Influence of Skeletal Maturity on Size, Function and Sport-specific Technical Skills in Youth Soccer Players

This study compared variation in size, function and sport-specific technical skills of youth soccer players associated with differences in biological maturity status. 60 male soccer players of under-14 (U14) and under-17 (U17) categories were submitted to anthropometric and body composition measurements as well as motor and soccer-specific technical skill tests. Skeletal maturity was determined by skeletal age. Athletes of both categories were classified as early, on-time or late-maturing, according to the difference between chronological age and skeletal age. Body mass and height were lower in the late athletes, independent of category (P<0.01). Differences in adiposity were found only between athletes of the U14 (late