ArticlePDF Available

The relative age effect in European professional soccer: Did ten years of research make any difference?

Authors:

Abstract

The relative age effect (RAE) refers to an asymmetry in the birth-date distribution favouring players born early in the selection year and discriminating against participants born later in the year. While the RAE effect was initially reported in sport more than two decades ago, there have been few attempts to examine whether player selection strategies have changed over time in light of our improved understanding of the phenomenon. We compared the birth-date distributions of professional soccer players in ten European countries over a 10-year period involving the 2000–2001 and 2010–2011 competitive seasons, respectively. Chi-square goodness-of-fit tests were used to compare differences between the observed and expected birth-date distributions across selection years. Generally, results indicated no change in the RAE over the past 10 years in professional soccer, emphasizing the robust nature of this phenomenon. We propose a change in the structure of youth involvement in soccer to reduce the impact of the RAE on talent identification and selection.
This article was downloaded by: [KU Leuven University Library]
On: 28 November 2012, At: 02:12
Publisher: Routledge
Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House,
37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK
Journal of Sports Sciences
Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information:
http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rjsp20
The relative age effect in European professional
soccer: Did ten years of research make any difference?
Werner F. Helsen a , Joseph Baker b , Stijn Michiels a , Joerg Schorer c , Jan Van winckel a &
A. Mark Williams d
a Department of Biomedical Kinesiology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium
b Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
c Institute for Sport Science, Westfälische Wilhelms-University Münster, Münster, Germany
d Centre for Sports Medicine and Human Performance, School of Sport and Education,
Brunel University, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3PH, UK
Version of record first published: 24 Sep 2012.
To cite this article: Werner F. Helsen , Joseph Baker , Stijn Michiels , Joerg Schorer , Jan Van winckel & A. Mark Williams
(2012): The relative age effect in European professional soccer: Did ten years of research make any difference?, Journal of
Sports Sciences, 30:15, 1665-1671
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2012.721929
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE
Full terms and conditions of use: http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions
This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic
reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to
anyone is expressly forbidden.
The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents
will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae, and drug doses should
be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims,
proceedings, demand, or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in
connection with or arising out of the use of this material.
The relative age effect in European professional soccer: Did ten years of
research make any difference?
WERNER F. HELSEN
1
, JOSEPH BAKER
2
, STIJN MICHIELS
1
, JOERG SCHORER
3
,
JAN VAN WINCKEL
1
& A. MARK WILLIAMS
4
1
Department of Biomedical Kinesiology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium,
2
Kinesiology and Health Science, York
University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,
3
Institute for Sport Science, Westfa¨lische Wilhelms-University Mu¨nster, Mu¨nster,
Germany, and
4
Centre for Sports Medicine and Human Performance, School of Sport and Education, Brunel University,
Uxbridge, Middlesex UB8 3PH, UK
(Accepted 14 August 2012)
Abstract
The relative age effect (RAE) refers to an asymmetry in the birth-date distribution favouring players born early in the
selection year and discriminating against participants born later in the year. While the RAE effect was initially reported in
sport more than two decades ago, there have been few attempts to examine whether player selection strategies have changed
over time in light of our improved understanding of the phenomenon. We compared the birth-date distributions of
professional soccer players in ten European countries over a 10-year period involving the 2000–2001 and 2010–2011
competitive seasons, respectively. Chi-square goodness-of-fit tests were used to compare differences between the observed
and expected birth-date distributions across selection years. Generally, results indicated no change in the RAE over the past
10 years in professional soccer, emphasizing the robust nature of this phenomenon. We propose a change in the structure of
youth involvement in soccer to reduce the impact of the RAE on talent identification and selection.
Keywords: performance, talent identification, player selection, seasonal variation
Introduction
Participation in sports is the primary means by which
children maintain health and fitness as well as
maximise growth and development. In many sports,
participation is organised based on chronological age
(typically in one-year age categories) with the goal of
providing every child an equal chance to succeed
(Musch & Grondin, 2001). However, there can be
significant growth and maturational differences
amongst members of the same one-year cohort.
For example, if a sport uses 1 January as its ‘cut-off’
date for grouping youth, a child born in January may
have as long as a one year advantage or disadvantage
(e.g. for female gymnasts) compared with a child
born in December of the same calendar year. The
difference in age between children born in the same
year is referred to as ‘relative age’ (RA) (Barnsley &
Thompson, 1988; Barnsley, Thompson, & Legault,
1992) and their performance and participation
consequences (regardless of whether they are
relatively younger or older) are known as ‘relative
age effects’ (RAE) (Barnsley et al., 1992). For
example, researchers have revealed skewed birth-
date distributions in elite levels of performance
favouring individuals born early in the selection
year (Musch & Grondin, 2001; Vaeyens, Philip-
paerts, & Malina, 2005), presumably because their
growth and development is superior to children born
late in the selection year (Helsen, Van Winckel, &
Williams, 2005; Rummenich & Rogol, 1995).
With respect to talent identification and selection
in sport, differences in physical (Tanner & White-
house, 1976) and cognitive development (Bisanz,
Morrison, & Dunn, 1995) may affect the likelihood
of being identified as ‘talented’. Subsequently,
children selected for talent development pro-
grammes appear to have better capacities and more
intrinsic (observed competence) and extrinsic moti-
vation (appreciation of coaches and parents). This
increased motivation, together with the perceived
competence, stimulates these children to practice
Correspondence: Werner F. Helsen, Department of Biomedical Kinesiology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Tervuursevest 101, Heverlee (Leuven), 3001
Belgium. Email: werner.helsen@faber.kuleuven.be
Journal of Sports Sciences, November 2012; 30(15): 1665–1671
ISSN 0264-0414 print/ISSN 1466-447X online Ó2012 Taylor & Francis
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2012.721929
Downloaded by [KU Leuven University Library] at 02:12 28 November 2012
more and further improve their skills (Helsen et al.,
2005; Shearer, 1967). This latter process leads to a
vicious circle where early-born children have an
increasing and persistent advantage over late-born
children both in school (Sharp, 1995) and in sport
(Helsen et al., 2005).
Musch and Grondin (2001) proposed that RAEs
only manifest themselves when a significant degree
of competition is present. In addition, and similar
to soccer, sports such as ice hockey (Grondin &
Trudeau, 1991), American football (Glamser & Mar-
ciani, 1990), baseball (Thompson, Barnsley, & Stebels-
ky, 1991), basketball (Delorme, Chalabaev, & Raspaud,
2010; Schorer, Neumann, Cobley, Tietjens, & Baker,
2011), cricket (Edwards, 1994), and tennis (Baxter-
Jones, 1995; Dudink, 1994) are breeding grounds for
RAEs because weight, height and strength are im-
portant in these sports. Sports such as gymnastics or
dance are less likely to show RAEs because movement
competency is more important and having a large body
size or mass may present a disadvantage to the athlete
(Delorme, Boiche, & Raspaud, 2010).
In both professional and youth soccer, the RAE
has been a research topic since the early 1990s.
