Relative Age Effect on Brazilian male elite futsal athletes according to playing position and performance by goals scored on Brazil National Futsal Leagues

The term “relative age effect” (RAE) is used to describe a bias in which participation in sports (and other fields) is higher among people who were born at the beginning of the relevant selection period than would be expected from the distribution of births. In sports, RAEs may affect the psychological experience of players as well as their performance. This article presents 2 studies. Study 1 aims to verify the prevalence of RAEs in minor hockey and test its associations with players' physical self-concept and attitudes toward physical activities in general. Study 2 verifies the prevalence of the RAE and analyzes the performance of Canadian junior elite players as a function of their birth quartile. In study 1, the sample is drawn from 404 minor hockey players who have evolved from a recreational to an elite level. Physical self-concept and attitudes toward different kinds of physical activities were assessed via questionnaires. Results showed that the RAE is prevalent in minor hockey at all competition levels. Minor differences in favor of Q1-born players were observed regarding physical self-concept, but not attitudes. In study 2, data analyses were conducted from the 2018–2019 Canadian Hockey League database. Birth quartiles were compared on different components of performance by using quantile regression on each variable. Results revealed that RAEs are prevalent in the CHL, with Q1 players tending to outperform Q4 players in games played and power-play points. No other significant differences were observed regarding anthropometric measures and other performance outcomes. RAEs are still prevalent in Canadian hockey. Building up perceived competence and providing game-time exposure are examples of aspects that need to be addressed when trying to minimize RAEs in ice hockey.

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Relative Age Effect in the Girls’ Volleyball U18 World Championship

Journal of Human Kinetics ◽

10.2478/hukin-2019-0106 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 72 (1) ◽

pp. 195-202

Author(s):

Fábio A. D. Campos ◽

Ídico L. Pellegrinotti ◽

Leandra C. B. Campos ◽

Tiago M. R. Dias ◽

Miguel-Ángel Gómez

Keyword(s):

Data Collection ◽

Age Effect ◽

Equal Distribution ◽

World Championship ◽

Relative Age ◽

Relative Age Effect ◽

The World ◽

Volleyball Players ◽

And Performance ◽

Age Category

AbstractThe relative age effect (RAE), within the sporting scope, refers to the possible advantages of participation and performance of athletes born in the first months of the year of selection in relation to others within the same age category. The aim of the present study was to investigate the RAE in girls’ volleyball players participating in the U-18 World Championship, analysing the differences between the medal teams and other teams in the tournament, and considering this phenomenon in relation to the continents. Data collection was obtained from the website of the International Volleyball Federation with a sample made of 1654 youth players in the last six world championships (2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017). A greater representation of athletes born in the first months of the year of all the world championships was observed. In the comparison among the continents, it was observed that in Africa, there was a more equal distribution of quartiles compared to America, Asia and Europe. It should be noted that there was a higher percentage of medalist athletes born at the beginning of the year in comparison to the countries that placed in the last three positions of the championship. Therefore, in U-18 female volleyball, there is an advantage to have the closest birth age at the beginning of the competitive biennium.

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Efeito da idade relativa no Campeonato Brasileiro de Basquete: Categoria sub-15

Brazilian Journal of Kinanthropometry and Human Performance ◽

10.5007/1980-0037.2017v19n5p526 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 19 (5) ◽

pp. 526

Author(s):

Helder Zimmermann de Oliveira ◽

Dilson Borges Ribeiro Junior ◽

Jeferson Macedo Vianna ◽

Francisco Zacaron Werneck

Keyword(s):

Age Effect ◽

Geographic Region ◽

Basketball Players ◽

Male Athletes ◽

Relative Age ◽

Relative Age Effect ◽

And Performance ◽

Age Category

In sport, the relative age effect (RAE) refers to the advantages of participation and performance that athletes born in the first months of the selection year have in relation to those within the same age category. The aim of the present study was to investigate the RAE in athletes of the Brazilian Basketball Championship of the U-15 category in 2015, analyzing differences between sexes, geographic region, competitive level and performance of teams. The information of teams and the birth quarter (quartile) of 530 basketball players were obtained through the website of the Brazilian Basketball Confederation. The results showed greater representation of male athletes born in the first months of the year, the first and second divisions, of the Southeastern, Northern and Mid-Western regions and in female medalists. It was concluded that the RAE is present in Brazilian U-15 male basketball players, being higher in athletes of higher competitive level, particularly in the Southeastern, Northern and Mid-Western regions of Brazil. In addition, RAE proved to be associated with the winning of women’s medals.

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“He’s Just a Wee Laddie”: The Relative Age Effect in Male Scottish Soccer

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.633469 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

James H. Dugdale ◽

Allistair P. McRobert ◽

Viswanath B. Unnithan

Keyword(s):

Financial Constraints ◽

Age Groups ◽

Age Effect ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Age Group ◽

Male Youth ◽

Youth Soccer ◽

Relative Age ◽

Relative Age Effect ◽

And Performance

Significant structural, developmental, and financial constraints exist in Scottish soccer that may predicate a different approach to talent identification and development. To our knowledge, no published reports exist evaluating the prevalence of the relative age effect (RAE) in Scottish soccer players. Consequently, the aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of the RAE among varied playing levels and ages of male Scottish youth soccer players. Birthdates of male youth players (n = 1,230) from U10 to U17 age groups and from playing levels: “Amateur” (n = 482), “Development” (n = 214), and “Performance” (n = 534), alongside a group of male Scottish senior professional players (n = 261) were recorded and categorized into quartiles (Q1 = January–March; Q2 = April–June; Q3 = July–September; and Q4 = October–December) and semesters (S1 = January–June and S2 = July–December) from the start of the selection year. Birthdates were analyzed for: (a) each playing level and (b) each age group irrespective of playing level. For the varied playing levels examined, an RAE was evident in “Development” and “Performance” playing levels only at youth level. When examining each age group, an RAE was observed in U12–U17 players only. While there was a slight asymmetry favoring Q1 born senior professional players, the RAE was not present within this group of our sample. Results from our study suggest that a bias in selecting individuals born earlier in the selection year may exist within male soccer academy structures, but not at amateur level. The asymmetry favoring chronologically older players at youth but not professional level questions the efficacy of this (un)conscious bias within male Scottish soccer players.

