Can it help reduce the relative age effect in sport? Yes, and it can also reduce selection bias between early- and late-maturing athletes. But it's not for all sports.
Big consideration, in my opinion, is the social and emotional factor.
Considering the platform that a lot of kids, at various ages, play sport primarily for fun and to be with their friendship group; even at high skills level.
You push them into bio-banding, and then the fun and social factor is essentially removed. They're not with their mates and peer group.
A 15 yo and a 12 yo don't, often, want to hang out together. Splinter groups develop. Huge consideration and challenge. I've seen this in youth martial arts, football and rugby.
Then, the other key factor is... wherr do you place the highly skilled/'talented' late developers? Those (very) few kids who are 3 or 4 years biologically 'young' for their age; but are first on the team sheet?
These are often the outliers, in my opinion, who are real talents, if any.
I think it might or could work or apply, generally, if you introduce it in a high performance context. And the youngsters buy into it as an elite training pathway.
Big consideration, in my opinion, is the social and emotional factor.
Considering the platform that a lot of kids, at various ages, play sport primarily for fun and to be with their friendship group; even at high skills level.
You push them into bio-banding, and then the fun and social factor is essentially removed. They're not with their mates and peer group.
A 15 yo and a 12 yo don't, often, want to hang out together. Splinter groups develop. Huge consideration and challenge. I've seen this in youth martial arts, football and rugby.
Then, the other key factor is... wherr do you place the highly skilled/'talented' late developers? Those (very) few kids who are 3 or 4 years biologically 'young' for their age; but are first on the team sheet?
These are often the outliers, in my opinion, who are real talents, if any.
I think it might or could work or apply, generally, if you introduce it in a high performance context. And the youngsters buy into it as an elite training pathway.
Good topic Bill. Difficult to apply.