Dudink (1994) noted very strong RAEs in profes-
sional soccer in the Netherlands and England (see also
Verhulst, 1992). Similarly, Helsen et al. (2005) noted
RAEs in international youth teams (i.e. under 15 to
under 18 years of age) reflecting a disproportionate
number of relatively older players. Likewise, Jime´nez
and Pain (2008) found a RAE in first and second
divisions in Spain as well as in youth soccer. A strong
RAE was also found in non-European countries
(Japan, Brazil and Australia) suggesting that the
phenomenon is present in a variety of climatic and
socio-cultural environments and is independent of
different cut-off dates (Musch & Hay, 1999).
Researchers have also considered this effect over
time. Cobley, Schorer and Baker (2008) found a
skewed distribution across the history of the Bunde-
sliga in Germany, both for players and coaches.
Historically, there were no decreases in the last
decades for ice-hockey (Wattie et al., 2007) or soccer
in Germany (Cobley et al., 2008). However,
considering the increased effort put into research
on this topic over the last two decades, this trend
might have been reversed in some countries. As
Helsen and others have proposed (Barnsley et al.,
1992; Boucher & Halliwell, 1991; Helsen, Starkes, &
Van Winckel, 2000; Helsen et al., 2005; Musch &
Grondin, 2001), raising awareness of the negative
impact of this phenomenon through coach education
should be part of the solution. In Germany, for
example, an article advocating action was recently
published in a journal read by many coaches (Lames,
Augste, Dreckmann, Go¨rsdorf, & Schimanski,
2008). In the same way, the soccer federation in
Belgium created U16-F and U17-F ‘future’ teams in
addition to the regular U16 and U17 teams. These
future teams mainly consist of ‘late maturers’.
With respect to the impact of time on the
manifestation of the RAE, there are two viable
hypotheses. The first one holds that the RAE would
have decreased over the last decade based on the
considerable increase in research in this area
accompanied with the various solutions proposed
to reduce its impact. The second hypothesis predicts
that the RAE did not decrease at all over the course
of the past ten years, and may even have increased
slightly over this time. The main reason is that in the
2000–2001 competitive season players were exposed
to a different cut-off date in school than in the sport
club. Before 1997, the sport selection year started in
August, while the education year started in January,
whereas since 1997 the selection periods for both
education and sport in every country start in January.
An exception is England, where both selection periods
start in September. As a result, players in the 2010–
2011 competitive season were exposed to the same
cut-off date for education and sport during their player
development, which may have increased the effect.
Our main aim in this paper was to examine the birth-
date distributions in prominent soccer competitions
across Europe over two seasons a decade apart (i.e.
2000–2001 and 2010–2011) to examine whether the
magnitude of the effect has changed over time.
Methods
Participants
The birth-date distributions from all professional
players in the 2000–2001 and 2010–2011 competi-
tive seasons were examined. Table I provides an
Table I. Overview of the number and percentage home country
players and foreigners in the 2000-2001 and 2010-2011 compe-
titive seasons.
Country Players
Total (N)
% Home
country % Foreigners
2000 2010 2000 2010 2000 2010
England 596 565 53.7 40.7 47.3 59.3
Portugal 432 428 56.0 44.2 44.0 55.8
Germany 511 535 57.3 52.7 42.7 47.3
Belgium 442 407 61.1 49.4 38.9 50.6
Netherlands 450 446 65.1 59.2 34.9 40.8
Spain 486 490 65.6 64.3 34.4 35.7
France 473 535 71.9 60.0 28.1 40.0
Italy 496 558 64.9 57.3 35.1 42.7
Denmark 319 285 86.5 73.3 13.5 26.7
Sweden 470 412 94.0 74.0 6.0 26.0
Total 4675 4661 66.5 56.6 33.5 43.4
1666 W.F. Helsen et al.
Downloaded by [KU Leuven University Library] at 02:12 28 November 2012
overview of the number of players in the specific
countries examined. Engebretsen et al. (2010) noted
that births in some countries are not registered until
school starts, leading to uncertainty about the
validity of these data. Therefore, only home country
players were used to test for significant differences.
Procedure
First, birth-date data from players competing in both
the 2000–2001 and 2010–2011 competitive seasons
were collected from the official sites of the clubs.
These data were checked with resources from the
governing bodies. Subsequently, the number of
players born per month and per quarter-year was
acquired. In line with previous work (Helsen,
Starkes, & Van Winckel, 1998; Helsen et al.,
2005), August was coded as ‘month 1’ and July as
‘month 12’ for the 2000–2001 season because, until
1997, the start of the selection year was 1 August,
except for England. Following the guidelines of the
Fe´de´ration Internationale de Football Association
(FIFA), the national associations have used 1
January as the start of the selection year since 1997.
As such, the change in cut-off date was considered to
have no impact as the players from the 2000–2001
season were all subjected to the same cut-off date
throughout their participation in the various youth
categories. For the 2010–2011 season, however,
January was coded as ‘month 1’ and December as
‘month 12’, except for England where the start of the
selection year was still 1 September.
Data analysis
For the comparison of quartiles, Chi-square good-
ness-of-fit tests were used to compare differences
between the observed and expected birth-date
distributions across the quarters of the selection
year. This procedure was first undertaken for both
distributions of 2000–2001 and 2010–2011 sepa-
rately. Additionally, we compared the distribution of
the 2000–2001 season with the distribution of the
2010–2011 season using Chi-square tests. We report
the effect size (w) and, if applicable, the test power
(1–b; Fald, Erdfelder, Lang, Buchner, 2007). For
each of these tests, the level of significance was set at
P50.05.
Results
Composition of professional leagues
While the number of players in the ten leagues
investigated did not differ, on average, the percen-
tage of home country players decreased from 66.5%
in the 2000–2001 competitive season to 56.6% in the
2010–2011 competitive season, while the percentage
of foreigners increased from 33.5% to 43.4%,
respectively (see Table I).
When we considered each country separately, only
four countries showed less than the approximate
10% increase in foreign players: Germany; the
Netherlands; Spain; and Italy. The highest increase
was noted for Sweden with 20% of foreign-born
players compared with 6% in 2000–2001.
Relative age effects
Figure 1 presents the total quartile distribution from
2000–2001 to 2010–2011, and reflects the skewed
distribution with the greater number of players
coming from the beginning of the selection year
and a decrease in the number of players born later in
the selection year. As expected, there were significant
relative age effects for the season 2000–2001, w(3,
n¼3111) ¼61.07, P50.01, w¼0.14, as well as
for the season 2010–2011, w(3, n¼2636) ¼85.34,
P50.01, w¼0.18. When the relative percentage
of home country players is considered, this effect
appears stronger in the 2010–2011 season compared
with the 2000–2001 season. Comparative analysis of
both distributions revealed a significant increase in
this effect from season 2000–2001 to 2010–2011,
w(3, n¼5747) ¼19.67, P50.05, w¼0.06.
Table II shows the birth-quartile distributions of
the home country professional players in the 2000–
2001 and 2010–2011 competitive seasons from the
same ten European countries.
