Relative age effect has a significant impact on the youth athletes sporting experience. It is often the reason that players are selected or deemed as talented at younger ages, as their effectiveness is misunderstood to be talent, where it largely the physical and cognitive bias due to their birth date; the bigger, stronger, faster, individual dominating over the smaller, slower, less physically developed individual due to their date of birth.

What is Relative Age Effect?

Relative Age Effect (RAE) is an observed effect where athletes at the top level of sports were born in months earlier in their sports relative cut-off period. If the cut-off for a sports league is December 31st, an athlete born in January is 11 months older than an athlete they are competing against who is born in December.

https://usatodayhss.com/2017/relative-age-effect-is-when-you-are-born-more-important-than-how-good-you-will-be

Impact of Relative Age Effect

Researchers have found that cut-off dates for school eligibility can have a long-term impact on student performance because it can cause some students (those born just after the cut-off date) to be older and more mature than others (those born just before the cut-off date) when they begin school. Skills accumulated in early childhood complement later learning, which means that relative age differences at the start of formal schooling can be long-lasting if relatively older students are better positioned to accumulate more skills in the early academic years because of their cognitive and emotional maturity advantage.

The idea that arbitrary eligibility cut-off dates can have sizeable consequences is even stronger in sport where, in addition to cognitive and emotional development, physical development plays an important role. After all, scouts choose children according to what they see.

Youth sports are organised by age brackets according to a cut-off birth date. In most European youth football leagues the cut-off date is 1 January. In the UK it is 1 September. Players born just after the cut-off tend to be stronger, bigger, more mature, and have more coordination, greater self‑esteem and better decision-making skills than players born at the end of the eligibility year. Since several months of development can make a huge difference in these variables, these players tend to perform better in a given game, watched by scouts, and are more likely to be identified as talented than those born in the later part of the eligibility year. Once selected, they benefit from having more high‑quality coaching, deliberate practice and experience, and are given more opportunities to further their development.

A skewed birth distribution over-representing individuals born early in the selection year has been documented extensively for many other sports, (including rugby, tennis, baseball and ice hockey), in many countries, and was found to be prevalent in youth and senior competitions. The effect remains even to the top level.

Of course, talent does not depend on exactly when you were born, so the talent detection system shows a huge relative age‑effect bias

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2022/oct/24/next-generation-2022-why-scouts-select-players-based-on-the-relative-age-effect

What Can We Do About It?

At Fremont YSC we have addressed this in a number of different ways, and ways in which to support not only the individual player, but also to help support the parents awareness of relative age effect.

• What? No player in the U8 to U10 age groups is cut from the program, all players are welcome. We believe this should go up until U12, but we are also held back by the US culture of winning, as this has a knock on effect of how clubs are selecting players and approaching games on weekends.
  • This immediately removes the bias of selection, as coaches are not looking to pick a player to impact the team, but instead players are deciding whether they want to play for the club, and be part of a learning process.
  • Players are placed into groups of similar birth months, where physical and cognitive development rates are similar. In addition, our club structure allows coaches to move players throughout the season, where maturation is a consideration both physically and cognitively so placed in appropriate groups, and not groups being created based on effectiveness to win games.
• How? We do not place an emphasis on winning, but are process driven and encourage learning from experiences.
  • When coaches know they are not judged on outcome, but the environment created and alignment to the process, this has a positive effect o players as they are all given the same opportunities.
  • We do need the parent support with this, as external pressure will interfere and have an effect.
• Who? We account for all players from U9 to U16, early and late developers must be a consideration.
  • All players jersey numbers are assigned based on their date of birth, and not their placement on a team.
  • This helps as a reminder to parents about their child’s age within a group, and how factors out of their control can effect their rate of development, so not to compare to others.
  • As a club we define success as an individual journey, were our objective is to support players to reach the identification programs of external pathways into regional and national selection, PDP and ODP.

Through a framework and structure that supports the individual player, we remove the bias from relative age effect, and focus is always on the individual, and curriculum is designed to be proactive at age appropriate phases, factoring in the physical and psychosocial needs of the player. All curriculum design and periodized training is supported by evidence based research, which ensures the youth player is getting the best possible opportunity, no matter their date of birth, and being coached like a youth player, so not to be specializing early or treated like a professional. Professionalism comes from the clubs operations and coaches behavior’s.

A great article from Changing the Game Project – https://changingthegameproject.com/winnings-the-great-deodorant-but-that-is-not-always-a-good-thing/

“Winning tends to mask things that stink, to bring positive vibes to a group, less finger pointing, and more acceptance of team roles, playing time, and more. After all, it is hard to argue with results, and certainly at the professional level of sports coaches are paid to win. That is what you will always be judged upon. We always want positive vibes on our teams, and players bought in to the culture and the plan.”