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The relationship between the relative age effect and performance among athletes in World Handball Championships

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0230133 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 15 (3) ◽

pp. e0230133 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Alfonso de la Rubia ◽

Christian Thue Bjørndal ◽

Joaquín Sánchez-Molina ◽

José María Yagüe ◽

Jorge Lorenzo Calvo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Age Effect ◽

Relative Age ◽

Relative Age Effect ◽

And Performance ◽

The Relationship

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Prevalence of Relative Age Effect in Russian Soccer: The Role of Chronological Age and Performance

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16214055 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (21) ◽

pp. 4055 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Eduard Nikolayevich Bezuglov ◽

Pantelis Theodoros Nikolaidis ◽

Vladimir Khaitin ◽

Elvira Usmanova ◽

Anastasiya Luibushkina ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Age Effect ◽

Fourth Quarter ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Chronological Age ◽

Children And Adolescent ◽

Relative Age ◽

Relative Age Effect ◽

And Performance ◽

Selection Of

The relative age effect (RAE) has been well studied in adolescent and adult soccer players; however, less information has been available about children engaged in regular soccer training and the role of performance. Thus, the aim of the present study was to examine the prevalence of RAE in children and adolescent soccer players, as well as the role of age and performance. Russian soccer players (n = 10,446) of various ages, playing positions and performance levels were examined for their date of birth. It was observed that RAE was widespread in Russian soccer teams of all age groups. RAE was most pronounced in children teams of the top tier Russian soccer academies and junior Russia national teams, where the proportions of soccer players born in the first quarter were 43.9% and 39.8%, respectively, whereas those born in the fourth quarter of the year were 7.7% and 6.3%, respectively. In top tier soccer academies, RAE did not vary by age group. In the middle tier soccer academies, RAE was less pronounced. It was still prevalent in the junior teams of the top tier clubs of the Russian Premier League, where 14.3% of the soccer players were born in the fourth quarter of the year compared to 42.9% born in the first quarter of the year. RAE can be observed in the top tier Russian adult teams as well, although it is less pronounced there. In summary, RAE is highly prevalent in Russian children and junior soccer and is associated with the level of competitiveness. At the same time, the proportion of players born in the fourth quarter of the year is higher in adult teams than in junior and youth teams, which is most likely due to the wider selection of players, not limited by their age and place of residence. In junior teams, RAE results in a bias towards selection of players who are more physically mature, whereas children who may be more talented but are less developed due to their younger chronological age tend to be overlooked.

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Are the Player Selection Process and Performance Influenced by Relative Age Effect in Elite Women’s Handball?

Journal of Human Kinetics ◽

10.2478/hukin-2021-0105 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 80 (1) ◽

pp. 223-237

Author(s):

Alfonso de la Rubia ◽

Jorge Lorenzo-Calvo ◽

Jesús Rivilla-García ◽

Moisés Marquina

Keyword(s):

Selection Process ◽

Team Sports ◽

Age Effect ◽

Statistical Test ◽

Final Position ◽

Chi Square ◽

Relative Age ◽

Relative Age Effect ◽

Collective Performance ◽

And Performance

Abstract The relative age effect (RAE) is a phenomenon present in team sports, but it does not influence each gender to the same extent. This study aimed to examine the RAE and its relation to performance in international women's handball competitions (2017/18 World Championships). The sample was composed of 1,096 female players distributed into three categories: youth or under 18 (n = 369); junior or under 20 (n = 328) and senior (n = 399). The teams were divided into four groups based on their final position (medalist, quarter-finalist, eight-finalist and bottom-eight teams). The birthdate distribution (trimesters and semesters) was analysed according to the competition category and the playing position. Differences between the expected and observed birthdate distribution were checked using the chi-square statistical test followed by the calculation of the odds ratio. The results revealed, by trimester, the presence of the RAE in the youth (x2(7) = 87.22; p < 0.001) and junior (x2 (7) = 33.12; p < 0.001) categories, with no impact on senior (p > 0.05). The effect size was relatively strong in the youth category (Vc = 0.48). By semester, the prevalence of the RAE was also found in the senior category (p < 0.05). According to the playing position, the RAE was especially detected in ‘goalkeeper’ (p < 0.01) and ‘centre-back’ (p < 0.05) positions, both in U-18 and U-20 categories. Surprisingly, this effect also appeared in the ‘back’ players in the senior category (p < 0.05). A prevalence of the RAE was identified in teams with a higher final position, but interestingly had a greater impact in the quarter-finalist teams (p < 0.001) than in the medalist teams (p < 0.01). The findings demonstrated that the RAE tends to decrease as the chronological age of players increases, demonstrating a strong presence according to collective performance in international women’s handball.

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