Effect of a change in selection year on success in male soccer players

Abstract

Since 1997 and following the guidelines of the International Football Association, the Belgian Soccer Federation has used January 1st as the start of the selection year. Previously, August 1 was the start. This shift prompted an investigation of changes in birth-date distributions throughout youth categories for 1996-1997 compared to the 1997-1998 competitive years. Birth dates were considered for national youth league players, ages 10-12, 12-14, 14-16, and 16-18 years. 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 both before and after the August to January shift. Results indicated that from 1996 to 1997, youth players born from January to March (the early part of the new selection year) were more likely to be identified as "talented" and to be exposed to higher levels of coaching. In comparison, players born late in the new selection year (August to October) were assessed as "talented" in significantly lower proportions. Specific suggestions are presented to reduce the relative age effect. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 12:729-735, 2000. Copyright 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Relative age effect in junior tennis (male)

“…The closer to this date an individual is born, the greater the advantage following from the age effect. This opinion has been confirmed also by Edgar and O'Donoghue (2005), Helsen et al (2000), Simmons and Paull (2001). However, it is necessary to add that research studies have proved that the age effect gradually disappears during the ontogenetic development and that this influence was pronounced especially in the research of boys' categories and was not so obvious in girls (Cobley et al, 2009;Lames, 2008).…”

“…A number of authors (Barnsley & Thompson, 1988;Helsen, Starkes, & Van Winckel, 2000;Simmons & Paull, 2001) believe that the age effect is also shown in the mental area because there is a great probability that younger athletes lack inner motivation as they are less convinced of the possibility of success when compared with their older, often more successful peers. Frequently, they also meet a lack of external motivation, which includes insufficient support from coaches or parents.…”

Constituent year effect in international handball at high level

“…The fact that the IHF has adopted the criterion of cluster players on year blocks, makes the effect of CYE stronger and gets closer to the investigations that explains RAE by the maturation processes. (Fenzel, 1992;Helsen et al, 2000;Malina, 1994Malina, , 1999Malina et al, 2004;Philippaerts et al, 2006;Reilly, 2000;Simmons, & Paull, 2001). Doing things like that Under senior´s categories national team head coaches, tend to choose players born in even years in order to have the maturation procedure more advanced, a better anthropometric, physical and cognitive development.…”

“…Players that have not been selected in the talent selection programs can also reach the elite. Furthermore all the possible causes to explain RAE and CYE that have been used in scientific literature, as it can be maturation procedures on the physical or cognitive advantage of a certain group of players due to the age (Fenzel, 1992;Helsen et al, 2000;Malina et al, 2004;Malina, 1994Malina, , 1999Philippaerts et al, 2006;Reilly, 2000) does not exists, because all this have been already completed.…”

Returns to education in professional football

“…Helsen et al (2000), Helsen et al (2005) and Edgar and O'Donoghue (2005) find the RAE in competitive sports that involve young athletes and especially in soccer it is a well documented phenomenon (Barnsley et al, 1992;Mujika et al, 2009;Vaeyens et al, 2005). Musch and Grondin (2001) However, a more detailed analysis, as provided in Figure 2, does show empirical evidence for the RAE in American football.…”