Abstract :The aim of this study is to make a comparison with literature by introducing the facts such as the onset of training for athletes at the elite level, the first achievement phase, high performance phase and their achievement in athletics. Also, by identifying the causes for success and failure, it is to ensure the continuation of success that Turkey has reached in this field and to offer a solution, which we believe is going to be useful, for the failure. As of 2013, the total number of athletes competing in Turkish Athletics and Cross Country League includes 229 women and 224 men. 310 athletes who are 20 years and above constitute the population of the study and 93 of theses athletes (30%) constitute the sample group. It is found out that the average age of women athletes is 21,7±5,2 years while it is 23,1±10,6 years for men. The ratio of the ones who have started athletics between the ages of 13-15 is 37,6%. This age group is considered to be the branching age in athletics. It is identified that age of training onset of the research group is 13,1±4,3 years and the percentage of athletes having no break is 58,1% (54 athletes). When their possibility of being a coach is analysed, 13,9% of them (13 athletes) stated that they did not get any help from any coach. Implications: It was determined that successful athletes in elite level started training late and they could not get "basic fitness training" and "branch education" fully. According to these results, plans to encourage the reduction of the onset age of Athletics should be developed and branching education and developmental education should be widespread in the country.

Relative age effect (RAE) refers to overrepresentation of athletes born in earlier months in the selection year compared to their relatively younger peers. Popular sports involving annual age groupings that are organised at national level appear most at risk to RAE inequalities. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of the relative age effect (RAE) athletes of the under 12 years category at the National Schools Athletics Championships of Malaysia 2012. The data utilized was sourced from the official website of the organizer of the competition. Chi square analyses found significant (p<.05) uneven birth date distributions, with a high incidence of athletes being born in the first quartile of the year for both the male and female athletes. Early maturing adolescents tend to be sucessful in age group competitions and are selected into development programs. Talented but late maturers are denied this opportunity and fail to realise their true potential. Reevaluating the format and implementation of cut off dates for adolescent sports competitions would provide an equal opportunity for adolescents to be sucessful in their chosen sport. Cite as: Suppiah, P. K., Abdullah, M. R., Ramalingam, S., Noordin, H., & Nazarudin, M. N. (2013). Relative Age Effect Among Participants of the Under 12 Category of the Malaysian Schools Sports Council Athletics Championships 2012. Coaching Journal Akademi Kejurulatihan Kebangsaan, pp. 29 - 35.

The purpose of this study was to examine differences and relationships between selected anthropometric features and performance variables of youth athletes in terms of chronological age and biological maturity. The research group was composed of total 76 track and field athletes, jumping events (male=18, female=19) and sprint events (male=17, female=22). Chronological age, competition performance, body height, body weight, sitting height, leg length, 30 meters speed, hand grip, leg strength, vertical jump and flexibility ability values were obtained from athletes. Also body mass index (BMI), age of peak height velocity (PHV), anaerobic power (AP) values of the athletes were calculated, and their competition results were converted to IAAF scoring system point. Statistical comparison of the events and gender groups was carried out using Mann Whitney-U test. Spearman's correlation coefficients (rho) were used to express the relationships between parameters. It was found that there are differences in selected anthropometric and performance values with regard to gender for jumping and sprint event athletes, except the values of flexibility ability. Furthermore, the relationships between variables and athletes’ age as well as biological maturity levels were observed. The athletes who are in the same age group have different correlation values according to their age and PHV between the variables. In this point, the coaches of youth athletes should be identify maturity level of their athletes, if they would like to prepare and to apply individual training program to them, with refrain from injury.

Enhancing our understanding of athlete development would be valuable for coaches, parents and administrators to set realistic performance expectations and to advance youth sport policy. To this end, a database of track and field performances was examined. Records of 134,313 performances by athletes aged between 12 and 35 years in sprinting, throwing, jumping and middle distance events were analysed. Results revealed that a minority (Male, 9%; Female, 13%) of top 20 ranked senior athletes were also ranked in the top 20 at Under 13 (U13). These results were supported by the finding that a minority of athletes retained their top 20 ranking at subsequent age grades (36.3% U13-U15; 23% U13-U17; 13% U13-U20; 43.3% U15-U17; 22.1% U15-U20; 41.8% U17-U20). By U20, less than 30% of athletes who had been ranked in the top 20 at U13 were still listed on the national rankings. Examining a broader sample of athletes revealed weak to moderate correlations between performances at different age grad...