The Relative Age Effect in Canadian University Women's Ice Hockey

Abstract

The relative age effect (RAE) or potential cognitive and biological variability among individuals in the same age-grouped cohort (Baxter-Jones et al., 1994; Much and Grondin, 2001) has been observed in sport as an association between being born earlier in the selection year and greater achievement and greater likelihood of becoming an elite athlete. The RAE has been found to exist in a variety of male sports including male ice hockey, but has not been examined with regard to female ice hockey. PURPOSE: To determine if the RAE is present in Canadian women's ice hockey. METHODS: Members of the University of Alberta women's ice hockey team (n=88 players, age=21.2±2.7 yrs, 1999-2008 seasons) were interviewed for date of birth, which was coded for each player by birth quartile: Q1=Jan-Mar, Q2=Apr-Jun, Q3=Jul-Sep, or Q4=Oct-Dec. Players completed an anthropometric battery; on-ice skating performance tests: 44.80 m speed, 6.10 m acceleration, cornering S-turn agility, and Modified Repeat Sprint Skate (MRSS), and off-ice fitness tests: 40 yd dash, vertical jump, push-ups, sit-ups, and the Leger test (to estimate VO2max). MANOVAs (SPSS, Windows Version 17.0) were run to determine if there were significant differences (p<0.05) by relative age. Players' birth date quartile and ranking status by Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) and Canada West (CW) for 2004-2008 pre-seasons (ranked/not ranked, n=120) were submitted to Chi square analyses to determine if the RAE was present in birth date distribution and ranking status. RESULTS: Players born in Q1 were significantly faster on speed, acceleration, agility, and MRSS tests and performed more push-ups (p<0.05) than those born in Q4. A significant RAE was found for birth date distribution (C2=703.826, p=0.000); however, there were no significant differences between players with CIS or CW rankings and those who were not ranked by relative age (C2=2.152, p=0.541, and C2=2.052, p=0.562; respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The RAE was apparent in birth date distribution in women's ice hockey over a five-year period, consistent with that found in male ice hockey, and as evidenced by significant differences in skating performance and one fitness measure. CIS and CW rankings did not differ by relative age, possibly due to similar levels of game performance among elite-level players.