As adults we often reflect our own perceptions and expectations onto kids, and being in an adult world where outcome is important, we subject he kids to this mindset. However, we are in different stages of learning and experiences. Kids are in a process, they are building experiences and learning. With such a race to nowhere going on in youth sport, we don’t allow for the process, but for immediate results, and this effects learning. Our focus shifts from process driven, deep learning experiences, to immediate result rote learning. Sadly, this later approach does not benefit the long term, nor the individual players experience.

Yet I also see a sinister side to this quote, often at the youth levels, where winning tends to mask lack of development, poor coaching, playing, and parent behaviors, lack of playing time for certain players, and more. “But we won the league” or “Well, we won the tournament” is used as an excuse for not giving children meaningful playing time, promoting athleticism over skill development, and coaching through fear based manipulation. So many coaches and clubs are willing to compromise so much to win, as it tends to get most parents, ADs and coaching directors off their back. Sure, a few kids may quit, but they are the weaker players. We get so many calls about this scenario, and we must do better.

We have turned the youth game into an adults playground. Through adult ego, be it coach, parent’s, or directors, we have lost focus on what the youth player needs. The business model that drives youth sports dictates the actions and behaviors of the adults.

The solution to this is great engagement with parents, helping support parents on what is important in youth sports, and how this can be achieved.

The solution is coaches being lifelong learners, continually developing themselves and learning what modern approaches and evidence based research supports the youth player, not relying on traditional methods that we now know do not work.

The solution is giving the game back to the kids, empowering them, and letting them know that we love to watch them play, we are here to support their holistic growth and not just focused on an outcome of the game they have little control over, not meaning in their long term development.

See our earlier article on learning – https://www.fremontyouthsoccer.com/2023/10/player-learning-evidence-based-approach-to-modern-coaching/

Research has shown that youth sports is still dominated by traditional methods, whether this be the understanding of learning, rote learning where information recall is dominant, or coaching behavior’s where shouting and controlling players is still the go to action of a coach.

Football is a complex and dynamic environment, where learning is affected by these characteristics, and to compound the effectiveness, there must be an understanding of the learning phases of the individual child; this is key to understanding as to why the youth game is a completely different game to senior/adult level football.

Player development is long term, with short term learning aims providing direction is what is a non-linear learning experience.

See the following presentation for more depth to what is learning in youth sports.

Parent Engagement – Pedagogy

All training sessions tonight  have been cancelled, the current AQI reading has lead us to cancel due to the unhealthy air which has detrimental affects on youth players health.

For more information about the Air Quality, player welfare policy, please see the following link – https://www.fremontyouthsoccer.com/air-quality/

We wish all the people fighting the fires all the best for their safety, and the health of everyone affected.

A big congratulations to Natalia Medina on her first collegiate game as a freshman against Cabrillo College.

With a roster of 25 players, Natalia worked hard all pre-season to earn a starting spot in the game, making her debut and starting the game as a #10 (center attacking mid).Natalia went on to secure the win by scoring a goal in 90^th min of the game, with Evergreen College the eventual winners, 3-1. Cabrillo College hadn’t allowed a goal in conference last season.

Natalia scoring a goal in her first game as a college athlete is a big accomplishment. Natalia demonstrated great confidence and comfort on the ball, as well as an ability to use both feet in taking her goal.

This weekend is the first game of the season for the majority of the players, others may not yet be starting until next week, however, embracing the individual process will be huge for the support of your player.

The following information will provide insight and depth to the soccer operations around a game day.

We are proactive and focus on what we can do. This is opposed to a reactive approach where we prioritize a response to opposition. Our priority is the Fremont YSC individual player, and therefore process orientated and not outcome. The following video is great at grounding us as adults in the game:

Jersey Numbers and Team Composition

2015 and 2014 teams are created through having players of similar birth age. Players born early in the year are FN I, and players born later in the year are FN II. This is completely different to other teams who look to either load by playing ability, or balance through a mix. Our is purely based on age, and for reason. Research shows that youth performance has no positive correlation to future performance and ability, with ‘better’ players largely dominant due to early maturation, or genetics in their size, speed, and power. The research shows that early identification is detrimental to long term participation, and most elite level players are not identified until 16 – 19 years old, with many early identified players dropping out. Our method of assigning players treats the players as an age group rather than a team (utilized by Icelandic FA, one of the most successful countries based on population size), and addresses Relative Age Effect where there is no bias towards players based on size due to being chronologically older (utilized by Tottenham Hotspur).

2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, and 2010

Jersey numbers are assigned to players based on their birth date. This is so coaches and parents have a visual aid in recognizing the Relative Age Effect, but also grounding us when we stray away from the process and slip into the temptation of comparing players against other. Players wearing a higher number will be the youngest in the age group, and therefore potentially almost a full year younger than other players. We must focus our attention on the individual, and not teammates, nor opponents.

