Comparing High School Sport Specialization Trends Between Division I and Club Collegiate Athletes

BACKGROUND

Adolescent athletes report that sports specialization improves their ability to receive a collegiate athletics scholarship, though this is not well-understood. The purpose of this study was to examine self-reported trends in high school specialization and influences for sport participation between Division I (D-I) and college-aged club (club) athletes.

HYPOTHESIS

There would be no difference in high school sport specialization or sport participation influences between D-I and club athletes.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cross-sectional study.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level 3.

METHODS

A survey included specialization classification (low, moderate, and high) for 9th to 12th grade, age that the athlete started organized sport and his or her collegiate sport, and several influential factors for participation in one's primary high school sport (1 = no influence to 5 = extremely influential). Chi-square analyses were used to compare specialization classifications between groups. Nonparametric tests were used to determine significant differences in age-related variables and influential factors between D-I and club athletes. All analysis were also conducted with boys and girls separately.

RESULTS

Participants included 266 D-I (girls, 155; 58%) and 180 club (girls, 122; 68%) athletes. Club athletes were more likely to be classified as low specialization at every grade in high school, and this difference was more pronounced between D-I and club female athletes than male athletes. The number of years an athlete was classified as highly specialized in high school was not different between D-I and club athletes. Club athletes were more influenced by playing with friends than D-I athletes and D-I athletes were more influenced by pursuing a collegiate scholarship than club athletes.

CONCLUSION

High levels of specialization in high school sport may not be necessary for playing at the collegiate level, though some level of specialization in high school might be necessary.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Clinicians should advocate for healthy long-term athlete development, which does not support high specialization in high school sports.

Prevalence and Impact of the Relative Age Effect on Competition Performance in Swimming: A Systematic Review

This systematic review aimed to examine the prevalence of the relative age effect (RAE) in swimming and its impact on competition performance according to different types of interacting constraints. A systematic literature search, following the PRISMA guidelines for preparing systematic reviews, was performed through four electronic databases, and nine studies met the inclusion criteria. The quality of the selected studies was evaluated using STROBE, and an average score of 16.2 points was obtained. In these studies, the prevalence of the RAE in swimming was observed in more than half (58.65%) of the participants analysed, and the effect of the RAE was more accentuated in young categories (decreased as age increased and was inverted in older ones) and in male swimmers (double that in female swimmers).The impact of the RAE on competitive performance appeared to be related to the strength demands of the event, as the performance in simultaneous strokes, in shorter events, and of swimmers in the postadolescence period seems to be more affected by the RAE. These results indicate that the RAE in competitive swimming relies on individual and environmental (the swimmer's age group and gender) but also task (the competitive events) determinants or limitations. This should serve as a guide for a more effective design of selection and development procedures for young athletes.

Impact of the Relative Age Effect on Competition Performance in Basketball: A Qualitative Systematic Review

Performance in basketball is multifactorial. One of the modifying factors is the “Relative Age Effect—RAE”. However, its impact depends on the sample characteristics and sport context. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of the RAE on basketball competition performance by analysing peer-reviewed articles published until July 2020. According to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses systematic search guidelines, nine studies were identified in four databases: Sport Discus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. Moreover, a study quality analysis using “Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology” guidelines was carried out. The results confirmed an impact of the RAE on competition performance in basketball (56% measurements) and a higher influence of the RAE on short-term collective performance (54% measurements). Statistical parameters were affected, especially in men and U14-U18 categories. No impact of the RAE reversal and no influence of the RAE on long-term collective performance were found. There was a higher impact of the RAE in men (71%), the U14-U18 categories (44%), and at the national level (40%) was identified. The RAE has a variable influence on basketball performance according to developmental constraints. Nevertheless, the findings should be considered based on the sport context due to the heterogeneity and variability of the identified results.

Does the Relative Age Effect Influence Short-Term Performance and Sport Career in Team Sports? A Qualitative Systematic Review

Background: The impact on athletes based on grouping methods according to the date of birth within the constituent year, known as the relative effect of age (RAE), is a factor that can influence the achievement of sports success. Many studies have examined the magnitude of this phenomenon in sport; however, the relationship between the RAE and performance in team sports competition has not been accurately evaluated so far. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review on the influence of the RAE on competition performance in team sports through analysis of published peer-reviewed articles from 2000 to 2019.

Methods: According to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis systematic search guidelines, 19 studies were identified of the 2,093 that were found in the systematic searching process carried out in four databases: Sport Discus, PubMed, Web of Knowledge, and Scopus. The sample of the study was composed by 77,329 players, of which 92.08% were male and 7.92% were female, whereas the recorded performance measurements were 87,556. The relation between relative age effects and competition performance was registered according to constraints-based theoretical model: individual constraints (sample characteristics) and task constraints (sport context). Moreover, study quality analysis, Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology, was carried out.

Results: The short-term individual (10.20%) and collective (18.09%) performance was influenced by the RAE, whereas the long-term individual performance (49.71%) was affected by the RAE reverse. However, in 16.99% of the measurements, no relationship was found between the RAE and competition performance. In the analysis by subcategory, the influence of the RAE was higher in men, in adulthood (senior category), in invasion games, and in national contexts.

Discussion: The findings clearly demonstrated that the RAE has a great influence on the performance in team sport. Possible implications for policy and practice should be discussed in order to prevent unequal practice based on biased models that prioritize the athlete's current performance and therefore obviate their maturational development. The heterogeneity and variability of the identified results require a relativization of the findings of this study.

The Employability Process of Spanish Retired Elite Athletes: Gender and Sport Success Comparison

The aims of the study were: (i) to describe the work integration after retirement in elite athletes, (ii) to compare the working integration of women and men, and Olympic and non-Olympic athletes, and (iii) to specify the factors that affect their employment status and current monthly income. A total of 476 former elite athletes were surveyed. Non-parametric statistics were applied to compare the differences between groups and a classification tree analysis was performed for the dependent variables. The former elite athlete's unemployment rate was better than the general population. At the gender comparison, a wage gap appeared between women and men. At the comparison between Olympic and non-Olympic athletes, the link to first employment differed in both groups. In the prediction models, finishing higher education arose as a key factor of the working status and the monthly salary. Among those without higher education studies, planning arose as a factor determining their salary, while among those with high qualifications, gender was the key factor. This study supports the importance of a holistic view of athletic career development and it offers practical insights into the process of reaching first employment after retirement.