Abstract
This study aimed to verify the occurrence of the relative age effect (RAE) in male elite young handball athletes according to the playing position and its association with team performance in a World Championship. Data from 383 handball athletes from 24 countries who participated in the 7th World Men’s Championship in the under-19 category were analyzed. RAE was investigated from the birth trimester of the athletes, their playing position, and final ranking in the Championship. The results showed an overrepresentation of athletes born in the first two trimesters (Q1 and Q2) (χ2(3) = 32.97; p < 0.001, ω = 0.29). The analysis of the athlete’s position showed that most wings (χ2(3) = 18.37; p < 0.001, ω = 0.32) and backs (χ2(3) = 12.51; p = 0.006, ω = 0.34) were born in the first trimesters (Q1 and Q2). The ranking in the Championship presented no significant association with the date of the birth (p > 0.05). The results showed the existence of the RAE in youth handball elite athletes, especially for the back and wing positions. However, the strategy of selecting is questionable once the presence of RAE was not associated with competitive success.
Highlights
In a sports context related to young athletes, annual age-grouping is a common strategy widely used to divide athletes into categories and competitive levels based on their year of birth [1]
The aims of the present study were to verify the existence of relative age effect (RAE) in young elite male handball athletes and to analyze if its occurrence is specified by the playing position and whether
The results of the present study suggest that the RAE is ineffective in explaining the competitive success of national teams with young elite handball athletes
Summary
In a sports context related to young athletes, annual age-grouping is a common strategy widely used to divide athletes into categories and competitive levels based on their year of birth [1]. RAE provides an immediate competitive advantage or in long-term sports participation of young athletes as a result of maturational and developmental processes associated with differences in chronological age [1]. With this in mind, even with the same chronological age, athletes born in the first months of the year (January–March) may present competitive advantages compared to those born in the last months (October–December). Even with the same chronological age, athletes born in the first months of the year (January–March) may present competitive advantages compared to those born in the last months (October–December) This happens because physical attributes, such as greater height and mass (to a certain degree), are crucial. The occurrence of RAE may have numerous implications in the process of selection and development of young athletes, such as favoring a discriminatory effect by disadvantaging relatively younger athletes reducing their chances of achieving competitive levels and athletic development [5,6]
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