Maturity, Physical Ability, Technical Skill and Coaches’ Perception of Semi-Elite Adolescent Australian Footballers

Abstract

Purpose: To confirm the effect of maturational differences on anthropometric and physical testing and explore the effect of maturation on technical skill and coaches' perceptions of skill in adolescent Australian footballers. Methods: Athletes were recruited from a semi-elite under 16 competition (n = 94, age 15.7 ± 0.3 years) and completed anthropometric, physical, and technical skill tests. Coaches from each team provided subjective ratings of athletes' technical skills. Maturation groups were derived from years from peak height velocity estimates, with classifications either later, average or earlier maturing. Results: Effect size comparisons revealed very large to moderate effects between groups for anthropometric measures and performance in sprint and jump tasks. Small to moderate effects were reported between groups for coaches' perceptions of skill, with the earlier maturing group perceived to have better overall technical skills, marking and ball winning abilities. Small to trivial effects were reported for performance in the technical skill tests. Conclusions: Despite no differences in skill tests, earlier maturing athletes may be afforded significant selection and competition advantages due to advanced physical capacities and coaches' perceptions of skill.

Biological maturity and the anthropometric, physical and technical assessment of talent identified U16 Australian footballers

“…Gastin and Bennett [7] reported maturational differences between community U15 Australian footballers, however this is the first study to demonstrate that age-matched talent identified U16 Australian footballers are more mature than their non-talent identified counterparts. Between group variations in maturity reported in this study are likely to contribute to the anthropometric and physical performance differences demonstrated between the talent identified and non-talent identified groups, as players of advanced maturational age are typically taller, heavier and have been shown to possess greater vertical leaps than their less mature counterparts [7,9,19]. Maturational variation has previously been shown to account for between 8-19% of physical performance variability and affect coaches' perceptions of skill and potential in U16 Australian footballers [9,10].…”

“…Poor retention of juniors may be linked to the relative age effect repeatedly reported in adolescent competitions [6,12,13], which suggests that older players are looked upon more favourably in the initial identification process due to maturational advantage. This suggestion is supported by recent findings that Australian football coaches' perceive earlier maturing individuals to possess advanced technical skills and greater long-term potential [9,10]. However, despite these findings there is no available research exploring factors which drive identification into the AFL TP at the U16 level.…”

“…Biological maturity was estimated using the anthropometric measures collected, with years to and from peak height velocity calculated using a standardised predictive equation [15]. This method of assessment provides a reliable and practical method of assessing biological maturity and has been used in a number of studies with similar populations [7,9,16].…”

“…However, despite these findings there is no available research exploring factors which drive identification into the AFL TP at the U16 level. It may be postulated that earlier maturing athletes at the U16 level could experience identification advantage as they have been shown to possess both superior physical attributes and be perceived by coaches' to have greater long-term potential [9,10]. Whilst later maturing players may fail to be identified due to acute performance disadvantages associated with being less mature.…”

The identification of essential normative performances indicators for adolescent: an implication for talent identification programme

“…The study of the traditional sport TID [11] also emphasized that the potential and talented athletes who often drop out because of the TID concept that does not fit. Currently, findings demonstrated coaches' perceptions of long-term potential can be biased by maturational variation in adolescent athletes [5]. Such perceptual bias may impact on coaches selection decisions and result in talented but late maturing athletes missing selection into development pathways.…”