Introduction. A critical professional aspect of ice hockey refereeing involves the ability to quickly assess game situations and make accurate decisions during intense and prolonged physical activity. Investigating the psychophysiological features of highly skilled ice hockey referees enables the development of professionally significant selection criteria.
Aims: to identify the model typological characteristics of highly skilled ice hockey referees.
Materials and methods. The study was conducted during the training camps of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), held from July 24th to August 28th, 2023, in Moscow. The study included the chief referees of the KHL (n = 40, age 38.36 ± 5.02 years). To assess temperament type, the personal questionnaire EPI-A (Eysenck Personality Inventory) was employed. To determine the strength of the nervous system, the tapping test, following E.P. Ilyin’s method, was conducted. Visual-motor coordination was assessed using a neuromuscular warm-up program (Co-Reaction).
Results. Highly skilled ice hockey referees exhibit a prevalence of sanguine-phlegmatic and sanguine temperament types. They possess a medium-strong nervous system, as indicated by their tapping rate, and are able to maintain motor-reaction speed during both psycho-emotional and physical exertion.
Conclusion. The acquired data can be used to develop individual profiles and model characteristics of ice hockey referees, which can subsequently be employed for training and selection purposes in high-performance sports.