SYMPOSIA PAPER Published: 01 January 1993
STP13130S

Chronological and Biological Age as Related to Performance in Young Elite Ice Hockey Players

Source

This study investigated if chronological age, as determined by month of birth, gives players of the same age an advantage in criteria related to ice hockey success. Elite players (N = 107), aged 15 years, were grouped per quartile of the year, according to their birth month. The frequency distribution of the subjects shows a significantly greater number of players born in the first quartile of the year: 56.5% (Q1) January to March, 22.2% in (Q2) April to June, 13.0% in (Q3) July to September, and 8.3% in (Q4) October to December. The subjects were submitted to a battery of on-and off-ice tests. The off-ice tests included measurements of height, weight, skeletal maturity, body fat, abdominal endurance, leg and hand strength, and anaerobic and aerobic power. The on-ice evaluation measured forward and backward skating speed, skating agility with and without the puck, as well as skating endurance. Analysis of variance reveals no significant difference between quartile of the year for any of the technical, physical, and fitness characteristics with the exception of skeletal age with Q1, Q2, and Q3 groups being significantly older than the Q4 group (p < 0.05). The mean skeletal age indicate an advanced biological maturity status for all the quartile groups. These results suggest that in ice hockey early maturation gives young players an important competitive edge.

Author Information

Larivière, G
Université de Montréal, Montréal, Qc., Canada
Nicoletti, I
Centro Studi Auxologici, Firenze, Italy
Bossi, A
Instituto Di Biometria e Statistica Medica, Universita Di Milano, Milan, Italy
Milani, S
Instituto Di Biometria e Statistica Medica, Universita Di Milano, Milan, Italy
Price: $25.00
Contact Sales
Related
Reprints and Permissions
Reprints and copyright permissions can be requested through the
Copyright Clearance Center
Details
Developed by Committee: F08
Pages: 121–127
DOI: 10.1520/STP13130S
ISBN-EB: 978-0-8031-5256-4
ISBN-13: 978-0-8031-1873-7