INTRODUCTION: Assessment of the players motor potential for soccer is multidimensional. In most cases, testing set dedicated to youth players take into account the anthropometric, linear or curve sprinting characteristics, jumping and agility testing and the ability to rapidly change direction. Nevertheless, interpretation of the obtained data is disturbed by the phenomenon of relative age effect (RAE) and different maturity statuses in youth soccer players. There is a lack of studies that investigated the relationship between anthropometric profile, body composition, results of motor tests, and different methods of maturity-based banding for the Talent Identification (TI) process in soccer. The aims of the study were: a) examination of anthropometrical and motor performance with traditional age-grouping by chronological age (CA) and Midway Point methods (MP) proposed by Helsen and colleagues (2021), and b) identify the birth-date distribution in elite polish youth soccer payers. METHODS: Two hundred thirty-six (236) elite youth soccer players aged 12-14 selected by Polish Football Association to National Development Camp (NDC) completed a physical performance battery with anthropometric and body composition analysis. Players biological maturity status was assessed with the age at peak height velocity (APHV) method. All data were compared to growth charts and distribution of birth dates for the Polish Population. Homogeneity of variance was checked, and no violations were found. The Chi2 test was used to determine the differences between the observed and expected frequencies of a birth-date quartile. Differences in body height and match statistics were analyzed with ANOVA and Tukey`s post hoc test. The calculations used a confidence interval of p < 0.05. An independent t-test was conducted to determine the differences in anthropometric characteristics and performance tests results between grouping methods and the first and fourth birth quarter. RESULTS: Before relocation RAE was identify in each sub-group (U13, Chi2=13,5, p=0,0023, V=0,3; Chi2=14,34, p=0,0025, V=0,29; U15 Chi2 =17,65, p<0,001, V=0,33). Analysis shows the quarterly significant differences for U13 grup for body mass (p<0,05), body height (p<0,01), total body water (p<0,01), total protein mass, skeletal muscle mass and power peak output for 30 meters sprint (p<0,05). No significant differences in jumping abilities (SJ, CMJ) and results of CODAT Test. In addition, the study shows the quarterly difference in APHV for U15 (p<0,01). After relocating players with MP guidelines, results show that only 34% of player was correctly banded by age-grouping and over 47 % was older than their CA age-group. CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that maturity status and CA are crucial in the TI and selection process in youth soccer. The method roposed by Helsen and colleagues (2021) may lead to fewer dropouts and thus a larger talented player pool, which benefits, in turn, the talent identification process for soccer academies.
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