Examination of the Relative Age Effect in Youth Team Sports from an Ecological Perspective

Abstract

In athlete development literature, the fact that the athletes born in the last months of the year cannot meet developmental opportunities equally due to chronological age grouping is defined as the relative age effects. Previous studies’ findings were usually based on retrospective analysis of the quartiles of athletes’ birth months. A comprehensive examination of the existence of and the reasons for the relative age effects from different data sources in competitive sport settings is critical in determining the strategies to be developed so that sports programs can create fair learning and development opportunities for children and youth. This study aimed to determine the current state of the relative age effect in a competitive youth football environment and examine the factors affecting the formation of the relative age effects from an ecological perspective. This study firstly examined monthly (quarter) birth dates of 12–18-year-old competitive footballers (n=676) from 17 sports clubs. Descriptive statistics were used in the analysis of quantitative data. In order to examine the factors of the relative age effects from an ecological point of view, semi-structured interviews were conducted with coaches (n=10) from the same sports context. The interviews were analyzed through Thematic Analysis. The study’s findings indicated that the relative age effects may persist in the examined sports environment and that the coaches may have low awareness and knowledge about the concept. Furthermore, the findings provide in-depth information on the effects of social-ecological factors in the examined sports environment on the formation and perpetuation of the relative age effects. The findings were discussed with the current relative age effects and the athlete development literature, and suggestions were made for future studies.

Keywords

• Chronological age
• Talent selection
• Athlete development
• Sport programs

Gençlik Takım Sporlarında Bağıl Yaş Etkisinin Ekolojik Bakış Açısıyla İncelenmesi

Abstract

Sporcu gelişimi alanyazınında yılın son aylarında doğan sporcuların kronolojik yaş gruplarına ayrılma sonucu gelişimsel fırsatlarla eşit oranda buluşamaması bağıl yaş etkisi olarak tanımlanmıştır. Önceki çalışma bulguları, bağıl yaş etkisini genellikle yalnızca sporcu doğum aylarının çeyrekler bazında retrospektif olarak incelenmesine dayanır. Yarışmacı spor ortamlarında bağıl yaş etkisinin varlığının ve bunun nedenlerinin farklı veri kaynaklarından, çok boyutlu incelenmesi, spor programlarının çocuk ve gençlere adil öğrenme ve gelişim fırsatları yaratabilmesi için üretilecek stratejilerin belirlenmesinde oldukça önemlidir. Bu çalışmanın amaçları, yarışmacı gençlik futbol ortamında bağıl yaş etkisinin var olan durumunu saptamak ve ekolojik bakış açısıyla bağıl yaş etkisinin oluşumunu etkileyen unsurları incelemektir. Çalışmada öncelikle 17 spor kulübünden 12-18 yaş arası yarışmacı futbolcuların (n = 676) aya bağlı (çeyrek) doğum tarihleri incelenmiştir. Nicel verilerin analizinde betimsel istatistik kullanılmıştır. Bağıl yaş etkisinin nedenlerinin ekolojik bakış açısıyla incelenmesinde aynı spor ortamından antrenörler (n=10) ile yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler yapılmıştır. Görüşmeler, Tematik Analiz yoluyla incelenmiştir. Çalışma bulguları, bağıl yaş etkisinin incelenen spor ortamındaki süreğenliğine ve antrenörlerin bağıl yaş etkisi ile ilgili düşük farkındalık ve bilgiye sahip olduklarına işaret etmektedir. Ayrıca bulgular, incelenen spor ortamındaki sosyal ekolojik etkenlerin bağıl yaş etkisinin oluşumuna ve sürdürülmesine etkileri ile ilgili derinlikli bilgi sunmaktadır. Bulgular, güncel sporda bağıl yaş etkisi ve sporcu gelişimi alanyazınları ile tartışılmış ve sonraki çalışmalar için önerilerde bulunulmuştur.

Keywords

• Kronolojik yaş
• Yetenek seçimi
• Sporcu gelişimi
• Spor programları

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