People, Participation, Progression, Performance in Hockey
Is the current pathway model working for our children?
3 Key Points:
We have sporting organizations worldwide who are struggling with the same issues: declining participation, high dropout rates, and burnout among promising athletes.
The Pathway model looked to solve these problems. It didn’t. It made them worse.
How about a practical framework that transforms sport at every level. Build on the following five pillars:
The Pathway places performance at the center of everything. Athletes are valued for what they achieve, not who they are or how they contribute.
The SEM flips this completely: Participation comes first, with performance emerging naturally from positive participation experiences.
A coaching director at a major football association told me: “We lost 30% of our junior players in five years focusing on performance pathways. When we shifted to creating meaningful participation experiences for everyone, we reversed the trend in just one season.”
The Pathway is fundamentally a process of progressive elimination. At each stage, more participants are selected out than selected in.
The SEM creates multiple ways for everyone to engage meaningfully with sport based on their interests, abilities, and aspirations.
One swimming club implemented this pillar by creating parallel programs—competitive and recreational—with equal status and resources. The result? Overall participation doubled in three years, and surprisingly, so did their number of national-level qualifiers.
The Pathway emphasizes technical coaching and athletic development above all else.
The SEM recognizes that meaningful human connection is the foundation of effective coaching. Athletes don’t care what you know until they know that you care.
A rugby coach who embraced this approach shared: “I used to start every season planning drills and skills. Now I start by planning how I’ll connect with each player. My technical coaching hasn’t changed much, but the players’ receptiveness to it has transformed completely.”
The Pathway delivers standardized programs based on age and ability level.
The SEM creates memorable experiences that engage participants emotionally, socially, and physically.
An athletics club that implemented this pillar stopped thinking about “training sessions” and started designing “athletic experiences.” They incorporated athlete-chosen-music, fun challenges, social elements, and choice into every practice. Attendance increased by 25% in three months.
The Pathway places sporting organizations at the center, with participants serving the needs of the organization.
The SEM builds sporting communities where the organization serves the needs of the participants.
A tennis association that embraced this pillar completely restructured their operations around the question: “How can we better serve our community?” They created family events, social competitions, and community service initiatives. Over two years, membership grew by 35% while volunteer participation doubled.
Each of these pillars represents a fundamental shift in how we approach sport. Together, they create the foundation for sustainable sporting environments where participation flourishes and from which excellence naturally emerges.
So in summary:
The Sports Experience Model’s five pillars—shifting from performance to participation, selection to inclusion, coaching to connecting, programs to experiences, and organizations to communities—provide a practical framework for transforming sport at every level.
By implementing these pillars, sporting organizations can create environments where all participants thrive and from which excellence naturally emerges.