For the 2000–2001 competitive season, most of
the birth-date distributions are asymmetric, as
revealed by the results of the statistical analysis,
except for Portugal and Spain. In a few countries, the
RAE results approached conventional levels of
significance (the Netherlands and Sweden). The
most significant effect was found in France. Out of a
Figure 1.Comparison between the relative birth-date distribution
of professional players in the 2000–2001 and 2010–2011
competitive seasons.
Relative age in professional soccer 1667
Downloaded by [KU Leuven University Library] at 02:12 28 November 2012
total of 340 players, there were 117 professional
players born in the first quarter and only 61 players
in the last quarter. Overall, it is clear that there is an
overrepresentation of players born in the first quarter
of the selection year and an underrepresentation of
players born in the last quarter of the selection year.
Comparable results were found for the 2010–2011
competitive season. Asymmetric birth-date distribu-
tions were found in all countries, except in Portugal.
The greatest asymmetry was observed in Sweden
where, out of a total of 305 players, 118 players were
born in the first quarter and only 46 players in the
last quarter. Overall, there is an overrepresentation of
players born in the first quarter of the selection year
and an underrepresentation of players born late in
the selection year.
In a last step, we compared the birth-quartile
distributions of the 2000–2001 and the 2010–2011
seasons. As can be seen in Table III, significant
differences between these distributions with an
increasing RAE were revealed for Belgium, Den-
mark, England, Germany, Spain and Sweden. Only
non-significant changes in the distributions were
found for France, Italy, Portugal and the
Netherlands.
Discussion
In line with previous studies examining the RAE in
soccer in Germany (Cobley et al., 2008) and in Spain
(Jime´nez & Pain, 2008), the birth-date distributions
of professional soccer players in ten European
countries were examined. We compared the birth
date distributions among professional players in the
2000–2001 and 2010–2011 competitive seasons. In
the 2000–2001 competitive season, all countries,
with the exceptions of Portugal and Spain, showed a
significant relative age effect. In the 2010–2011
season, only Portugal did not show a RAE.
There has been no decrease in the prevalence of
the RAE during the last decade. The birth-date
distribution of the 2010–2011 competitive season
shows that 31.9% of the players were born in the first
quarter of the selection year and 18.4% were born in
the last quarter of the selection year, compared with
29.3% and 19.8% respectively in the 2000–2001
season. These data suggest that despite solutions
being proposed in the literature there has been little
impact on the effect. Conversely, Spain showed no
RAE in the 2000–2001 competitive season, whereas
a significant effect was noted in the 2010–2011
competitive season (c.f. Jime´nez & Pain, 2008).
Previously, researchers have suggested that the
existence of, and possibly increase in, prevalence of
the RAE in soccer is driven by three mechanisms
(Helsen et al., 1998). First, children receive more
playing time as a result of a developmental advantage
Table II. Overview of the birth quartile distribution of home country players in ten European countries in the 2000–2001 and 2010–2011 competitive seasons.
2000/01 2010/11
NQ1 Q2 Q3 Q4 X
2
pw1–bNQ1 Q2 Q3 Q4 X
2
pw1–b
England* 314 33.1 22.9 23.3 20.7 13.6 50.05 0.20 230 29.6 32.2 21.7 16.5 18.6 50.05 0.28
Portugal 242 24.4 28.1 28.1 19.4 4.0 n.s. 0.13 0.36 189 24.9 27.5 27.5 20.1 2.3 n.s. 0.11 0.21
Germany 293 31.4 25.9 22.5 20.1 8.3 50.05 0.17 282 36.5 19.9 26.2 17.4 23.3 50.05 0.28
Belgium 270 30.7 20.7 21.1 27.4 10.2 50.05 0.19 201 29.9 32.8 17.4 19.9 13.4 50.05 0.26
Netherland 293 28.3 27.0 24.9 19.8 4.0 n.s. 0.12 0.35 264 27.3 30.3 25.0 17.4 8.0 50.05 0.17
Spain 319 25.9 24.8 27.3 22.0 1.9 n.s. 0.08 0.19 315 32.7 27.0 24.1 16.2 20.4 50.05 0.25
France 340 34.5 25.0 22.6 18.1 22.6 50.05 0.26 321 34.0 25.2 25.2 15.6 23.5 50.05 0.27
Italy 322 29.5 28.0 26.4 16.1 13.9 50.05 0.21 320 29.1 30.6 22.5 17.8 13.5 50.05 0.20
Denmark 276 25.4 33.3 25.0 16.3 11.0 50.05 0.20 209 32.1 27.3 23.9 16.7 9.1 50.05 0.21
Sweden 442 28.7 27.1 23.8 20.4 1.2 n.s. 0.05 0.13 305 38.7 22.9 23.3 15.1 24.6 50.05 0.28
Total 3111 29.3 26.5 24.5 19.8 58.9 50.05 0.14 2636 31.9 26.1 23.6 18.4 101.9 50.05 0.20
*Start of the selection year: September
1668 W.F. Helsen et al.
Downloaded by [KU Leuven University Library] at 02:12 28 November 2012
rather than their level of proficiency. A related issue
is that youth soccer players are organised into two-
year age categories, which may place greater signifi-
cance on the importance of developmental differences
between children. Players born in the first quarter of
the selection period are chronologically older than
their later born teammates, which may lead to a
difference in strength, height, weight and coordina-
tion (Barnsley et al., 1992), characteristics that are
highly variable before and during puberty. Second,
Ward and Williams (2003) proposed that early born
children have better technical skills and more tactical
insight due to more experience as a result of earlier
exposure to practice and competition (see also Helsen
et al., 1998; Ward, Hodges, Williams, & Starkes,
2004). Finally, players are exposed much earlier to
competition in soccer than in many other domains
(Helsen et al., 2005), which promotes the identifica-
tion and selection of talent at early stages of
development. Musch and Grondin (2001) proposed
that intense competition is a fundamental element
underpinning the RAE in sports.
We hypothesized that the RAE would have
decreased over the last decade based of increased
awareness fostered by the considerable increase in
published research on this topic, accompanied with
the various solutions proposed to reduce its impact.
However, the prevalence of the RAE does not seem
to have decreased over the course of the past ten
years; on the contrary, there is some evidence that it
may have increased slightly over this time. Although
the precise reason for the lack of change is difficult to
discern, one specific change that occurred may have
had some influence. In the 2000–2001 competitive
season, players were exposed to a different cut-off
date in education. Before 1997, the sport selection
year started in August while the education year
started in January. Since 1997, the selection periods
for both education and sport in most countries start
in January. As a result, players in the 2010–2011
competitive season were exposed to the same cut-off
date for education and sport during their player
development. This may have had a greater impact on
the RAE than has been considered until now.
Given that our analyses show no reduction in the
effect over the past 10 years, more proactive
measures are required by researchers and sport
administrators. A number of publications (Barnsley
et al. 1992; Helsen et al., 1998, 2005; Helsen,
Hodges, Van Winckel, & Starkes, 2000; Musch &
Grondin, 2001) have proposed a range of options to
eliminate the RAE (see Cobley, Wattie, Baker, &
McKenna, 2009). In their review, Musch and
Grondin (2001) differentiate between classification
systems based on biological age, chronological age,
multiple squads based on multiple standards, and
warning practitioners. In many sports, classification
systems based on biological age are difficult to
organise, and consequently alternative solutions
based on chronological age should be considered.
