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.”

ENDS

MEDIA CONTACTS

Lucy Humble, Head of Communications, Podium Analytics –lucy.humble@podiumanalytics.org

ABOUT PODIUM ANALYTICS

Podium Analytics is an NGO, registered as a charity (England, Wales and Scotland) with a vision to create a world with more sport and less injury. Founded by Sir Ron Dennis CBE, its mission is to significantly reduce the incidence and impact of sports injury, with a focus on youth and grassroots sport. Podium’s team is made up of hand-picked specialists with proven expertise in business, academia, science, technology and sport, who share in a sense of responsibility for shaping a safer legacy for sport.

SportSmart is the schools and clubs programme from Podium Analytics, designed to help PE teachers and sport coaches deliver safer sport. The free SportSmart app includes a Head Injury Assessment tool that follows the latest Government Guidance. Register to find out more at https://bit.ly/SportSmartreg

PODIUMANALYTICS.ORG

ABOUT ENGLAND ICE HOCKEY

England Ice Hockey is the governing body for Ice Hockey in England, dedicated to growing the game from Learn to Play through to the National Ice Hockey League.

The Association oversees grassroots (junior) ice hockey, women’s ice hockey, senior ice hockey, para (sledge) ice hockey and recreational (community) ice hockey. England Ice Hockey supports clubs, players, coaches and officials, and schedules and sanctions competitions and tournaments and in the interests of promoting the sport of ice hockey. It has over 400 member clubs and teams, 9,000 individual registered players and a volunteer workforce of over 1,000 people.

ENGLANDICEHOCKEY.COM