Relative Age Effects in Handball: A 17-Year Insight

Handball researchers have long studied how birthdate affects talent selection. Over the past 30 years, the focus has vastly increased, but stability and variability of these 'relative age effects' (RAEs) are still murky. A recent German study aimed to clear this up. First, the study looked at how stable RAEs are over 17 years. Using data from talent selection camps from 2008 to 2024, they found that while some changes happened, the effects of birthdate largely stayed the same. Next, the study compared how these effects vary between genders. Generally, differences were minor. However, as the selection process tightened, these differences grew, especially for male athletes. Lastly, the comparison between selected and non-selected athletes showed that selections strengthened the RAE for males but not females. This sheds light on potential shifts in athlete development trends. In essence, this study provides a revealing snapshot of how birthdate impacts talent selection in handball over nearly two decades.