Age makes a difference

[Throughandthrough]

Something that is obvious when you think about it but interesting (i think) when you first realise it

http://eprints.qut.edu.au/29661/1/c29661.pdf

A paper was published last Friday provides strong evidence that babies born in January are much more likely to become AFL footballers than those born in December, but the opposite applies for mature age recruits

from a mate

the reason part one happens goes back to grass roots pathway

When selecting your under 14’s you pick the best footballers, the objectivity of who can become a good footballer is normally lost. So it is fairly obvious that boys who turn 14 in January and 11 months older than the boys born in December are by virtue of their age generally better footballers. These kids are then exposed to better talent development and as such get a second advantage over these December kids. Remembering a January boy is actually 7% older than these kids (in the twenties the December boys are only 4% younger but with all the better January boys out of the group they get a chance to shine.

I think you will find the same thing in a class room where a 6yo will generally advance quicker in a class room than the 5.1year old.

[Greystache]

Re: Age makes a difference

This was a point lost along the way with Lachlan Hunter. He's a December born kid who was effectively nearly a year younger than some of the kids in his draft year. In fact he is only a couple of weeks older than Jack Martin who was a 17 year old selection in the min-draft. When considering "upside" this is something that should be considered more strongly.

[Bornadog]

Re: Age makes a difference

My daughter was born on 31 December and when she was competing in National Kayak Championships, she should have been in the under 16 but had to compete in the under 18. This was a massive disadvantage to her, as the older girls were bigger and stronger. Same applies in all sports.

[Ghost Dog]

Re: Age makes a difference

The first Chapter on Ice Hockey, in The Outliers, by Malcom Gladwell makes the same point. Players born in a certain month are more likely to succeed as they just get through the cut off, and land on the ice bigger and stronger than most kids.