The Bias toward Biological Maturation through the Talent Selection in Japanese Elite Youth Soccer Players

Abstract

In the present study, we aimed to determine whether the advancement in skeletal age (SA) of youth soccer players relative to chronological age was dependent on the maturation spurt or selection bias toward biological maturation. These factors were investigated using cross-sectional and mixed longitudinal study designs. Height, body mass, SA, and maturation diŠerences in 181 youth soccer players (age range; 9.3-16.0 years) were measured. SAs were assessed using the Tanner-Whitehouse three (TW3) and Japanese-standardized SA (J-SA) methods. Thirty-seven of the 181 players (age range; 9.6-13.0 years) then participated in a one-year follow-up study. The participants were divided into seven age groups (under 10 (U10)-U16). Cross-sectional diŠerences in all measurements between the categories were compared with annual increment data. There were signiˆcant cross-sectional diŠerences in height (14.9 vs. 10.9±3.3 cm), body mass (13.4 vs. 8.2±3.1 kg), and SA (J-SA: 1.7 vs. 1.0±0.6 yrs; TW3: 2.6 vs. 1.5±0.8 years) between the U12 and U13 groups (pº0.01 each). Furthermore, these diŠerences were higher than those for mixed longitudinal data. Theseˆndings imply that advanced biological maturation in youth soccer players may depend on selection bias towards the early biological maturation.

Influence of Skeletal Maturity on Size, Function and Sport-specific Technical Skills in Youth Soccer Players

“…In youth Brazilian soccer players aged 10-17 years, maturity status did not influence the association between agility tests with and without the ball [14]. Therefore, the results of this study reinforce the concept that the differences between the maturational stages are not determining factors for coordinative and perceptive actions, basic requirements of technical skills [20,40].…”

Tanner–Whitehouse Skeletal Ages in Male Youth Soccer Players: TW2 or TW3?

“…Observations for youth soccer players have been based on TW2 20 bone, TW2 RUS, GP and Fels SAs [10], and to a lesser extent TW3 RUS SAs. TW3 SAs were consistently lower than Fels SAs in elite Spanish soccer players [24], while comparisons of TW2 SAs using specific tables for Japanese youth and TW3 SAs varied with CA among elite Japanese players [25]. Among 14 year old Serbian players, selection tended to favor later maturing players based on TW3 SAs [26], while among 14 year old elite Swiss players, 21% of players were classified as late and 20% as early maturing with TW3 SAs [27].…”

A Cross-Sectional Study of the Plantar Flexor Muscle and Tendon during Growth

“…At fi rst, the RUS score was rated by an experienced analyst as a coauthor of this study (Dr. Hirose). The RUS score was calculated into skeletal age using the Tanner-Whitehouse III method [ 13 ] . The re-evaluation of the skeletal age was performed for all subjects.…”