Relative age effect and dropout causes in a multisport club setting. Is there a special reason to give up?

• Main Authors: Eduardo Macedo Penna, Bruno Teobaldo Campos, Gabriela Gomes Pavan Gonçalves, Gustavo Henrique Pereira Godinho, Claudio Olívio Vilela Lima, Luciano Sales Prado
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Estadual Paulista 2018-12-01
• Series: Motriz: Revista de Educacao Fisica
• Subjects: relative age effect; dropout; sport psychology
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1980-65742018000400711&lng=en&tlng=en

Abstract Aims: The aim of the present study was 1) compare the drop-out rates between athletes born in different trimesters of the competitive year from different sports and 2) identify the causes pointed by the dropped-out athletes born in different selection year trimesters to disengage from the competitive sports environment. Methods: Data from 966 athletes who left the competitive sports context were analyzed under the Relative Age Effect (RAE) theoretical framework during 3 consecutive seasons. The drop-out rate and the reason to quit the competitive environment were analyzed by a routine club questionnaire. Results: An expected reverse RAE on drop-out rates was identified, in which the early born athletes were overrepresented (p<0.001). Regarding the reasons to disengage from competitive sports environment, no reason emerged as the main cause to dropout between athletes born in different selection year trimester. Conclusion: It was concluded that despite the common assumption that personal psychological issues related to RAE in late born athletes are important factors influencing sports disengagement, the relationship between drop-out and RAE is more complex and multifactorial.