The Relative Age Effect In Football

  • Webinar
  • S01 E10
  • 19:42
  • Subscription Required

About Webinar

Laura will explore the following on relative age effect in youth development:
  • What it is (over-representation of early-maturing kids on football talent development pathways).
  • Who does it affect (graphs and research on youth football, showing under-representation of Q4 players, but also the disadvantages to the Q1 kids).
  • How does it occur (I.e. how is it perpetuated by coaches, parents and the athletes themselves, how certain development structures can lead to an enhanced RAE within that context).
  • And then focus on the ‘so what’ for coaches (how it can influence selection, strategies to minimise impact).

Learning Outcomes

  • Recognise the importance of skill acquisition within motor control development
  • Discuss the connection of skill acquisition and creating autonomous players
  • Explore the implications of poor skill acquisition on performance across the age range
Meet the Expert

Laura Finnegan

Laura is a lecturer at Waterford Institute of Technology in the south-east of Ireland. She has a Degree in sport management and a Masters in sport psychology. Laura is focused on helping to bridge the space between academic research and its accessibility to the wider coaching public. She is trying to enhance this access by writing research-informed blogs and providing the ‘so-what’ insights to cut through academic jargon and journal paywalls.

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