INTRODUCTION: Our previous studies have shown that talent selection based on sport-specific tasks is affected by the relative age effects among adolescent handball players. Relatively older players are more likely to be selected than relatively younger ones, which is typically attributed to differences in maturity and body size. In this study we examined the differences in body dimensions, body composition, and biological maturation of selected and not-selected players during a talent selection process in relation to their relative age. METHODS: Talent selection included N = 264 adolescent female handball athletes who were born in 2008-2009. 106 players were selected for the next stage and 158 were excluded. The selection was based only on sport-specific tasks. The players underwent anthropometric, body composition, and bone age measurements on the day of the selection. Body height was measured with an anthropometer (DKSH Switzerland Ltd, Zürich, Switzerland) to the nearest 0.1 centimetre. Biological age was estimated from bone age with an ultrasound-based device (Sunlight Medical Ltd, Tel Aviv, Israel). Body weight and body composition was determined with an Inbody 720 bioimpedance instrument. We examined relative age effects based on the month of birth in quarter-year intervals (from Q1 to Q8). Differences in maturity, body size and body composition between Q1 to Q8 groups were examined by one-way analysis of variance (with a Scheffe post hoc test), Cohen d was used to compare selected and not-selected groups. We used SPSS 25.0 (IBM) for the statistical analysis. RESULTS: Selected players were taller than not-selected players (164.7±6.6 vs 161.5±5.5 cm; d=0.54), biologically more developed (13.7±1.1 vs. 13.1±1.0 years; d=0.58) and had larger muscle mass (25.2±3.2 vs 23.5±3.2 kg; d=0.50). When analyzing the results in relation to the relative age groups separately for the selected and not-selected players significant differences between quartiles were evident only for maturity, with older players being more developed than their younger counterparts. There were no differences for body size or body composition. CONCLUSION: Relative age effects affect selection chances in youth sport. Based on the existing literature, we assumed that the advantage of relative older in talent selection is attributed to differences in maturity, body size, and physical capabilities. Talent selection here was based only on sport-specific tasks and skills. Although there were differences between selected and not-selected players in maturity and body dimensions, the results did not confirm the superior body size and body composition for the relative older players. As expected, relative age groups differed only in maturity, but not in any other measure, suggesting that the advantage of the relative older, and thus more mature, players is not connected to their physical attributes. Rather it seems to affect performance in technical and tactical skills.
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