The relationship between executive functions and sports experience, relative age effect, as well as physical maturity in youth soccer players of different ages

ABSTRACT

Sports psychology and kinesiology research focused on executive functions in the last ten years as cognitive functions could be one of the smallest adjustments possible in high-level athletes. We examined the connection of sports experience, (relative-) age effects, and physical maturity on the executive functions in male youth soccer players (N = 110). Working memory was assessed using the 3-back task, inhibition was measured using the flanker task, and cognitive flexibility was measured using the number-letter task. We hypothesised that sports experience, (relative-) age effects and physical maturity are positively correlated with executive functions. However, the linear regression model MANOVA test statistics revealed only an impact of calendar age on executive functions. The results demonstrate that athletes attain a certain level in executive functions and gain specific cognitive skills in their sports. Nevertheless, questions about the transfer of executive functions on sport-specific cognitive skills remain unclear.

KEYWORDS:

• Executive functions
• sports experience
• physical maturity
• relative age effect
• soccer

Acknowledgements

No acknowledgements.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Data availability statement

The data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author.

Institutional review board statement

The study design complies with the Declaration of Helsinki ethical standards.

Additional information

Funding

This research received no external funding.