2013 and Older are assigned to a team based on their rate of development in reference to our player pathway, and not ‘good’ or ‘bad’. We would prefer to do this at a much older age, but we are still working against a culture that doesn’t support this. What we must do though is understand that players are in an environment to support ‘flow’, where the challenge presented can be matched by skill level of the individual. Finding this state of flow provides an appropriate challenge, and a focus on the process, which has a positive knock-on effect for the psychosocial pillar in confidence and motivation. As soon as we switch to focusing on outcome, we undo all these great positives from a process driven approach. Players in youth development are in current rates of development, and are not ‘elite’ or ‘poor’, we need to move away from this perception.

Field Size and Dimensions

2011 are in the first year of playing 11v11, and on full size fields. This is a huge jump from the 9 v 9, with the complexity of the game increasing through the increase in player numbers. Players will struggle to perform all the actions needed, and therefore recognizing the game insight of a player is important. A player can make the correct decision, but still be developing their physiological pillar and therefore the pass they pick out cannot be performed as they do not yet have the strength in kick to pass over a longer distance. A great video to see how this effects players:

Maturation

Players over a large range could be going through maturation. An early developer could be up to 3 years ahead in maturation, while a late developer could be up to 3 years late. Even within one team that’s a 6-year swing, based on the two extremes, but another reason why we need to focus on the individual. While going through maturation the physiological challenges are great with a temporary loss of agility and co-ordination, which will affect skill performance and athletic ability. These are temporary, and during this time we need to be patient with players and showing empathy to what they are going through.

In reference to the article – U8 Girls Coaching Points

Sadly this is what’s perceived as effective coaching, “In general, society identifies coaches as “great” based on two criteria: win/loss records and media attention” (Becker, 2009). If the coach using these comments had won the game, little would be said, brushed off as ‘motivation’, intensity’, ‘toughness’, ‘competitive mindset’, but it’s simply abuse!

Coaching behavior’s are what determiner’s a great coach. Empowering, supportive, positive, and questioning, with healthy levels of feedback and instruction. This isn’t traditional, so is overlooked with importance placed on ‘leagues, brackets, and tournaments’.

Until more attention is placed on athlete centered practices supported by evidence based research, the kids will continue to suffer and dropout, and the big picture is the game will suffer.

Congratulations Yichen on the successful completion of your USSF D License.

As coaches are life long learners in the sports specific knowledge or football, and the many accompanying disciples including physiology, and psychology.

Great to see the staff embracing their education both externally with National Governing Bodies, and internally with Fremont YSC.

We are incredibly excited to bring to you the news of our partnership with Net World Sports.

Net World Sports provide their FORZA soccer equipment internationally, with ‘relentless dedication to offering the best experience possible’, which aligns with our continued dedication to providing the appropriate athlete centered environment needed for the youth player.

Training equipment by FORZA can be seen at Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, and Football Association of Wales, to name just a few teams and organizations, and we are very honored to be the latest in using their products for our training purposes.

We’re back for the start of the 23/24 season, although never really left!

Following our summer break, we return with plenty to look forward to in the new season.

Competitive Soccer

The Competitive Pathway is underpinned by scientific theory, a modern approach to player development, with proven effectiveness from evidence based research. In contrast to traditional methods, our play centered and constructed learning methods provide a deeper and long term learning experience, an environment aligned to athlete centered learning.

Click to Join – https://go.teamsnap.com/forms/377474

Grassroots Soccer

Grassroots is the program that caters for the needs of the recreational player.

Youth sports has moved to overly structured sessions, stifling the individuals creativity limiting their problem solving ability, and turn youth sport in to an organized chore.

Click for More Info – https://www.fremontyouthsoccer.com/grassroots/

TopTekkers

TopTekkers is the leading platform for supporting player development when training at home. All Foundation Phase players will be receiving a free training account, and free entry to the first TopTekkers tournament in Northern California, hosted by Fremont YSC.

Click to Learn More – https://www.toptekkers.com/

Coach Education

Coaches must be lifelong learners, and we are fully committed to our continued education. This past Friday we were honored to be presenting our club structure and operations to Frans Hoek (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frans_Hoek), one of the leading football professional in the world.

Later in the day the coaches engaged in a practical and theoretical education session on coaching behaviors, an area of coach development missing in formal education, where the gap between theory and application is evident at all levels of football coaching.

Thank you to the players for volunteering their time to help us put on our coach education session.

Parent Engagement

Being a program that proudly sits outside the craziness of youth soccer, our evidence informed and scientific research based program is different to others around. Theory is great is regurgitate, but it’s another thing to be committed to putting it in action.

Supporting the parents journey through youth soccer and sports as a whole. The youth sports industry is a thriving business model, making it difficult and challenging to navigate and fully understand. We are committed to the learning experience, not a league acronym or collecting air miles to the latest ‘elite competition’. Our engagement includes pedagogy, curriculum and session design, the importance of play, and supporting confidence