Relative Age Effect In Amateur Football: Evidence From Iğdır Province And The Role Of Non-Elite Selection Dynamics

Öz

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the presence of the Relative Age Effect (RAE) among amateur football players in Iğdır province and to evaluate its distribution across birth months and quarterly periods.

Method: The study was conducted using a cross-sectional design. A total of 311 licensed football players competing in the 2024–2025 amateur league season were included. Data were obtained from the official website of the Turkish Football Federation, and players’ birthdates were categorized by months and quarterly periods. The presence of RAE was analyzed using chi-square tests.

Results: The results indicated no statistically significant differences in the distribution of birth months (χ²=17.09, p=0.105). Similarly, no significant differences were found across birth quarters (χ²=0.936, p=0.817). These findings suggest that there is no systematic advantage based on birthdate among amateur football players.

Conclusion: The findings indicate that the Relative Age Effect is not evident at the amateur football level. This may reflect the reduced influence of selection bias observed in elite contexts and suggest that athlete selection processes at the amateur level are shaped by less competitive dynamics.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Relative Age Effect
• Amateur Football
• Birthdate
• Quarterly Periods

Amatör Futbolda Bağıl Yaş Etkisi: Iğdır İli Örneği ve Elit Dışı Seçim Dinamiklerinin Rolü

Öz

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, Iğdır ili amatör futbolcuları arasında bağıl yaş etkisinin (Relative Age Effect, RAE) varlığını incelemek ve bu etkinin doğum ayları ile çeyrek dilimlere göre dağılımını değerlendirmektir.

Yöntem: Araştırma, kesitsel bir tasarım ile yürütülmüştür. Çalışmaya, 2024–2025 sezonunda Iğdır Amatör Liglerinde mücadele eden 311 lisanslı futbolcu dâhil edilmiştir. Veriler, Türkiye Futbol Federasyonu’nun resmi web sitesinden elde edilmiş ve sporcuların doğum tarihleri ay ve çeyrek dilimlere göre sınıflandırılmıştır. Bağıl yaş etkisinin varlığı Ki-kare testi kullanılarak analiz edilmiştir.

Bulgular: Analiz sonuçları, futbolcuların doğum aylarına göre dağılımlarında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir farklılık olmadığını göstermiştir (χ²=17.09, p=0.105). Benzer şekilde, doğum çeyreklerine göre yapılan analizde de anlamlı bir fark bulunmamıştır (χ²=0.936, p=0.817). Bu bulgular, amatör futbolcular arasında doğum tarihine bağlı sistematik bir avantajın bulunmadığını ortaya koymaktadır.

Sonuç: Elde edilen sonuçlar, bağıl yaş etkisinin amatör futbol düzeyinde belirgin olmadığını göstermektedir. Bu durum, elit düzeyde gözlemlenen seçilim yanlılığının amatör seviyede zayıfladığını ve sporcu seçim süreçlerinin daha az rekabetçi dinamiklerle şekillendiğini düşündürmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Bağıl Yaş Etkisi
• Amatör Futbol
• Doğum Tarihi
• Çeyrek Dilimler

Kaynakça

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