Biological maturation, relative age and self-regulation in male professional academy soccer players: A test of the underdog hypothesis

Cumming, Sean P.; Searle, Chris; Hemsley, Janie K.; Haswell, Finlay; Edwards, Hannah J.; Scott, Sam; Gross, Aleks; Ryan, Desmon̄d; Lewis, Jeff; White, Paul H.; Cain, Andrew; Mitchell, Siobhán; Malina, Robert M.

doi:10.1016/j.psychsport.2018.08.007

Cited by 94 publications

(151 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…motivation, decision-making, resiliency) could be cultivated in relatively older and/or later maturing players, possibly prior to academy selection (i.e. at grassroots) 42 . In any case, our findings likely reflect a complex interaction with multiple factors, where further research is warranted through a comprehensive investigation of the underdog hypothesis, within elite academies as well as grassroots football.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relative age, maturation, anthropometry and physical performance characteristics of players within an Elite Youth Football Academy

Patel

Nevill

Cloak

et al. 2019

International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching

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A professional English football club with Category 1 academy status was investigated to determine the magnitude of relative age effects (RAE) within the club and explore between-quartile differences for somatic maturity, anthropometry and physical performances. Birth dates of 426 players from Under 9 to First Team were categorised into four birth quartiles (Q) and examined for relative age effects. Additionally, data on 382 players (Under 11 to First Team) were obtained for somatic maturity, anthropometry, countermovement jump, sprint (10 and 30 m), agility T-test and Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Level 1 or 2 performance to determine between-quartile differences. Odds ratios revealed Q1 players were 6.0 times more likely to be represented than Q4 players. Multilevel modelling demonstrated between birth quartile similarities for each variable across all age groups, though there was a tendency for Q4 players to outperform Q1 players between Under 11 and Under 18 groups. Strong relative age effects exist within this club as well as a tendency to select players demonstrating advanced growth and/or maturity, with some indication that higher categorised academies in England may be at risk of amplified selection biases. Talent identification strategies in elite youth football should actively seek to adopt novel approaches to reduce selection biases and avoid wasted potential.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relative age, maturation, anthropometry and physical performance characteristics of players within an Elite Youth Football Academy

Patel

Nevill

Cloak

et al. 2019

International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching

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“…Previous studies showed that BB reduces the dominance and physical advantage of early maturing players [1,8], which have to strive to development better their technical and tactical skills to keep up with physically equal opponents [7]. Late maturing players, on the other hand, participate more actively in match play and perceive more options to show leadership [2,4]. With higher selfconfidence [4] and a reduced perception of injury risk [2], late maturing players are involved in more tackles [8].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Late maturing players, on the other hand, participate more actively in match play and perceive more options to show leadership [2,4]. With higher selfconfidence [4] and a reduced perception of injury risk [2], late maturing players are involved in more tackles [8].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…An impaired soccer performance in the short term might however provide opportunities for skill acquisition over the long run. With greater involvement of late maturing players and higher technical and tactical challenges for early maturing players, a more balanced match play between bio-banded teams might aid in the holistic development of young soccer talents [4].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, they had better chances to demonstrate their technical and tactical abilities [2,4]. For early maturing players, BB provided more technical challenges that might aid in the holistic development of soccer talents [2,4]. In previous studies, players were bio-banded over a wide range of age groups (11-15 years [8] and 9-15 years [2]), which might be practical for large clubs and soccer academies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Bio-Banding In Junior Soccer Players – A Pilot Study

Romann

Lüdin

Born

2020

Preprint

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ObjectiveBio-banding (BB) has been introduced to account for varying maturity and to improve the talent development of junior soccer players. To date, research that investigated the physiological and technical effects of BB is sparse. Therefore, the aim of the study was to assess BB based on practical considerations in a cohort of 62 under (U)13 and U14 soccer players in a paired crossover design. ResultsBB significantly increased the number of duels and set pieces compared to chronological age (p<0.05). The mean time of ball possession per action was reduced and the rate of successful passes was lower with BB. Meanwhile, the total number of passes was unaffected, and there was a trend towards a lower difference in ball possession between BB teams (p<0.1). In addition, BB reduced the distances covered while jogging (p<0.001), running (p<0.05) and high-speed running (p<0.05). With BB, an increased number of duels, unsuccessful passes and set pieces seemed to result from a quicker and more balanced match play between teams. While physical demand was reduced, BB seems to result in a more technically and tactically challenging game. Benefits in long-term player development, however, require further investigation.

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Reliability of biological maturation analyses performed by equations predicting skeletal age and peak height velocity with hand and wrist X‐ray results

Almeida-Neto

Medeiros

et al. 2022

American J Hum Biol

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Background Hand‐wrist radiography is the gold standard for the assessment of skeletal age (SA) and the assignment of biological maturation (BM) status. However, its practical use in the field is questioned, prompting the development of anthropometric equations to estimate BM. However, there is no consensus on the reliability of these equations in relation to hand‐wrist X‐rays. Objective To test the reliability of the BM estimated from predictive equations with the results of hand‐wrist X‐rays. Methods One‐hundred forty‐four young athletes (38%‐males, 62%‐females; 12.3 ± 1.4 years) were recruited. SA was assessed by analyzing X‐rays of the hand‐wrist using the Greulich‐Pyle protocol. SA was predicted using the anthropometric equations of Cabral and Macêdo. By subtracting chronological age from SA, a measure of BM or biological age (BA) was computed. In addition, a BA of years from peak height velocity (PHV) was predicted using the anthropometric equations of Mirwald and Moore. Results Relative to X‐ray, Cabral's equations showed high reliability in estimating BM in both sexes (p < .0001) while Macêdo's equations showed substantial reliability or males (p < .0001) only. Mirwald and Moore's equations showed weak reliability (p < .05 and p = .043, respectively). Conclusion The prediction of SA using anthropometric equations was found to be reliable in categorizing individuals as late, synchronized, and/or early maturers in both sexes. However, the predictive equations of years from PHV only reliably categorized late and synchronized maturation stages in males and the synchronized maturers in females.

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Biological maturation, relative age and self-regulation in male professional academy soccer players: A test of the underdog hypothesis

Cited by 94 publications

References 47 publications

Relative age, maturation, anthropometry and physical performance characteristics of players within an Elite Youth Football Academy

Relative age, maturation, anthropometry and physical performance characteristics of players within an Elite Youth Football Academy

Bio-Banding In Junior Soccer Players – A Pilot Study

Reliability of biological maturation analyses performed by equations predicting skeletal age and peak height velocity with hand and wrist X‐ray results

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