Academic tackles issues of talent-spotting in sport
Published on: 7th September 2011
Sportsmen and women born later in the academic year are often overlooked in favour of their older peers, a study by a Leeds Metropolitan University academic has found. In addition, maturity can be often inadvertently confused with ability when teams are being selected.
Kevin Till, who is also the strength and conditioning coach at Castleford Tigers, undertook a study into the RFL’s former talent identification and development programme, the Player Performance Pathway. This pathway identified the best players in each teenage age group (Under 13s – 15s) and invited them to take part in Regional and National training camps.
Kevin’s main finding was that many players born late in the academic year were being overlooked in favor of those born earlier in the academic year. For example, a player born in September who is the oldest in the year would still be grouped in the same team as a player born in August, 11 months later. This difference in age is termed ‘relative age’ with the consequences associated with these age differences known as the ‘relative age effect’ (RAE). This can lead to differences in size, weight, performance and coordination. Findings show that more junior players play rugby league if they are born nearer the selection cut-off date of September, with this age discretion being most notable in the selection of players to the representative levels.
His second key finding was that the timing of maturation in children, which can occur at any time between the age of 12 and 16, can have a significant effect on selection to representative squads. A player who matures early may be selected in favor of one who matures at a later age. It is therefore important that talent should not be confused for advanced maturation, says Kevin.
Kevin commented: “Relative age effect has been analysed in other sports but not in rugby league. Primary school teachers are incredibly aware of the relative age effect but it seems to be ignored in youth sport. It can have a significant effect when you look at the data. It is vital that we make parents, coaches and administrators aware of these issues and possibly consider reclassifying the annual age grouping system to give future rugby league players as equal an opportunity as possible to progress.”
The RFL have now made changes to their Player Development Pathway, which includes delaying selection of junior players to professional club scholarship schemes until age 15 and by increasing the number of places available within these squads. This gives players more time to mature and develop before they are selected to talent development programmes.
Kevin has had three papers published in international journals to date and has also contributed a chapter to a new book co-edited by Leeds Metropolitan University Senior Lecturer, Dr Steve Cobley, entitled ‘Talent Identification and Development in Sport: International Perspectives’.
