The identification and development of talented young soccer players are the primary aims of professional soccer academies. Individual differences in maturation have been shown to impact player selection, fitness, and performance, making it challenging to identify those players with the most
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Maturity-Associated Differences in Match Running Performance in Elite Male Youth Soccer Players
James Parr, Keith Winwood, Emma Hodson-Tole, Frederik J.A. Deconinck, James P. Hill, and Sean P. Cumming
Age-Related Differences in Functional Hamstring/Quadriceps Ratio Following Soccer Exercise in Female Youth Players: An Injury Risk Factor
Mark De Ste Croix, Abigail Priestley, Rhodri Lloyd, and Jon Oliver
found in the current study might be attributed to a protective effect that is developed through maturation-related changes and/or soccer training. This enhanced muscular control in the older girls may indicate that they have become quadriceps dominant, and thus, quadriceps torque decreased more with
Effect of Drop Height on Vertical Jumping Performance in Pre-, Circa-, and Post-Pubertal Boys and Girls
Anthony Birat, David Sebillaud, Pierre Bourdier, Eric Doré, Pascale Duché, Anthony J. Blazevich, Dimitrios Patikas, and Sébastien Ratel
- and post-pubertal recreationally active boys and girls. Yet, maturation could strongly influence the interaction between drop height and jumping performance, as there is a gradual enhancement in the rapid force producing potential and utilization of the underpinning mechanisms of the SSC over this
The Influence of Maturity Status on Muscle Architecture in School-Aged Boys
John M. Radnor, Jon L. Oliver, Charlotte M. Waugh, Gregory D. Myer, and Rhodri S. Lloyd
Notable disparities in anatomy and physiology exist between children and adults, and there are also clear differentiations between children and adolescents, mediated by growth and maturation ( 24 , 36 ). Force-producing capacities are lower in children when compared with adolescents or adults
Maturation-Related Effect of Low-Dose Plyometric Training on Performance in Youth Hockey Players
Jason Moran, Gavin R.H. Sandercock, Rodrigo Ramírez-Campillo, Oliver Todd, Jay Collison, and Dave A. Parry
Purpose:
The purpose of this intervention study was to investigate if a low-dose of plyometric training (PT) could improve sprint and jump performance in groups of different maturity status.
Method:
Male youth field hockey players were divided into Pre-PHV (from -1 to -1.9 from PHV; Experimental: n = 9; Control = 12) and Mid-PHV (0 to +0.9 from PHV; Experimental: n = 8; Control = 9) groups. Participants in the experimental groups completed 60 foot contacts, twice-weekly for 6 weeks.
Results:
PT exerted a positive effect (effect size: 0.4 [-0.4–1.2]) on 10 m sprint time in the experimental Mid-PHV group but this was less pronounced in the Pre-PHV group (0.1 [-0.6–0.9]). Sprint time over 30 m (Mid-PHV: 0.1 [-0.8–0.9]; Pre-PHV: 0.1 [-0.7–0.9]) and CMJ (Mid-PHV: 0.1 [-0.8–0.9]; Pre-PHV: 0.0 [-0.7–0.8]) was maintained across both experimental groups. Conversely, the control groups showed decreased performance in most tests at follow up. Between-group analysis showed positive effect sizes across all performance tests in the Mid-PHV group, contrasting with all negative effect sizes in the Pre-PHV group.
Conclusion:
These results indicate that more mature hockey players may benefit to a greater extent than less mature hockey players from a low-dose PT stimulus. Sixty foot contacts, twice per week, seems effective in improving short sprint performance in Mid-PHV hockey players.
Sex and Maturation Differences in Performance of Functional Jumping and Landing Deficits in Youth Athletes
Azahara Fort-Vanmeerhaeghe, Ariadna Benet, Sergi Mirada, Alicia M. Montalvo, and Gregory D. Myer
that these sex differences may not exist before puberty and appear to develop as a result of maturation. 22 , 25 However, to date, there are still few studies that explain that the rapid musculoskeletal changes experienced by females throughout the adolescent growth spurt are associated with
Dispositional Coping, Coping Effectiveness, and Cognitive Social Maturity Among Adolescent Athletes
Adam R. Nicholls, John L. Perry, Leigh Jones, Dave Morley, and Fraser Carson
It is accepted among scholars that coping changes as people mature during adolescence, but little is known about the relationship between maturity and coping. The purpose of this paper was to assess a model, which included dispositional coping, coping effectiveness, and cognitive social maturity. We predicted that cognitive social maturity would have a direct effect on coping effectiveness, and also an indirect impact via dispositional coping. Two hundred forty-five adolescent athletes completed measures of dispositional coping, coping effectiveness, and cognitive social maturity, which has three dimensions: conscientiousness, peer influence on behavior, and rule following. Using structural equation modeling, we found support for our model, suggesting that coping is related to cognitive social maturity. This information can be used to influence the content of coping interventions for adolescents of different maturational levels.
The Influence of Age and Maturation on Trajectories of Stretch-Shortening Cycle Capability in Male Youth Team Sports
Mark De Ste Croix, Michal Lehnert, Eliska Maixnerova, Francisco Ayala, and Rudolf Psotta
tests using a spring-mass model approach, which have been shown to be reliable measures of SSC capability in youth populations ( 4 , 17 ). Understanding changes in stiffness during growth and maturation are essential in helping to develop appropriate performance enhancing and injury management
Growth, Maturation, and Exercise During Youth—The Year That Was 2017
Jaak Jürimäe
Citation 1 Towlson C, Cobley S, Midgley AW, Garrett A, Parkin G, Lovell R. Relative age, maturation and physical biases on position allocation in elite-youth soccer. Int J Sports Med . 2017;38:201–9. doi: 10.1055/s-0042-119029 This study assessed the contribution of relative age, anthropometry
Variability in the Application of Force During the Vertical Jump in Children and Adults
Pablo Floria, Luis A. Gómez-Landero, and Andrew J. Harrison
The purpose of this study was to determine if children exhibit greater variability in center of mass movement and kinetics compared with adults in vertical jumping. Countermovement jumps with arms (CMJA) and without arms (CMJ) performed by 20 female children and 20 female adults were examined using force platform. The data were analyzed using continuous methods to determine differences in variability between groups and between types of jump. Jumping variability was measured by using the average coefficient of variation of the force-, velocity-, displacement-, and rate of force development-time curves across the jump. The analysis indicated that children and adults had similar levels of variability in the CMJ but different levels in the CMJA. In the CMJA, the children had a greater coefficient of variation than adults in force- (20 ± 7% and 12 ± 6%), velocity- (41 ± 14% and 22 ± 9%), displacement- (8 ± 16% and 23 ± 11%) and rate of force development-time (103 ± 46% and 75 ± 42%) curves, as well as in force-velocity relationship (6 ± 2% and 4 ± 2%). The results of analysis suggest that the variability depends on both the level of maturation of the participants as well as the task complexity.
