Relative Age Effect: Relationship between Anthropometric and Fitness Skills in Youth Soccer

Year 2015, Volume 3 - Issue 4, 22 - 36, 05.01.2016

Aristotelis Gıoldasıs Evangelos Bekrıs Evangelos Mıchelınakıs İoannis Gıssıs

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between anthropometric and fitness skills in youth soccer players according to their related age. The existence of relative age effect was also examined. Anthropometric as well fitness variables such as height, weight, BMI, body mass, flexibility, balance, reaction time, jumping ability, and endurance of the lower limb were assessed in 347 amateur young players. Participants’ age ranged from 9 to 16 (M= 12.43, SD= 2.17). Analyses of variance indicated many significant differences among players of different birth quartile (from P< .001 to P< .05) for all the skills that were examined. The chi square test that was conducted to assess the distribution of players, showed that for all four different age groups no statistically significant difference was found regarding the birth quartile of players. In countries that training groups include 2 different age categories, anthropometric and fitness differences because of relative age effect are heightened. However, physical and physiological variables are inaccurate in predicting later success of players. Thus talent identification systems should provide equal opportunities for talented but related younger players. It is suggested an on-going talent identification using a multidimensional evaluation form including technical, physiological, physical, tactical, and psychological parameters.

References

• Augste, C., & Lames, M. (2011). The relative age effect and success in German elite U-17 soccer teams. Journal of Sports Sciences, 29 (9), 983-987.
• Ashworth, J., & Heyndels, B. (2007). Selection bias and peer effects in team sports: The effect of age grouping on earnings of German soccer players. Journal of Sports Economics, 8 (4), 355-377.
• Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
• Bisanz, J., Morrison, F., & Dunn, M. (1995). Effects of age and schooling on the acquisition of elementary quantitative skills. Developmental Psychology, 31, 221-236.
• Brewer, J., Balsom, P., & Davis, J. (1995). Seasonal birth distribution amongst European soccer players. Sports Exercise and Injury, 1, 154-157.
• Carling, C., Le Gall, F., Reilly, T., & Williams, A. M. (2009). Do anthropometric and fitness characteristics vary according to birth date distribution in elite youth academy soccer players? Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 19, 3-9.
• Cobley, S., Baker, J., Wattie, N., & McKenna, J. (2009). Annual age-grouping and athlete development: A meta-analytical review of relative age effects in sport. Sports Medicine, 39 (3), 235-256.
• Delorme, N., Boiché, J., & Raspaud,M. (2010). Relative age and dropout in French male soccer. Journal of Sports Sciences, 28 (7), 717-722.
• Deprez, D., Vaeyens, R., Coutts, A. J., Lenoir, M., & Philippaerts, R. (2012). Relative age effect and Yo-Yo IR1 in youth soccer. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 33, 987-993.
• Deprez, D., Coutts, A. J., Fransen, J., Deconinck, F., Lenoir, M., Vaeyens, R., & Philippaerts, R. (2013). Relative Age, Biological Maturation adn Anaerobic Characteristics in Elite Youth Soccer Players. International Journal of Sports Medicince, 34, 897-903.
• Dixon, J., Horton, S., & Weir, P. (2011). Relative age effects: implications for leadership development. The International Journal of Sport and Society, 2, 1-15.
• Figueiredo, A. J., Gonçalves, C. E., Coelho e Silva, M. J., & Malina, R. M. (2009). Youth soccer players 11–14 years: Maturity, size, function, skill and goal orientation. Annals of Human Biology, 36, 60-73.
• Gatz, G. (2009). Complete Conditioning for Soccer. Leeds: Human Kinetics.
• Gil, S. M., Badiola, A., Bidaurrazaga-Letona, I., Zabala-Lili, J., Gravina, L., Santos-Concejero, J., Lekue, J., & Granados, C. (2014). Relationship between the Relative Age Effect and anthropometry, maturity and performance in young soccer players. Journal of Sports Sciences, 32 (5), 479-486.
• Gioldasis, A., Bekris, E., Michelinakis, E., Gissis I., & Komsis, S. (2013). The relative age effect phenomenon in the 2013 UEFA European Under-17 Championship. International Journal of Scientific Research, 2 (12), 507-510.
• Glatthorn, J. F., Gouge, S., Nussbaumer, S., Stauffacher, S., Impellizzeri, F. M., & Maffiuletti, N. A. (2011). Validity and reliability of Optojump photoelectric cells for estimating vertical jump height. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 25, 556-560.
