Do physical maturity and birth date predict talent in male youth ice hockey players?

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the relationships among biological maturity, physical size, relative age (i.e. birth date), and selection into a male Canadian provincial age-banded ice hockey team. In 2003, 619 male ice hockey players aged 14-15 years attended Saskatchewan provincial team selection camps, 281 of whom participated in the present study. Data from 93 age-matched controls were obtained from the Saskatchewan Pediatric Bone Mineral Accrual Study (1991-1997). During the initial selection camps, birth dates, heights, sitting heights, and body masses were recorded. Age at peak height velocity, an indicator of biological maturity, was determined in the controls and predicted in the ice hockey players. Data were analysed using one-way analysis of variance, logistic regression, and a Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. The ice hockey players selected for the final team were taller, heavier, and more mature (P < 0.05) than both the unselected players and the age-matched controls. Furthermore, age at peak height velocity predicted (P < 0.05) being selected at the first and second selection camps. The birth dates of those players selected for the team were positively skewed, with the majority of those selected being born in the months January to June. In conclusion, team selectors appear to preferentially select early maturing male ice hockey players who have birth dates early in the selection year.

Variable and Changing Trajectories in Youth Athlete Development

“…Greater chronological age (years) and relative age (months within a year) increase the likelihood of entering and progressing through maturation earlier, resulting in substantial variation between individuals in anthropometric and fitness variables (3,15). Such development may be non-linear and unstable (1,16), but are generally predictive of better physical capacities such as aerobic power, muscular strength, endurance and speed (19,24,28,29), and therefore provide immediate physical performance advantages for most sport contexts (e.g., 12,13). Coincidently or ironically, these events occur at a time when many sport Variable and changing trajectories in youth athlete development 4 organizations more intensively deploy their identification and differentiation procedures.…”

Efeito da idade relativa no futsal de base de Minas Gerais

“…A presença do Efeito da Idade Relativa já foi comprovada em diversas modalidades, como tênis (EDGAR; O´DONOGHUE, 2006), basquetebol (DELORME; RASPAUD, 2009), beisebol (TOMPSON;BARNSLEY;STEBELSKY, 1991) hóquei no gelo (SHERAR et al, 2007), futebol americano (CÔTÉ et al, 2006;MACDONALD et al, 2009) e principalmente futebol (MORAES et al, 2009;COSTA et al, 2009, JIMÉNEZ;PAIN, 2008, FOLGADO et al, 2006. Para a análise dessa variável, os pesquisadores têm empregado a categorização do quartil de nascimento, que é considerada a divisão do ano em quatro partes.…”

An Investigation into the Use of a Movement Assessment Protocol for Under-14 Rugby League Players in a Talent Development Environment

“…The use of the age at PHV prediction equation as a measure of maturation has not been correlated with other maturity indicators (i.e., skeletal age, secondary sexual characteristics) within athletes, therefore questioning its reliability. However, while accepting potential error, an assessment of maturation remains beneficial, as it is a simple non-intrusive way of predicting maturation as applied in other research [9,33].…”

“…This method used a genderspecific multiple regression equation including height, sitting height, leg length, body mass, chronological age, and their interactions to estimate age at PHV [33]. Years from PHV (YPHV) was then calculated by subtracting age at PHV from chronological age.…”