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The relative age effect in young athletes: A countywide analysis of 9–14-year-old participants in all competitive sports

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  • Susana M Gil
  • Iraia Bidaurrazaga-Letona
  • Jon Larruskain
  • Izaro Esain
  • Jon Irazusta

Abstract

The relative age effect (RAE) has primarily been investigated in male athletes involved in popular sports and high-level competitions. However, occurrence of RAE in other types of sports at the grassroots level, particularly in female athletes, is less well-studied. Thus, we examined the RAE in a large cohort of young athletes who participated in all competitive sports in Bizkaia, Spain, according to gender and specificity of the sport. The birth dates of 38,381 participants (65.1% males and 34.9% females) aged 9–14 years old in 37 competitive sports were analyzed. Birth dates were divided into four birth-quarters and compared to those of all children born in the same period using a χ2 goodness-of-fit test and standardized residuals. The effect size Cramer’s V was measured, and odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals were calculated to determine the odds of athletes born in January playing in the highest leagues. In the total sample, in boys RAE was evident in football, but only in higher-competition leagues (p

Suggested Citation

  • Susana M Gil & Iraia Bidaurrazaga-Letona & Jon Larruskain & Izaro Esain & Jon Irazusta, 2021. "The relative age effect in young athletes: A countywide analysis of 9–14-year-old participants in all competitive sports," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(7), pages 1-21, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0254687
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254687
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    1. Alfonso de la Rubia & Christian Thue Bjørndal & Joaquín Sánchez-Molina & José María Yagüe & Jorge Lorenzo Calvo & Sergio Maroto-Izquierdo, 2020. "The relationship between the relative age effect and performance among athletes in World Handball Championships," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(3), pages 1-21, March.
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