For instance, every year the cut-off date could be
shifted to give each child the opportunity to be the
oldest in their age category (Barnsley et al., 1992;
Boucher & Halliwell, 1991; Helsen, Starkes, & Van
Winckel, 2000, Helsen et al., 2005; Musch &
Grondin, 2001). In individual sports, for example,
cut-off dates can be determined differently for each
competition. In swimming there is no fixed cut-off
date. According to Ryan (1989), this can prevent
RAEs if the accumulation of key competitions are
not all scheduled in specific months each year.
Unfortunately, this age-grouping system in swim-
ming is not applicable in team sports. When the
age categories are limited to 9 (Boucher &
Halliwell, 1991), 15 or 21 months (Grondin,
Deshaies & Nault, 1984), the cut-off date will
automatically change with the consequence that
every child has the advantage of being the oldest in
a cohort.
Rotating the cut-off date is a relatively simple,
structural solution that could be easily used by the
governing bodies. As it has not yet been presented in
soccer, we illustrate below how a change from the
current grouping system to a system with a 21-month
Table III. Difference in birth quartile distribution between 2000–2001 and 2010–2011 seasons.
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 X
2
pw1–b
England 3.5 79.3 1.6 4.2 27.8 5.05 0.23
Portugal 70.5 0.6 0.6 70.7 0.3 n.s. 0.02 0.06
Germany 75.1 6.0 73.7 2.7 18.5 5.05 0.18
Belgium 0.8 712.1 3.7 7.5 46.4 5.05 0.31
Netherlands 1.0 73.3 70.1 2.4 4.1 n.s. 0.08 0.37
Spain 76.8 72.2 3.2 5.8 24.6 5.05 0.20
France 0.5 70.2 72.6 2.5 4.0 n.s. 0.08 0.35
Italy 0.4 72.6 3.9 71.7 6.4 n.s. 0.10 0.55
Denmark 76.7 6.0 1.1 70.4 14.1 5.05 0.17
Sweden 710.0 4.2 0.5 5.3 41.2 5.05 0.23
Total 72.6 0.4 0.9 1.4 20.4 5.05 0.05
Relative age in professional soccer 1669
Downloaded by [KU Leuven University Library] at 02:12 28 November 2012
rotating cut-off date might affect players within the
U10, U12, U14 and U16 age categories (Table IV).
Table IV shows the impact of a rotating cut-off
date compared with the current system where
children born in the same year are grouped together
throughout development. In the proposed grouping
system, children born in the same calendar year are
not necessarily grouped together. This new system
results in several important changes. First, the cut-off
date changes in each category and has the conse-
quence of each child being the oldest one in his age
category for a specific time period. Second, each
category only has seven quarters with the conse-
quence of fewer children in each age category. Third,
the oldest U16 is 15 years old, whereas in the old
system the oldest U16 was 16 years old. This change
means that children will move on to the next
category one year earlier than in the old system.
Finally, moving on to the next category does not
happen with the same birth cohort. As a consequence
of this change, two players who play together in one
season, do not play together in the next season;
however, they may still be in the same class in school.
Since 1997, the cut-off date at school has been the
same as in the sports clubs in many countries.
Specifically, this means that the same children are
among the oldest both in school and club and,
therefore, systematically advantaged while the ones
born at the end of the year are systematically
disadvantaged whenever they go to school or
participate in a sports club. While this was certainly
not intentional when FIFA moved the cut-off date
from August to January, the impact is clear. In future
studies, researchers should examine to what extent
the use of rotating cut-off dates may structurally
solve the persistent inequalities that are associated
with the RAE in talent detection and selection in
high-performance sport.
Table IV. Overview of a grouping system with 21 months for soccer, season X. The numbers between brackets indicate the age of the players.
Thanks to the rotating cut-off date, each birth quarter is now being advantaged. The different colours indicate different birth cohorts. The
names of the age categories are named the same as in table 7.
Categories:Quarters: U10 U12 U14 U16
1. Most advantaged
players
April (10)
May (10)
June (10)
July (12)
August (12)
September (12)
October (14)
November (14)
December (14)
January (15)
February (15)
March (15)
2. July (10)
August (10)
September (10)
October (12)
November (12)
December (12)
January (13)
February (13)
March (13)
April (15)
May (15)
June (15)
3. October (10)
November (10)
December (10)
January (11)
February (11)
March (11)
April (13)
May (13)
June (13)
July (15)
August (15)
September (15)
4. January (9)
February (9)
March (9)
April (11)
May (11)
June (11)
July (13)
August (13)
September (13)
October (15)
November (15)
December (15)
5. April (9)
May (9)
June (9)
July (11)
August (11)
September (11)
October (13)
November (13)
December (13)
January (14)
February (14)
March (14)
6. July (9)
August (9)
September (9)
October (11)
November (11)
December (11)
January (12)
February (12)
March (12)
April (14)
May (14)
June (14)
7. Most disadvantaged
players
October (9)
November (9)
December (9)
January (10)
February (10)
March (10)
April (12)
May (12)
June (12)
July (14)
August (14)
September (14)
References
Barnsley, R. H., & Thompson, A. H. (1988). Birth-date and
success in minor hockey: the key to the NHL. Canadian Journal
of Behavioral Science,20, 167–176.
Barnsley, R. H., Thompson, A. H., & Legault, P. (1992). Family
planning: Football style. The relative age effect in football.
International Review for the Sociology of Sport,27, 78–87.
Baxter-Jones, A. (1995). Growth and development of young
athletes. Should competition levels be age related? Sports
Medicine,20, 59–64.
Bisanz J, Morrison F, & Dunn M. (1995). Effects of age and
schooling on the acquisition of elementary quantitative skills.
Developmental Psychology,31, 221–236.
Boucher, J., & Halliwell, W. (1991). The novem system: A
practical solution to age grouping. Canadian Association for
Health, Physical Education & Recreation,57, 16–20.
Cobley, S. P., Schorer, J., & Baker, J. (2008). Relative age effects
in professional German soccer: A historical analysis. Journal of
Sports Sciences,26, 1531–1538.
Cobley, S., Wattie, N. Baker, J., & McKenna, J. (2009). A meta-
analytical review of relative age effects in sport: The emerging
picture. Sports Medicine,39, 235–256.
Delorme, N., Boiche, J., & Raspaud, M. (2010). Relative age
effect in female sport: A diachronic examination of soccer
players. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports,
20, 509–515.
Delorme, N., Chalabaev, A., & Raspaud, M. (2011). Relative age
is associated with sport dropout: evidence from youth categories
of French basketball. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science
in Sport,21, 120–128.
1670 W.F. Helsen et al.
Downloaded by [KU Leuven University Library] at 02:12 28 November 2012
Dudink, A. D. (1994). Birth date and sporting success. Nature,
368, 592.
