摘要：The relative age effect (RAE) is almost pervasive throughout youth sport, whereby relatively older athletes are consistently overrepresented compared to their relatively younger peers. Whilst researchers regularly cite the need for sport programmes to incorporate strategies to moderate the RAE, organisational structures often continue to adopt a one-dimensional (bi)annual-age group approach. In an effort to combat this issue, England Squash implemented a ‘birthday-banding’ strategy to their Talent Pathway, whereby young athletes move up to their next age group on their birthday, with the aim to remove particular selection time-points and fixed chronological bandings. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the potential effects of the birthday-banding strategy on birth quarter (BQ) distributions throughout the England Squash Talent Pathway. Three mixed-gender groups were populated and analysed: (a) ASPIRE athletes (n = 250); (b) Development and Potential athletes (n = 52); and, (c) Senior Team and Academy athletes (n = 26). Chi-square analysis and odds ratios were used to test BQ distributions against national norms and between quartiles, respectively. Results revealed no significant difference between BQ distributions within all three groups (P >.05). In contrast to most studies examining the RAE within athlete development settings, there appeared to be no RAE throughout the England Squash Talent Pathway. These findings suggest that the birthday-banding strategy may be a useful tool to moderate the RAE in youth sport.
