Is there the relative age effect in goalkeepers who competed the football championship of youth academy of Minas Gerais?

Abstract

The maturational advantage obtained by athletes born closer to the beginning of the year of selection in relation to its peers born at the end of the year is called relative age effect. This variable influences directly the formation of athletes, mainly in sports whose division of the youth academy happens based on age range. The purpose of this study was to verify if there is the relative age effect in goalkeepers, of categories under-15, under-17 and under-20, which competed the soccer championship of youth academy of season 2013. They were collected, from the Football Federation of Minas Gerais, dates of birth of 108 registered goalkeepers of 54 teams. For statistical analysis, were used the chi-square test (p<0.05) and were used the Bonferroni correction (p<0.0083) for multiple comparisons paired. Differences were found in the period of birth indicating the existence of the relative age effect on the overall analysis and in goalkeepers of under-15 category. However, it was not found the relative age effect in goalkeepers of under-17 and under-20. The relative age effect is a variable that must be considered by goalkeeper coaches in the identification, selection and development of young goalkeepers of state of Minas Gerais, especially in the under-15 category.