The association between biological maturation and motor performance in U13 and U15 youth football players

Abstract

Purpose: Biological maturation plays a considerable role in the development and performance of youth football players, particularly during adolescence, when substantial interindividual differences in growth and physical development occur. This study aimed to examine the relationship between biological maturation and anthropometric characteristics, motor performance, and sport-specific ball skills in U13 and U15 youth soccer players. The secondary aim was to examine differences in these outcomes between biological maturity groups within each age category (U13 and U15). Methods: The sample consisted of 378 male youth football players from Dalmatia (U13: n = 214; U15: n = 164). Anthropometric measurements included body height, body mass, body mass index, and sitting height. Biological maturation was estimated using age at peak height velocity (APHV) according to the Mirwald method, and players were classified as less mature, average, or more mature. Motor performance was assessed using sprint tests (5 m, 20 m, 20 m with the ball), explosive power tests (standing long jump, medicine ball throw), and agility tests (slalom with and without the ball). Associations between maturation and performance were examined using Pearson correlation coefficients, while one-way ANOVA was used to analyze differences between maturity groups. Results: Biological maturation showed significantly large correlations with anthropometric variables in both age groups, including body height (U13: r=0.65; U15: r=0.73) and body mass (U13: r=0.59; U15: r=0.83; p<0.001). In the U13 group, a significant association with motor performance was observed only for the medicine ball throw (r=0.56), while other tests showed trivial or non-significant correlations. In contrast, in the U15 group significant correlations were found for standing long jump (r=0.66), medicine ball throw (r=0.70), 5 m sprint (r=–0.34), and 20 m sprint (r=–0.52). Significant relationships with ball-related tests were also observed in U15 players for the 20 m sprint with the ball (r=–0.51) and slalom with the ball (r=–0.42). Furthermore, more mature players showed dominance in motor performance tests in the U15 generation, whereas in the U13 generation differences were also found; however, they were less pronounced, and more mature players were not always the most successful. Discussion: The results indicate that biological maturation is more strongly related to performance with increasing age. In the U13 group, most players have not yet reached peak height velocity, which may explain the weaker associations between maturation and motor performance. In contrast, many U15 players are closer to or have already passed their growth spurt, resulting in greater body size, strength, and power that contribute to improved performance in both physical and ball-related tests. Conclusions: Biological maturation shows stronger associations with motor and sport-specific performance in U15 than in U13 football players, highlighting the importance of considering biological maturity in talent identification and selection processes.