Scouting Intangibles
Finding What Statistics Can't Measure
by Ryan Guenter

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What is that some “thing” a player possesses that creates a champion, or, conversely, a bust? This was the question a University of Alberta research team sought to answer through a project entitled, "Exploring the Intangible Player Characteristics that Junior Hockey Scouts Consider When Evaluating Draft-Eligible Prospects." The eventual results found their way into the 2019 edition of The Sport Psychologist (volume 33, issue 4), entitled “Talent Identification in Youth Ice Hockey: Exploring ‘Intangible’ Player Characteristics.” The foundation of information presented within relies heavily upon the UofA research as well as other empirical studies pertaining to talent identification (TiD). The decision to write this book was motivated by a desire to share the results without any literary restrictions required for research and/or publication within an academic journal. In other words, presenting the information in a less formal writing style with the literary freedom to share my own opinion was appealing. The goal from the outset was to provide useful information for young athletes from any sport that hope to be discovered, selected, drafted, or signed. Additionally, parents of young athletes might benefit from information about the scouting process, and the considerations TiD experts use to make final decisions. However, while the supporting evidence was drawn from other team and individual sport research, this study was conducted specifically within the sport of hockey.

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Ryan was raised in Lethbridge, Alberta, where he enjoyed an active childhood, moving from hockey to baseball season after season. He was fortunate to combine his educational pursuits with his athletic endeavours by playing collegiate baseball and university hockey. Those educational pursuits led to the completion of two undergraduate degrees—a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Bachelor of Management in Human Resources—while playing for the University of Lethbridge Men's Hockey team. After spending several years in a corporate setting, Ryan decided to pursue graduate studies in 2015 and earned a Master of Arts in Sport Psychology from the University of Alberta in 2018. Ryan has also been a member of the Western Hockey League community since 2009. During that time, he has served in a variety of scouting and coaching capacities with three WHL organizations: the Victoria Royals, the Winnipeg ICE, and the Swift Current Broncos. Ryan currently resides in Edmonton, Alberta, where he works as a Mental Performance Coach, helping young athletes maximize their performance and development.

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Contributors

Author

Ryan Guenter