Edwards, S. (1994). Born too late to win? [Letter to the Editor].
Nature,370, 186.
Engebretsen, L., Steffen, K., Bahr, R., Broderick, C., Dvorak, J.,
Janarv, P. M., Johnson, A., Leglise, M., Mamish, C. T.,
McKay, D., Micheli, L., Schamasch, P., Singh, G. D., Stafford,
D. E. J., & Steen, H. (2010). The International Olympic
Committee Consensus Statement on age determination in
high-level young athletes. British Journal of Sports Medicine,44,
476–484.
Fald, F., Erdfelder, E., Lang, A.-G., & Buchner, A. (2007).
G*Power 3: A flexible statistical power analysis program for the
social, behavioral and biomedical sciences. Behavior Research
Methods,39, 175–191.
Glamser, F. D., & Marciani, L. M. (1990). The birth-date effect
and college athletic participation: some comparisons. Journal of
Sport Behavior,15, 227–237.
Grondin. S., & Trudeau, F. (1991). Date de naissance et ligue
nationale de hockey: analyses en fonction de diffe´ rents
parame` tres. Revue des Sciences et Techniques des Activite´s
Physiques et Sportives,26, 37–45.
Grondin, S., Deshaies, P., & Nault, L. P. (1984). Trime` stres de
naissance et participation au hockey et au volleyball. La Revue
Que´be´coise de l’Activite’ Physique,2, 97–103.
Helsen, W. F., Hodges, N. J., Van Winckel, J., & Starkes, J. L.
(2000). The roles of talent, physical precocity and practice in
the development of soccer expertise. Journal of Sports Sciences,
18, 727–736.
Helsen, W. F., Starkes, J. L., & Van Winckel, J. (1998). The
influence of relative age on success and dropout in male soccer
players. American Journal of Human Biology,10, 791–798.
Helsen, W. F., Starkes, J. L., & Van Winckel, J. (2000). Effect of
change in selection year on success in male soccer players.
American Journal of Human Biology,12, 729–735.
Helsen, W. F., Van Winckel, J., & Williams, A. M. (2005). The
relative age effect in youth soccer across Europe. Journal of
Sports Sciences,23, 629–636.
Jime´ nez, I. P., & Pain, M. T. (2008). Relative age effect in Spanish
association football: Its extent and implications for wasted
potential. Journal of Sports Sciences,26, 995–1003.
Lames, M., Augste, C., Dreckmann, C., Go¨ rsdorf, K., &
Schimanski, M. (2008). Der ‘‘relative Age Effect’’: Neue
Hausaufgaben fu¨ r den Sport [the relative age effect: New
homework for sports]. Leistungssport,6, 4–9.
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, 147–167.
Musch, J., & Hay, R. (1999). The relative age effect in soccer:
Cross-cultural evidence for a systematic discrimination against
children born late in the competition year. Sociology of Sport
Journal,16, 54–64.
Ryan, P. (1989). The relative age effect on minor sport participation.
Unpublished master’s thesis. Montreal, Quebec: McGill
University.
Rummenich, J. N., & Rogol, A. D. (1995). Physiology of growth
and development: Its relationship to performance in the young
athlete. Clinics in Sports Medicine,14, 483–501.
Schorer, J., Neumann, J., Cobley, S. P., Tietjens, M., & Baker, J.
(2011). Lingering effects of relative age in basketball players’
post athletic career. International Journal of Sports Science &
Coaching,6(1), 143–147.
Sharp, C. (1995). What’s age got to do with it? A study of pattern
of school entry and the impact of season of birth on school
attainment. Educational Research,36, 251–265.
Shearer, E. (1967). The effect of date of birth on teachers’
assessments of children. Educational Research,10, 51–56.
Tanner, J. M., & Whitehouse, R. H. (1976). Clinical longitudinal
standards for height, weight, height velocity and weight velocity
and the stages of puberty. Archives of Disease in Childhood,51,
170–178.
Thompson, A. H., Barnsley, R. H., & Stebelsky, G. (1991). Born
to play ball: The relative age effect and major league baseball.
Sociology of Sport Journal,8, 146–151.
Vaeyens, R., Philippaerts, R. M., & Malina, R. M. (2005). The
relative age effect in soccer: A match-related perspective.
Journal of Sports Sciences,23, 747–756.
Verhulst, J. (1992). Seasonal birth distribution of West European
soccer players: A possible explanation. Medical Hypotheses,38,
346–348.
Ward, P., Hodges, N. J., Williams, A. M. & Starkes, J. L. (2004).
Deliberate practice and expert performance: defining the path
to excellence. In A. M. Williams & N. J. Hodges (Eds.). Skill
acquisition in sport: Research, theory and practice (pp. 231–258).
London: Routledge.
Ward, P., & Williams, A. M. (2003). Perceptual and cognitive skill
development in soccer: The multidimensional nature of expert
performance. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology,25, 93–111.
Wattie, N., Cobley, S., Macpherson, A., Howard, A., Montelpare,
W. J., & Baker, J. (2007). Relative age and injuries in youth ice-
hockey. Pediatrics,120, 140–148.
Relative age in professional soccer 1671
Downloaded by [KU Leuven University Library] at 02:12 28 November 2012
... Le variazioni riguardanti la data di nascita all'interno dello stesso anno sono state riferite a differenze di età relativa e le loro conseguenze effetti dell'età relativa (relative age effects, RAE). [1][2][3][4] In letteratura è presente un buon numero di studi [5][6][7][8][9] sui RAE che viene descritto come la differenza di età tra individui appartenenti alla stessa fascia di età coinvolte nella pratica di un determinato sport. 1,3,10 Nelle attività sportive e nei gruppi di allenamento, i bambini nati entro lo stesso anno sono classificati cronologicamente insieme, considerando che abbiano tutti lo stesso sviluppo atletico e fisico. ...
... [1][2][3][4] In letteratura è presente un buon numero di studi [5][6][7][8][9] sui RAE che viene descritto come la differenza di età tra individui appartenenti alla stessa fascia di età coinvolte nella pratica di un determinato sport. 1,3,10 Nelle attività sportive e nei gruppi di allenamento, i bambini nati entro lo stesso anno sono classificati cronologicamente insieme, considerando che abbiano tutti lo stesso sviluppo atletico e fisico. 7,[11][12][13] Secondo questa classificazione, anche se l'età cronologica non tiene conto della differenza che può arrivare fino a 364 giorni tra i bambini nati all'inizio dell'anno e i bambini nati in prossimità della fine dell'anno, la differenza di età di un giorno tra un bambino nato il 31 dicembre e un altro nato il 1 gennaio, è accettata come differenza di età. ...
... These variations regarding the birthdate within the same year have been referred to as relative age differences and their consequences as the relative age effects (RAE). [1][2][3][4] In literature, there exists a good number of studies. [5][6][7][8][9] on the RAE which is described as the difference in age between people in the same age group involved in the practice of a certain sport. ...
