Coaches’ Evaluations of Match Performance in Academy Soccer Players in Relation to the Adolescent Growth Spurt

Abstract

Individual differences in biological maturation present challenges for coaches involved with youth soccer players. Youth in the same chronological age group vary in terms of stage of maturity (pre, circum-and post-pubescent) and rate of growth, but how this affects coaches' evaluations of player performance is unknown. The aim of this study was to compare youth soccer coaches' evaluations of players match performances before, during and post growth spurt in a professional English soccer academy across four seasons. Two hundred and seventy-eight male soccer players in the under-9 to under-16 age-groups had their performances evaluated by their coach on a 4-point Likert scale. For each game, players were categorised by their maturity status estimated using percentage of predicted adult height at the time of observation. A one-way ANCOVA controlling for the level of opposition and game outcome revealed that coaches' evaluations declined from the pre-to during growth spurt stages, however, this was only significant in the under 12 age-group. Further, coaches' evaluations increased again in the post-growth spurt stage, although only significant in the under 15 age-group. Coaches evaluations of player performance appear to vary in accordance with stage of maturity and rate of growth. Practitioners in youth soccer should understand the extent to which maturity status may adversely impact performance and consider this when making talent selection decisions.

Methodological Approaches to Talent Identification in Team Sports: A Narrative Review

“…Discrete and controlled tests ("signs"), whether conducted in the laboratory or field, lack ecological validity and transference to actual performance within team sports. Accordingly, a samples-based approach may be more appropriate in TID programmes, where judgements are made based on assessments that more closely mimic the context, environment, and task of team sport performance [23,64,81,83], including the subjective expert opinions of relevant staff [84,86,93].…”

“…In addition, Bennett et al [81] showed that higher skilled players (trained within a professional academy) had a significantly greater number of attempted and completed skill involvements in SSGs compared with low-level players (trained within a local academy) (p < 0.01). Further research within American Football demonstrated that samples of previous performance, measured via position specific in-game statistics (e.g., percentage pass completion for a quarterback), across a 1-year period at college level, was a statistically significant predictor (p < 0.05) of subsequent performance in the National Football League (NFL), whereas signs of performance (i.e., physical tests in the NFL Combine) failed to demonstrate predictive power of future NFL performance [83]. Equally, in Australian Football, O'Connor et al [64] demonstrated a significant difference in recent match-play performance (sample) between selected and non-selected athletes into a national programme (p < 0.001).…”

‘He’s got growth’: Coaches understanding and management of the growth spurt in male academy football

“…Research has shown growth-related decrements in functionality and performance can temporarily handicap young athletes. 18,32,46 Consistent with this reasoning, coaches described players in the growth spurt as inconsistent or performing below expectations (See Case Study One: The Roller-coaster).…”

“…To better understand how adolescence influences athlete performance and development, a more explorative approach is required. Objective quantitative studies dominate the current literature 32,37 ; very few qualitative studies have been conducted exploring how changes associated with adolescence impact young athletes and their coaches'. 38 A coach's subjective opinion of players' performances and potential is decisive in whether young players are retained or released.…”

Editorial

“…Notwithstanding the obvious focus directly on the young athletes themselves, it is also important to consider the role and potential influence of significant others to the development process for young athletes. To this extent, Hill et al provide original insights into coaches' evaluations of match performance in academy soccer players before, during and after the adolescent growth spurt [6], while De Ste Croix et al report on the differences in knowledge and understanding, attitude and confidence of coaches to deliver injury prevention training in a sample of three European countries [3].…”