Relative age effect and dropout causes in a multisport club setting. Is there a special reason to give up?

Eduardo Macedo Penna,Luciano Sales Prado,Gustavo Henrique Pereira Godinho,Claudio Olívio Vilela Lima,Bruno Teobaldo Campos,Gabriela Gomes Pavan Gonçalves

doi:10.1590/s1980-6574201800040011

Eduardo Macedo Penna, Luciano Sales Prado + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/s1980-6574201800040011

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Abstract

Abstract Aims: The aim of the present study was 1) compare the drop-out rates between athletes born in different trimesters of the competitive year from different sports and 2) identify the causes pointed by the dropped-out athletes born in different selection year trimesters to disengage from the competitive sports environment. Methods: Data from 966 athletes who left the competitive sports context were analyzed under the Relative Age Effect (RAE) theoretical framework during 3 consecutive seasons. The drop-out rate and the reason to quit the competitive environment were analyzed by a routine club questionnaire. Results: An expected reverse RAE on drop-out rates was identified, in which the early born athletes were overrepresented (p<0.001). Regarding the reasons to disengage from competitive sports environment, no reason emerged as the main cause to dropout between athletes born in different selection year trimester. Conclusion: It was concluded that despite the common assumption that personal psychological issues related to RAE in late born athletes are important factors influencing sports disengagement, the relationship between drop-out and RAE is more complex and multifactorial.

Highlights

In the sports context, age group categories are often determined according to the participantsbirth dates with the purpose of providing a fair competition and equal opportunities for all athletes
The possible advantaged presented by those early born athletes has been frequently called the relative age effect (RAE), and this effect is observable in team sports like basketball[3], soccer[4], rugby[5], volleyball[6], and in induvial sports like tennis[7], track and field[8] and Judo[9] and in different levels ranging from young amateurs[10] to super-elite athletes[11]
Contradicting our hypothesis, results showed that athletes born early in the competitive year had higher rates of dropout when compared to the relatively younger peers and when the reasons declared by the athletes born in different trimesters of year for disengaging from the competitive environment were analyzed, no specific reason has been identified

Summary

Introduction

Age group categories are often determined according to the participantsbirth dates with the purpose of providing a fair competition and equal opportunities for all athletes. In the past two decades, it has been identified that athletes who are born early (first or second trimester) in competition year have been overrepresented in elite teams in young and senior age brackets (for a review, see[1, 2]). As the athletes born nearer the beginning of the selection year are more likely to be selected by the better teams, they would benefit from a better structure for their development[15]. These athletes will have better training and competitive experiences[16], as well improved perceptions of self-esteem and self-efficacy[17], which are important psychological constructs for athletic development

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