Matej Babic

Objectives: The study aims to compare three distinct protocols—Moore, Mirwald, and the new BAUSport^TM SonicBone system—for predicting somatic maturation in youth athletes. Methods: The participants were female members of the Croatian national volleyball youth team (U-17) (n = 16). The study involved comprehensive measurements, including height, weight, sitting height, leg length, wrist diameter, hand joint diameter, hand grip strength, and ultrasound measurements for skeletal age assessment. Results: Correlation analysis showed moderate to strong correlations between the Moore and Mirwald skeletal age estimates, but both showed weaker correlations with the BAUSport^TM skeletal age. Repeated-measures ANOVA showed no significant difference between the Moore and Mirwald methods (p > 0.05); significant differences between both the Moore and Mirwald methods and the BAUSport^TM method (p < 0.05). Regression analysis revealed that height, weight, sitting height, leg length, wrist diameter, and hand joint diameter explained 69% of BAUSport^TM, with wrist diameter being the only significant predictor. While the Moore and Mirwald methods remain useful tools for estimating the timing of an athlete’s growth spurt, BAUSport^TM represents a potential advancement in skeletal age assessment. Further research is needed to validate BAUSport^TM across diverse populations and optimize its calibration to accommodate anatomical variations. Conclusions: The findings suggest that with further refinement, BAUSport^TM could become a new standard for monitoring skeletal development in youth athletes. Additionally, studies should explore comparative analyses with other emerging technologies, such as genetic markers, hormonal assessments, and MRI, for further understanding of biological maturation in talent identification.

The aim of this study was to determine the factors affecting students’ satisfaction with their class community by measuring the contributions of “positive” resources: either the socio-demographic and individual characteristics of students, or common characteristics of the class community. The research was conducted anonymously using multiple questionnaires on a sample of 267 students attending the higher grades (5th–8th grades) of primary schools from an urban area of the city of Split. It was determined that social cohesion and prosocial behaviour within the class community were the strongest determinants and were also the most important positive resources of satisfaction with the class community. Individual psychological characteristics (especially self-esteem and hope) and the socio-demographic characteristics of students also played a significant role in explaining satisfaction with the class community, but their relative contribution was much weaker than social relations within the class community. The three types of psychological characteristics of the students were positively related to the degree of satisfaction with the class community, but this association was at a low level. More than half of the students were not completely satisfied with their class community. Furthermore, based on the five fundamental dimensions of intrinsic (IM) and extrinsic motivation (EM) within PE motivation, four types of students with different motivational characteristics were determined: the very low type; moderate type; very high IM and low EM type; and extremely high type. It is recommended that experts continue researching the relationship between psychological and social variables in class communities, as well as investigating the effectiveness of possible interventions aimed at the development and improvement of social relationships in the educational and sports talent development environment.

This research aimed to propose a new methodological approach for analyzing relative age effect (RAE) in different sports or samples named “Relative age effect overall scale” (RAEOS). The sample consisted of 1455 male and female young athletes who competed in four different sports (basketball, n = 159; handball, n = 215; swimming, n = 981; taekwondo, n = 100) at the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Buenos Aires in 2018. To construct the new model, the sample was classified into four unified quartiles of a specific range depending on the sport (swimming: 48-month range, taekwondo: 24-month range, and basketball and handball: 36-month range). Expected and observed frequencies for each sport, the winners/all athletes, and differences between team and individual sports were analyzed using a non-parametric Chi-square test. The obtained results confirm the existence of the RAE in all four analyzed sports (p > 0.01) in a sample of all participants and the sample of gold medalists. Differences between team and individual sports in the analyzed sample have also been found. The proposed methodological approach (RAEOS) is a simple and applicable tool that provides opportunities for comparison and analysis of different sports and competition formats, as well as improvement of the sports talent system in the context of RAE issues. It is suggested to the sports decision-makers to improve the YOG qualification and competition system to enable fairer competition and reduce the influence of RAE on the performance and development of young athletes.

This study examines the maturity status and relative age effect in elite youth taekwondo Croatian National Team athletes. Measurements of biological age, maturity offset, and body composition were taken from a sample of 17 junior athletes. Differences in maturity status were observed among athletes of the same chronological age, with variations in sitting height and age at peak height velocity. Male athletes generally exhibited higher values in body height, percentage of body fat, muscle mass, and total body water. No significant relative age effect was found. These findings highlight the importance of considering individual biological age and maturity status for talent development and training program adjustments. Further research involving athletes from different countries is recommended to validate these results and enhance the understanding of youth taekwondo athlete development.

Purpose: The Relative Age Effect (RAE) and Constituent Year Effect (CYE) is increasingly recognized as a significant concern in youth sports, especially in basketball where physical traits such as height, arm span, and leg length are emphasized. This focus often eclipses the critical role of age-related variations in talent scouting processes. This study aims to explore the presence and impact of CYE in basketball, with a specific focus on the Youth Olympic Games (YOG). Methods: Utilizing statistical analysis, primarily the Chi-square test and Cramer's V, this research examines the occurrence of CYE among basketball players at the YOG. Results: The findings decisively confirm the existence of CYE in youth basketball (P= .000, χ2= 51.593, df= 2, Cramer's V= .403). Results of male (χ2 = 29.342, Cramer's V: .431) and female χ2 =23.43, Cramer's V: .383) also subsample suggest a significant skew in player selection based on birth year, with a large effect size in both cases. A notable discovery is the disproportionate number of athletes born in 2000, who are 19 times more common than those born in 2002, indicating a significant age-related skew in player selection. This indicates a strong association between birth year and player selection in the context of the YOG for both genders. Conclusions: CYE's prevalence in youth basketball could detrimentally impact athletes' development and teams' overall performance. The research emphasizes the need for a more equitable and balanced approach in athlete selection. The paper proposes practical steps to reduce CYE in basketball, such as narrowing age categories or establishing smaller, more precise age groups to ensure fairer competition and more accurate talent identification.