... The author also emphasizes that out of the total number of surveyed football players, as many as 40% were born in the first quartal of the year, compared to a noticeably smaller number, namely 16%, in the last one. A slight increase in the representation of relatively earlier births (born in the first quartal) from 29.3% to 31.9% was revealed by comparing the 2000/01 and 2010/11 competition seasons within the ten European senior professional leagues (Helsen et al., 2012). A special contribution to the influence of relative age in senior football was shown in the study by Yagüe et al. (2018), which showed that the relative age effect is present in a significant way in the top ten UEFA leagues in the 2016-17 seasons, regardless of team competitive ranking. ...
... Two variables were used in the preparation of this paper, namely the date of birth (more specifically the quarter in the year when the subject was born) and the league in which the subject played in the 2020/21 season. Players' birthdates were classified into one of 4 quarters (Helsen et al., 2012;Romann & Fuchslocher, 2013). Players born between January 1 and March 31 are ranked in the first quarter (Q1). ...
... Similar results are shown in the papers of other authors who have dealt with this topic. A significant relative age effect in European professional football is shown in many European leagues during the 2010/2011 season (England, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, France, Italy, Denmark and Sweden;Helsen et al., 2012). The only league not revealed in that season was Portugal (Helsen et al., 2012). ...
Article
Full-text available
The relative age effect is considered to be the main cause of the uneven distribution of birthdates in sports teams, particularly in football. The aim of this paper is to examine the presence of the relative age effect in the leagues of the former Yugoslav republics and the differences in birthdates distribution between the leagues. To test hypoth- eses, we used publicly available information obtained from official websites, which regarded players who played in the analyzed leagues during the 2020/2021 season. The absolute results indicate that in five of the six observed leagues, the greatest number of players were born in the first quartal of the year. A more detailed observation of each league individually found a significant relative age effect among players who play in the Serbian, Croatian and Slovenian leagues, but not in Northern Macedonia, Montenegro, and Bosnia, and Herzegovina. Also, the re- sults show that the quarterly distribution of analyzed leagues does not differ significantly. The results of this paper should serve the purpose of raising awareness about the presence of the relative age effect in regional football. All this should affect the creation of an environment in which all football players would have an equal chance for development and progress, reduce the chances of overlooking potential talents and ultimately raise the quality of football in the region.
... In sports where the selection cut-off date is January 1st, the number of athletes born between January and March may be several times higher than the number of athletes born between October and December [3]. Thus the RAE is widespread among young male athletes (age 15-18 years) performing competitively in soccer, athletics, and basketball [1,[3][4][5][6]. Many studies have examined the wide spread of the RAE among soccer players of different ages and levels of competition [7][8][9][10]. ...
Article
Full-text available
Background: The relative age effect (RAE) is most prevalent in highly competitive youth soccer and persists to a lesser extent in senior soccer. However, it is known that soccer players born in the second half of the year are as successful at senior level, indicating that they are equally talented although under-represented at youth level due to bias during the selection process, in which the emphasis is on more pronounced physical qualities in a specific period of time. Examining the prevalence of the RAE among professional soccer players depending on the level of competition and playing position, as well as analyzing the relationship between the player's birth quarter and market value, are of scientific interest. Methods: The dates of birth, playing position, and market value of all adult male soccer players included in the final rosters of teams from the top-division of 54 European countries, listed on www.transfermarkt.com on August 15th, 2020, were analyzed (18,429 soccer players in total). All players were categorized into four groups according to the quarter of birth (Q) and playing position. All teams were further sub-divided in groups depending on the soccer clubs' level of representation in the UEFA Champions League. Results: Of 18,429 players, 30.9% were born in Q1, 25.7% in Q2, 23.8% in Q3 and 19.6% in Q4. The number of soccer players born in Q1 was lower in less competitive leagues. The number of players born in Q1 decreased as the level of competition decreased; the highest percentage of these players was observed in clubs that are among the top 50 ranked in UEFA or compete in the most prestigious European championships. The RAE was less pronounced in teams that participate in lower competitive championships. There was no significant difference in market value between players playing position and level of competition when born in different quarters. Although, the most expensive soccer players in the European championships were late-born forwards. Players of various groups differed in their market value. Conclusions: The RAE is currently prevalent in all the most competitive senior soccer leagues and teams in Europe regardless of playing position. There are no significant differences in market value between players of the same playing position and level of competition when born in different quarters. The most expensive soccer players in the European championships are forwards born in Q4. These findings may indicate that the under-representation of "late-born" soccer players in youth, and then consequently in adult soccer, is not associated with lower talent, but with other factors, possibly based on physiological characteristics and socio-cultural factors. Further measures are needed to mitigate the discriminatory effects of selection bias based on the RAE.
... A comparable strategy is the rotation of selection cut-off dates to reduce the number of relatively older athletes selected into the TD system [58]. Similarly, Hurley et al. proposed the Relative Age Fair Cycle, in which the cut-off dates for each year of competition are changed by three months between seasons of competition so that athletes experience being in all four quartiles of the year throughout development [59]. ...
Article
Full-text available
In this conceptual paper, we contextualise ongoing attempts to manage challenge dynamics in talent systems in sport. Firstly, we review the broad literature base related to biological maturation, relative age, and the proposed interventions to mitigate effects. We suggest that the relative age effect may be a population level effect, indicative of deeper phenomena, rather than having a direct effect on challenge levels. In contrast, we suggest that biological maturation has a direct effect on challenge at the individual level. Therefore, our main critique of many existing approaches to the management of challenge is a lack of individual nuance and flexibility. We suggest the necessity for talent systems to adopt a more holistic approach, conceptualising biological maturation and relative age within a broader field of "push and pull factors" that impact challenge dynamics in talent development in sport. Finally, we provide practical guidance for talent systems in their approach to relative age and biological maturation, recognising that there is no "gold standard". Instead, there is a need to recognize the highly individual and contextual nature of these concepts, focusing on strategic coherence through talent systems for the management of selection and development processes.
... Given the pressure for shortterm results, these players often may have greater chances of being selected, leading to more incentives and practical opportunities (Helsen et al. 2005). Despite the negative consequences for the player's development, there are no observations concerning changes in RAE in male soccer players, even after 10 years of investigation over this phenomenon (Helsen et al. 2012). However, it is important to emphasize that the equation of RAE with biological maturity has recently been questioned, because relationships between RAE and biological maturity demonstrate that they are independent constructs (Radnor et al. 2021). ...
Article
To investigate the RAE in elite female soccer players, the absolute and relative birthdate distributions of players who disputed the Women's World Cup were assessed. Differences between observed and expected distributions were analyzed using chi-square and effect sizes. The birthdates of 1224 female soccer players were assessed in Under-17 (N=336), Under-20 (N=336) and adult (N=552) categories. There was no significant RAE in adult category for different playing positions and players in general (including all playing positions per age category). There were significant RAE for midfielders and players in general with mainly small effect sizes for the U-17 and U-20. In both age categories, players born in Q1 were over-represented with the highest quartile ratio for midfielders. In regard of RAE and success defined by final ranking at the World Cup, we found no significant differences between the birthdate distributions of players who participated in either the group stages or finally the knockout phases. Coaches should consider this information to avoid bias in talent programs designed to promote and select female soccer players independently of their birthdates. Young female players should be encouraged to learn to play in different field positions before to reach high-level performance.
