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Morganti G, Kelly AL, Apollaro G, Pantanella L, Esposito M, Grossi A, Ruscello B. Relative age effects and the youth-to-senior transition in Italian soccer: the underdog hypothesis versus knock-on effects of relative age. SCI MED FOOTBALL 2023; 7:406-412. [PMID: 36103671 DOI: 10.1080/24733938.2022.2125170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Relative Age Effects (RAEs) appear largely throughout youth soccer. However, little is known about how RAEs at youth levels can impact transition at senior levels. Accordingly, this study aimed to: (a) provide further test of RAEs by exploring the birth quarter (BQ) distribution of 2,030 Italian players born from 1975 to 2001 who have played in any of the Youth National Italian Soccer Teams; and (b) investigate how RAEs influence future career outcomes, by exploring the BQ distribution of players who completed the transition from youth squads to the Senior National Team (n = 182). Chi-square statistics revealed significantly skewed BQ distributions for all Youth squads (P values <0.0001), and for the cohort of players who completed the transition (P = 0.003). In contrast, results from the Odds Ratios highlighted how BQ4s were more likely to transition from youth-to-senior compared to BQ1s. Results showed BQ1s remained overrepresented at senior level due to a residual bias effect. Whereas BQ4s who were able to overcome selection processes at youth levels recorded the highest likelihood of competing at senior levels. Involving players' career trajectories in RAEs studies is needed to understand how RAEs impacts career outcomes of early selected players.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Morganti
- National TalentObservatory, School of Sports and Exercise Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, "Tor Vergata" University, Rome, Italy
| | - Adam L Kelly
- Centre for Life and Sport Sciences (CLaSS), Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences, Birmingham City University, Birmingham, UK
| | - Gennaro Apollaro
- National TalentObservatory, School of Sports and Exercise Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, "Tor Vergata" University, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Pantanella
- National TalentObservatory, School of Sports and Exercise Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, "Tor Vergata" University, Rome, Italy
| | - Mario Esposito
- National TalentObservatory, School of Sports and Exercise Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, "Tor Vergata" University, Rome, Italy
| | - Alberto Grossi
- National TalentObservatory, School of Sports and Exercise Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, "Tor Vergata" University, Rome, Italy
| | - Bruno Ruscello
- National TalentObservatory, School of Sports and Exercise Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, "Tor Vergata" University, Rome, Italy
- School of Sports and Exercise Sciences, "San Raffaele" University, Rome, Italy
- Department of Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, "Tor Vergata" University, Rome, Italy
- LUISS SportLab, LUISS University, Rome, Italy
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Radnor JM, Oliver JL, Dobbs I, Wong M, Brown TW, Lloyd RS, Kelly AL. Selection into youth cricket academies: The influence of relative age and maturity status. J Sports Sci 2023; 41:272-279. [PMID: 37163466 DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2023.2208924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The aim of the study was to examine the birth quartile and maturity status distributions of male academy cricketers. Participants included 213 junior cricket players, aged between 9 and 18 years. Players were separated into birth quartiles and also grouped as early, average or late maturers. For the whole cohort, there was a medium effect bias towards players born in BQ1, but the number of early, average and late maturers was as expected. However, there were significantly more early maturers in the U10 and U11 groups than expected, and maturity distributions of the BQ groups showed that there was a small effect size bias towards early maturers in BQ4. Selection biases towards cricketers who are born earlier in the competitive year are consistent from U9 to U16, but more prevalent in the U12 and U14 age groups. There is a bias towards early maturers at U10 and U11, but this reduces as age increases. Practitioners working in academy pathways should be encouraged to assess the maturity status of players to assist in the retention and progression of players. Relative age effects should also be considered, and strategies may be required to identify players born later in the year.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M Radnor
- Youth Physical Development Centre, School of Sport and Health Sciences, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Jon L Oliver
- Youth Physical Development Centre, School of Sport and Health Sciences, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, UK
- Sport Performance Research Institute New Zealand, AUT University, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Ian Dobbs
- Youth Physical Development Centre, School of Sport and Health Sciences, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Megan Wong
- Youth Physical Development Centre, School of Sport and Health Sciences, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Thomas W Brown
- Centre for Life and Sport Science (C-LaSS), Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences, Birmingham City University, Birmingham, UK
- Warwickshire County Cricket Club, Birmingham, UK
| | - Rhodri S Lloyd
- Youth Physical Development Centre, School of Sport and Health Sciences, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, UK
- Sport Performance Research Institute New Zealand, AUT University, Auckland, New Zealand
- Centre for Sport Science and Human Performance, Waikato Institute of Technology, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Adam L Kelly
- Centre for Life and Sport Science (C-LaSS), Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences, Birmingham City University, Birmingham, UK
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