Abstract
Purpose of the present study was to examine whether influence of relative age effect (RAE) exists or not in the selected 13 year old basketball players. Subjects were 20 basketball players (HT=177.35cm±6.73, BW=61.42kg±8.98, average age 13 years and 7 months ±.28, average experience in basketball training 4 years and 6 months ±1.15). Sample was divided in two groups: 11 players born in first half of the year and 9 players born in the second half of the year. One-way ANOVA was used in order to analyze the differences between the two groups of players in set of anthropometric variables (body height, arm span, standing reach height, body weight and percentage of body fat), motor variables (velocity of neuromuscular reaction time, vertical jump, 5 meters sprint, 10 meters sprint, 20 meters sprint, T-test, Zig-zag test, ball throw from sitting position, Sit-ups for 30 seconds and standing forward bend) and one functional variable (20-M shuttle run test). Subjects do not differ in applied set of parameters, except in on variable (sit-ups for 30 seconds, p=.040). It was concluded that RAE does not exist in this sample of examinees.
Highlights
Puberty is the period of growth where human’s body size rapidly develops
Based on mean values (Mean) it is noticeable that older group of basketball players made better results in most of measured and tested variables (Table 1)
Analysis of variance showed that there are no statistically significant differences between basketball players born in the first half of the year and basketball players born in the second half of the year in all variables, except sit-ups for 30 seconds (p
Summary
During the first and second year of puberty, annual growth is 8-12 cm (Marković, & Bradić, 2009). This period is called adolescent growth spurt. Children who enter puberty earlier than average age are called accelerants. There are children who enter puberty later than average age. This is important information because accelerants, at that moment have significantly betterdeveloped motor and functional abilities than their peers have potential advantage in selection process. That children sometimes can be privileged in basketball, compare to children who mature lately. These advantages disappear with maturation to adulthood, it can result in a loss of certain number of talented basketball players
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