... In contrast, negative implications for relatively younger athletes have been identified, such as higher drop-out rates and limited selection opportunities [8,9]. While this phenomenon has been extensively examined in male players over the last few decades with consistent results (e.g., [10]), examinations in female soccer have been less consistent (e.g., [11]). For example, there was no RAE observed for female US Olympic development program players [12], Division 1 Féminine (France) players [8], or Swiss national team players [13]. ...
Article
Full-text available
The relative age effect (RAE) is characterised by an overrepresentation of athletes born earlier in the selection year. Whilst an RAE is consistently evident in male soccer, examinations in female players remain limited. The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of sex, as well as age, success, and playing status in European soccer players. The sample consisted of a total of 6546 soccer players from 55 soccer nations that competed in recent European Championship qualification campaigns. Results indicated an evident RAE in male [p = 0.017] but not female [p = 0.765] players. Male players were over-represented by players born in the first quartile for the U17 [p < 0.001] and U19 [p = 0.001] levels, however, this over-representation did not transfer to senior levels. No RAE was observed at any level for female players. Inside each age group, a slight selection bias towards those born in the first quartile for successful squads was observed but did not significantly differentiate between qualification status for either male or female players. Results from this study highlight the disparity in RAE prevalence between male and female players and raise further questions regarding the value of selecting relatively older players to metrics of success, transition, and selection for senior international soccer.
... Thus, the overall RAE for the elite soccer players showed that players born at the beginning of the year were consistently over-represented. These results are in line with those reported in several elite soccer leagues worldwide [41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54]. In addition, the results confirmed that RAE was more prevalent in the clubs and academies classified in the highest level of certification [44,55]. ...
Article
Full-text available
Soccer is a sport practiced all over the world, in which players are expected to show specific physical and technical skills. Soccer academies look for young talented individuals to develop promising players. Although several parameters could affect the players' performance, the relative age effect (RAE) and the maturity status appeared debated. Therefore, this study compared the differences in RAE and biological maturity among the players of two Italian soccer teams of different levels and to understand their interaction effects with the competition level on youth players' physical characteristics and abilities. One hundred and sixty-two young soccer players from the U12 to U15 age categories of the elite (n = 98) and non-elite (n = 64) teams were recruited. The prevalence of maturity status and RAE was observed. Many anthropometric parameters, BIA vectors, and motor tests (CMJ, Sprint, RSA) were carried out. The maturity status had a greater effect on several anthropometric characteristics and on 15 m sprint, while it affected the CMJ only in U12 (F = 6.187, p ≤ 0.01). Differently, the RAE seemed to priorly affect the U13 and U15 categories in body composition, whereas its effect appeared on the 15-m sprint (F(3, 45) = 4.147, p ≤ 0.01) and the RSA (F(3, 45) = 3.179, p ≤ 0.05) in the U14 category. In addition, early matured players or those who were born in the first six months presented cellular characteristics similar to adult elite players. Soccer professionals should be encouraged to monitor the maturity status to better interpret changes in the physical performance of young soccer players to guide adequate training plans.
... The study analyzes the following variables: chronological age, the birth quarter of players (Q1 (January, February, March), Q2 (April, May, June), Q3 (July, August, September) and Q4 (October, November, December)) [25,26], specific playing position, seasons in first and second soccer division of the country, games played in each division and national team categories (U'17, U'19, U'20, U'21 and senior national team). ...
Article
Full-text available
The implications of relative age grouping in sport are known as the Relative Age Effect (RAE). This study has the twofold purpose of analyzing RAE in Spanish youth national soccer teams and examining the prediction value of being selected for national youth teams to be a professional. The sample was composed of 548 players divided into five groups. A descriptive analysis of distribution and participation, frequencies, mean and standard deviation, crosstabs, Sankey charts, coefficient correlation and Cohen’s effect size criteria and two regression analyses were performed. Results established that the RAE is present in U’17 to U’21 Spanish youth national teams. Talent detection and selection programs are more reliable the closer they are to adulthood, reaching a success rate of almost 100% at the U’21 stage. The selection of players for such programs should be delayed as much as possible, thus, preventing younger players from dropping out and those selected from thinking they have already reached their goal. To this end, they should focus on long-term improvement, not short-term performance. In addition, factors such as the RAE or the maturity level of the athletes should be monitored.
Article
We investigated recent trends in relative age effect (RAE) findings of top-level female soccer players in Japan, using data from the 2016 to 2020 seasons. We conducted two main analyses: (a) An examination of RAE for all registered players in the Japan Women's Soccer League (Nadeshiko League) from 2016 to 2020; and (b) an examination of RAE of newly registered players in the league from 2017 to 2020. In the first analysis, we found a significant difference between the number of players born in Q1 (April-June) versus Q4 (January-March), with the number of players born in Q1 greater and with the ratio between these groups ranging from 1.5 to 1.7. In the second analysis, we found a significant relationship between Q1 and Q4 for the 2017 season alone. However, the Q1/Q4 ratio ranged from 1.4 to 1.9, and the semester ratio of S1 (Q1 + Q2))/S2 (Q3 + Q4) ranged from 1.2 to 1.3, suggesting a birth month bias. Thus, there was a RAE in female soccer players playing recently in Japan's top-level leagues; and the size of the effect did not change significantly across recent seasons.
