Friday 1 March – Through a partnership with leading sports charity, Podium Analytics, England Ice Hockey is pleased to announce the rollout of the free injury and participation management app, SportSmart, as the chosen injury management tool across all grassroots and professional clubs.
SportSmart has been developed by Podium Analytics to support the on-the-ground needs of sports coaches. The tool enables coaches to monitor and manage the welfare of each participant, ensuring a holistic approach to athlete development.
By leveraging data-driven insight, SportSmart helps put player welfare at the heart of decision-making, providing injury management, an in-app head injury tool and a centralised view of all injuries that have occurred at the clubs (and school, for youth players) of any given player.
Hannah Ridgard-Mason, England Ice Hockey Head of Operations, said: "We are thrilled to launch this partnership with Podium and their SportSmart platform.
“This collaboration will enable us to track and gather vital data to better understand the needs of our player community when managing an injury, ensuring their wellbeing remains at the forefront of our efforts.”
Stephen Jones, Chief Operating Officer at Podium Analytics, added: “We are really pleased to welcome England Ice Hockey onboard as our latest National Governing Body using SportSmart. This partnership signifies a shared commitment to athlete welfare within Ice Hockey, and we hope that others look to follow in their footsteps.”