• Hastad, D. N., & Lacy, A. C. (1994). Measurement and evaluation in physical education and exercise science. 2nd ed.Scottsdale, AZ: Gorsuch Scarisbrick, Publishers.
• Hauck, A., & Finch, A. (1993). The effect of relative age on achievement in middle school. Psychology in the Schools, 30, 74-79.
• Hirose, N. (2009). Relationships among birth-month distribution, skeletal age and anthropometric characteristics in adolescent elite soccer players. Journal of Sports Sciences, 27 (11), 1159-1166.
• Hoare, D. G. & Warr, C. R. (2000). Talent identification and women’s soccer: An Australian experience. Journal of Sport Sciences, 18, 751-758.
• Le Gall, F., Carling, C., Williams, M., & Reilly, T. (2010). Anthropometric and fitness characteristics of international, professional and amateur male graduate soccer players from an elite youth academy. Journal of Science & Medicine in Sport, 13 (1), 90-95.
• Malina, R. M., Bouchard, C., & Bar-Or, O. (2004). Growth, maturation and physical activity. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
• Malina, R. M., Pena-Reyes, M. E., Eisenmann, J. C., Horta, L., Rodrigues, J., & Miller, R. (2000). Height, mass and skeletal maturity of elite Portuguese soccer players aged 11-16 years. Journal of Sports Sciences, 18, 685-693.
• Malina, R. M., Ribeiro, B., Aroso, J, & Cumming, S. P. (2007). Characteristics of youth soccer players aged 13–15 years classified by skill level. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 41, 290-295.
• Martindale, R. J., Collins, D. & Daubney, J. (2005). Talent development: a guide for practice and research within sport. Quest, 57, 353-375.
• Meylan, C., Cronin, J., Oliver, J., & Hughes, M. (2010). Reviews: Talent identification in soccer: The role of maturity status on physical, physiological and technical characteristics. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 5 (4), 571-592.
• Musch, J., & Grondin, S. (2001). Unequal competition as an impediment to personal development: A review of the relative age effect in sport. Developmental Review, 21 (2), 147-167.
• Reilly, T., Williams, A. M., Nevill, A., & Franks, A. (2000). A multidisciplinary approach to talent identification in soccer. Journal of Sport Sciences, 18, 695-702.
• Schorer, J., Baker, J., Büsch, D., Wilhelm, A. & Pabst, J. (2009). Relative age, talent identification and youth skill development: do relatively younger athletes have superior technical skills? Talent Development and Excellence, 1, 45-56.
• Sherar, L. B., Baxter-Jones, A. D. G., Faulkner, R. A., & Russell, K. W. (2007). Do physical maturity and birth date predict talent in male youth ice hockey players? Journal of Sports Sciences, 25, 879-886.
• Stratton, G., Reilly, T., Williams, A. M., & Richardson D. (2004). The growth of the physiological systems, Youth Soccer. New York: Routledge.
• Svensson. M. & Drust, B. (2005). Testing soccer players. Journal of Sports Sciences, 23 (6), 601-618.
• Thompson, A. H., Barnsley, R. H., & Battle, J. (2004). The relative age effect and the development of self-esteem. Educational Research, 46 (3), 313-320.
• Torres-Unda, J., Zarrazquin, I., Gil, J., Ruiz, F., Irazusta, A., Kortajarena, M., Seco, J., & Irazusta, J. (2013). Anthropometric, physiological and maturational characteristics in selected elite and non-elite male adolescent basketball players. Journal of Sports Sciences, 31 (2), 196-203.
• Vaeyens, R., Malina, R. M., Janssens, M., Van Renterghem, B., Bourgois, J., Vrijens, J., & Philippaerts, R. M. (2006). A multidisciplinary selection model for youth soccer: The Ghent youth soccer project. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 40, 928-934.
• Vaeyens, R., Philippaerts, R. & Malina, R. (2005). The relative age effect in soccer: A match-related perspective. Journal of Sports Sciences, 23 (7), 747-756.
• Vincent, J., & Glamser, F. D. (2006). Gender differences in the relative age effect among US Olympic development program youth soccer players. Journal of Sports Sciences, 24 (4), 405-413.
• Votteler, A. & Hönera, O. (in press). The relative age effect in the German Football TID Programme: Biases in motor performance diagnostics and effects on single motor abilities and skills in groups of selected players. European Journal of Sport Science.
• Wells, K. F., & Dillon, E. K. (1952). The sit and reach. A test of back and leg flexibility. Research Quarterly, 23, 115-118.
• Williams, J. H. (2010). Relative age effect in youth soccer: Analysis of the FIFA U17 World Cup competition. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 20, 502-508.