses were very mixed, with some very positive and some very negative trends emerging. In the coming season a renewed focus on roster sizes and parent communication as well as creating banded teams with like-skilled players will hopefully be the foundation for a more consistent experience at all Rec age divisions. 
   

Looking back on the three surveys from this season, I am astonished at the commitment from our community to work together to create excellent experiences for our hockey players. Families were not afraid to give feedback and I believe that feedback helped us to course correct when necessary to end the season on a high note for as many kids and teams as possible. Thank you for your perennial pledge to partner with the association, we are so grateful for you, our hockey family!

Thank you for taking the time to read our data analysis. Please check out the attached document for the raw results of our survey. We hope you have an enjoyable summer away from the rink! We are already excited for next hockey season. See you around the rink soon!