Article
BACKGROUND: Studying speed, strength, and endurance performance to identify putative predictor factors of talent in young soccer players is of great practical importance. METHODS: A cross-sectional study. Testing of 468 young soccer players, students of an elite soccer academy and its lower-tier subsidiary, both located in Moscow, Russia, aged 7-17 years has been performed (N.=468, average age 11.3±3 years, height 152.9±18 cm, weight 43.7±16 kg). The following tests have been performed: 5, 15, 30 m sprint runs; long standing-jump; shuttle runs 7×30 m. (starting with the U13 players); handgrip strength measurement. RESULTS: Significantly higher height (P=0.048), weight (P=0.007), and BMI (P=0.024) were observed in the group of elite soccer U7; higher height and weight in U11 (P=0.003 and P=0.011); and higher height in the U13 players (P=0.002). The elite U8 players demonstrated superior horizontal jump results (P<0.001). Significantly superior running performance was observed in the group of U8 elite players in 5 and 15m sprints; 15 and 30m sprints in U12, 15, 16 players and 15m sprints in U13 players. Sub-elite U9 players showed superior running performance in 5m sprints. Significantly superior left-hand strength was observed in the group of U11 elite players old’s (P=0.012). CONCLUSIONS: Several differences were revealed between the elite and sub-elite soccer players. The difference in speed parameters was most pronounced (sprint runs). Some age sub-groups demonstrated differences in anthropometric parameters. No relevant difference in endurance and strength parameters were detected, except for one age group. KEY WORDS: Athletes; Sports; Soccer
Article
Full-text available
Der Relativaltereffekt oder „Relative Age Effect“ ist ein im Sport vor allem international in der letzten Zeit sehr intensiv beforschtes Gebiet. Man versteht darunter eine Abweichung der Verteilung der Geburtstage von selektierten Sportlern (Kader, Auswahlmannschaften, hohes Wettkampfniveau) von deren Verteilung in vergleichbaren Normalpopulationen. Sehr häufig beobachtet man, dass sich die Geburtstage selektierter Sportler zu Beginn des Selektionszeitraumes häufen, dass also das relative Alter innerhalb beispielsweise eines Auswahljahres einen Effekt auf die Zusammensetzung der selektierten Stichprobe hat. Dieser Effekt wird damit erklärt, dass der zunächst nur minimale Entwicklungsvorsprung, den die relativ Älteren haben, durch eine biologische Akzeleration verstärkt werden kann. Erste sportliche Erfolge wirken dann zudem als psychische Verstärker der Motivation und können so einen sich selbst verstärkenden Prozess auslösen. Dieser wird auch durch zusätzliche Fördermaßnahmen vorangetrieben und weiter verstärkt, in deren Genuss jugendliche Sportler im Fall einer ersten Selektion kommen. Wenn eine Auswahl eines Verbandes einen starken „Relative Age Effect“ aufweist, ergibt sich aber folgendes Problem: Da es keinen realistischen Grund gibt, anzunehmen, dass die Begabung für eine Sportart vom Geburtstermin abhängt, steht damit fest, dass die Verbandsauswahl sowohl begabten Nachwuchs nicht fördert (die Spätgeborenen) als auch wenig Begabten eine Förderung zukommen lässt. Dies ist jedoch nur dann ein Problem, wenn die Zielstellung der Nachwuchsförderung im Erreichen der individuellen Höchstleistung im Höchstleistungsalter besteht. Wenn dagegen die momentan stärksten Nachwuchskader gebildet werden sollen, ist ein „Relative Age Effect“ sogar zu erwarten. Untersucht man den Effekt näher, so kann man auch empirisch vielfach nachweisen, dass er mit zunehmendem Alter geringer wird, dass Männer in der Regel stärker betroffen sind als Frauen, dass er in körperbetonten Sportarten stärker ist als in technischen Sportarten und dass er auf höheren Selektionsebenen stärker ist als auf niedrigeren. Insgesamt sollte jeder Verband seine Auswahlen auf den Effekt hin untersuchen und ggf. sein Fördersystem diskutieren.
Article
Full-text available
The records of 837 major league baseball players were examined in order to determine whether the Little League age eligibility criterion, based on the month of birth, affected participation rate at the professional level. The results indicated that major league players were more likely to have been born in the first months of the year, if that year corresponded to the one used for eligibility for Little League baseball (i.e., beginning in August and ending in July). A reanalysis of data presented in the literature (which suggested no effect) produced a similar result. These data are interpreted in terms of the relative age effect. That is, because of age cutoffs used in Little League baseball, some players gain a developmental advantage when competing against other youngsters who are considerably younger, although they are placed in the same age category for league play.
Article
Full-text available
This study examined the relative contribution of visual, perceptual, and cognitive skills to the development of expertise in soccer. Elite and sub-elite players, ranging in age from 9 to 17 years, were assessed using a multidimensional battery of tests. Four aspects of visual function were measured: static and dynamic visual acuity; stereoscopic depth sensitivity; and peripheral awareness. Perceptual and cognitive skills were assessed via the use of situational probabilities, as well as tests of anticipation and memory recall. Stepwise discriminant analyses revealed that the tests of visual function did not consistently discriminate between skill groups at any age. Tests of anticipatory performance and use of situational probabilities were the best in discriminating across skill groups. Memory recall of structured patterns of play was most predictive of age. As early as age 9, elite soccer players demonstrated superior perceptual and cognitive skills when compared to their sub-elite counterparts. Implications for training perceptual and cognitive skill in sport are discussed.
Article
Full-text available
Annual age-grouping is a common organizational strategy in sport. However, such a strategy appears to promote relative age effects (RAEs). RAEs refer both to the immediate participation and long-term attainment constraints in sport, occurring as a result of chronological age and associated physical (e.g. height) differences as well as selection practices in annual age-grouped cohorts. This article represents the first meta-analytical review of RAEs, aimed to collectively determine (i) the overall prevalence and strength of RAEs across and within sports, and (ii) identify moderator variables. A total of 38 studies, spanning 1984–2007, containing 253 independent samples across 14 sports and 16 countries were re-examined and included in a single analysis using odds ratios and random effects procedures for combining study estimates. Overall results identified consistent prevalence of RAEs, but with small effect sizes. Effect size increased linearly with relative age differences. Follow-up analyses identified age category, skill level and sport context as moderators of RAE magnitude. Sports context involving adolescent (aged 15–18 years) males, at the representative (i.e. regional and national) level in highly popular sports appear most at risk to RAE inequalities. Researchers need to understand the mechanisms by which RAEs magnify and subside, as well as confirm whether RAEs exist in female and more culturally diverse contexts. To reduce and eliminate this social inequality from influencing athletes’ experiences, especially within developmental periods, direct policy, organizational and practitioner intervention is required.
Article
Proper groupings of children for physical activity and sport is important for injury prevention and competition. Several of the classification systems presently used are reviewed, as are the physiologic underpinnings of pubertal growth and development as they relate to the accrual of strength and power. It is during adolesence that the greatest physiologic differences exist, mainly because of the wide variations in the timing and tempo of the pubertal growth spurt in normally growing boys and girls. Maturity-based categorization, especially in contact and collision sports, would heighten the competition and may lessen rates of injury.
Article
The consistent asymmetry in the birth-date distribution of senior professional soccer players has led us to investigate whether similar asymmetries emerge throughout youth categories in soccer. Birth dates were considered for professional players, national youth teams, youth players transferred to top teams, and regular youth league players. Kolmogorov Smirnov tests assessed differences between observed and expected birth-date distributions. Regression analyses examined the relationship between month of birth and number of participants at various levels of play in soccer. Results indicated that youth players born from August to October (the early part of the selection year), beginning in the 6–8 year age group, are more likely to be identified as talented and to be exposed to higher levels of coaching. Eventually, these players are more likely to be transferred to top teams, to play for national teams, and to become involved professionally. In comparison, players born late in the selection year tended to dropout as early as 12 years of age. Recommendations suggest a review of the 24-month age band and current methods for talent detection and selection. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 10:791–798, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Article
Previous findings of skewed birth date distributions among sports professionals have been interpreted as evidence for a systematic discrimination against children born shortly before the cut-off date for each age grouping. Alternative explanations for these findings exist, however. This research therefore attempted to replicate the effect in a cross-cultural comparison, A strong relative age effect in professional soccer was found in Germany, Japan, Brazil, and Australia, showing that the effect is independent of different cut-off dates and a variety of climatic and sociocultural factors. A shifted peak in the birth date distribution of Australian soccer professionals paralleling a corresponding change in the cut-off date in Australian soccer in 1989 was also established. This pattern of results provides strong evidence for the cut-off date in youth soccer as the main cause for the relative age effect in professional soccer.