Research Centre for Sport Physiology, University of Physical Education, 1123 Budapest, Hungary.
Independent Researcher, 8651 Balatonszabadi, Hungary.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Oct 29;18(21):11418. doi: 10.3390/ijerph182111418.
Talent selection is often affected by the relative age effects (RAEs), resulting in the overrepresentation of relatively older (vs. relatively younger) players among those selected. The use of sport-specific tasks is suggested to reduce RAEs during talent selection.
To test the hypothesis that talent selection including only sport-specific tasks is not affected by the RAEs and to analyse the body size and biological maturity of the top selection level according to relative age.
Participants were U14 female ( = 5428) and U15 ( = 4408) male handball players participating in four programs consisting of four selection levels (local, county, regional, and national) grouped in bi-annual age. Handball-specific generic skills, position-specific technical drills and in-game performance were the selection criteria evaluated by experts and coaches. Body dimensions were measured and bone age, as an indicator of maturity, was estimated. The relative age quartile distributions within the bi-annual cohorts were examined using Chi-square and Odds Ratios.
In terms of all the registered players no RAEs were evident. However, the RAEs of moderate effect size were evident at the county level; = 53.2 (girls) and 66.4 (boys), OR = 2.5 and 3.3, respectively. The RAEs of a large effect size were found at the regional level; = 139.5 (girls) and 144.9 (boys), OR = 8.2 and 5.2, respectively. At national level, RAEs were still present, but with no further increase in the effect size. At the highest selection level, there were no differences in the anthropometric measures between the relatively older and younger players.
The findings provide support to the hypothesis that the selection process exacerbates RAEs even when using only sport-specific selection criteria. The performance metrics in technical skills, but also coaching assessments are likely involved. In addition, an advanced maturity and/or an above-average body size increases the selection odds for relatively younger players.
检验仅包含专项任务的选材不受相对年龄效应（RAE）影响的假设，并根据相对年龄分析顶级选材水平的身体大小和生物成熟度。
参与者为参加四个包含四个选材级别（地方、县、地区和国家）的项目的 U14 岁女性（n=5428）和 U15 岁男性（n=4408）手球运动员，这些级别按照每两年分组。专项通用技能、专项技术练习和比赛表现是由专家和教练评估的选材标准。测量身体尺寸，并估计骨骼年龄作为成熟度的指标。使用卡方检验和优势比（OR）检查两年期队列内的相对年龄四分位分布。
就所有注册球员而言，没有明显的 RAE。然而，在县一级存在中等效应大小的 RAE；女孩为 53.2（女孩）和 66.4（男孩），OR=2.5 和 3.3，男孩为 66.4（男孩），OR=2.5 和 3.3。在地区一级发现了大效应大小的 RAE；女孩为 139.5（女孩）和 144.9（男孩），OR=8.2 和 5.2，男孩为 144.9（男孩），OR=8.2 和 5.2。在国家一级，RAE 仍然存在，但效应大小没有进一步增加。在最高选材水平，相对较老和较年轻的球员之间在人体测量指标上没有差异。
研究结果支持了这样一种假设，即即使使用仅专项的选材标准，选材过程也会加剧 RAE。技术技能的表现指标，以及教练评估可能涉及其中。此外，较高的成熟度和/或高于平均水平的身体尺寸增加了相对年轻球员的入选几率。
