EL EFECTO DE LA EDAD RELATIVA EN EL HOCKEY PATINES DE ALTO NIVEL EN ESPAÑA

Abstract

The influence of athletes' birth distribution across different year periods on sports performance is called the relative age effect. The present research aims to identify this bias in the top male and female national rink hockey competitions in Spain, as well as to assess this effect on variables such as level of competition, gender, position on the court, nationality, team standings, individual performance (goals scored), and international player status. The relative age of athletes in the first and second top Spanish national male (n=499) and female (n=358) competitions in the 2022-23 season is analysed. The results reveal the absence of a relative age effect in any of the analysed variables, indicating the independence of this variable from gender and competitive level. The nature of the sport, its organization, and the competitive structure designed in rink hockey indicate that athletes achieving higher performance are not selected based on maturational status of a biological nature.