Title: Comparison of the factors determining the granting status of CSLH academy with academies in other countries. Goal: The aim of the thesis is structure of the training process, players selection, conditions and testing, comparison of ice hockey academies in the Czech Republic, North America and Norway. Methodics: File for research: Five hockey academies from different countries were selected. Representative of the Czech Republic was the HC Sparta Praha, HC Energie Karlovy Vary and HC Rytiri Kladno who holds status adept for academy of CSLH. The Notre Dame Academy was observed in Saskatchewan, and the fifth academy was Norwegian Lillehammer. The conditions, running and testing of players were explored. Questioning was done orally or by correspondence. Conclusion: Although the compared results have their limits, it showed that Canadian Notre Dame is the most effective model for developing hockey players. Key words: Ice hockey, academy, talent selection, testing, educational process

Countries invest a large amount of money in talent development and talent identification. The Swedish ice hockey federation is reorganizing and evaluating the national team selection system. Relative age effect (RAE) refers to a selection bias when relatively older athletes get selected because maturity can be mistaken for talent. This study aimed to examine the selection patterns in the Swedish ice hockey national team and see if there is a relationship between selected players and their birth month. Studies on selections have been conducted in Canadian ice hockey and different leagues, but no one has investigated selections in national team ice hockey.  A Quantitative approach was used, to analyze the sample from this retrospective study.The sample contained 384 players that has been selected for the Swedish youth and junior national team once or more from five different cohorts from 1997-2001. The statistical analyses were conducted through 𝑋!test of association, 𝑋! goodness of fit and factorial ANOVA. The significance level was set to £0,05. Cramers V and h2 was used to measure the effect size.  The results showed that 78% of selected players got re-selected, and most players were entering the system early. A relationship between players birth distribution and selection for the Swedish youth and junior national team was obtained, more players selected were born in the first half of the year. No significant difference in birth distribution was found among the players that played in the World Junior Championship (WJC) in 2017-2021. 92 players were selected for the world junior championship (WJC) rosters. 139 spots were available and 58 of these were taken by underaged players. Underaged players showed a significant difference in birth distribution. Underaged players born in the first half of the year were more likely to be selected as underaged for the U20 WJC rosters compared to their relatively younger peers. No significant difference was found in players height and weight between the four birth quarters.  In conclusion, the Swedish ice hockey national team has adopted a collectivistic approach, players could enter the system at a later stage and still be selected to play in the U20 WJC. Most players are initially selected at age 16, which can indicate that the system is closed. Differences in players birth distribution were found and players born early in the year are more likely to be selected for the national team, however in the WJC squads the birth distribution evens out. / Länder investerar mycket pengar i talangutveckling och talangidentifikation. Svenska ishockeyförbundet genomför en omorganisation och ska utvärdera systemet för landslagsuttagningar. Studiens syfte var att undersöka selektions mönstren inom svensk ishockeys ungdoms- och juniorlandslag, och se om relativ ålder påverkar vem som blir uttagen till landslaget. Studier på uttagningar inom ishockey har tidigare genomförts i Kanada i olika ligor, men ingen har undersökt landslagsuttagningar inom ishockey. RAE hänvisas till en urvalsbias, där relativt äldre atleter blir uttagna på grund av att mognad kan missta sig som talang. Spelarnas position undersöktes också för att se om det finns några skillnader i uttagningar mellan olika positioner.  Studien utgick från en kvantitativ ansats, för att analysera landslagsuttagningarna genomfördes en retrospektiv studie. Urvalet bestod i 384 spelare som blev uttagna en gång eller fler, från fem olika generationer 1997–2001. 𝑋!test of association and 𝑋!goodness of fit, och factorial ANOVA användes för att genomföra dataanalyserna. Signifikansnivån sattes till £ 0,05. Cramers V och h2 användes för att mäta effektstorleken.  Resultatet visar att 78% av de uttagna spelarna blir omvalda, de flesta spelarna kommer in i systemet tidigt. Ett samband mellan spelares födelsedistribution och uttagning till det svenska ungdoms- och juniorlandslaget erhölls. Fler uttagna spelare var födda under det första halvåret (Q1 och Q2), ingen signifikant skillnad i födelsedistribution erhölls bland de uttagna spelarna för junior världsmästerskapet (JVM) i ishockey, åren 2017–2021. 92 spelare blev uttagna till JVM trupperna. Totalt fanns 139 platser tillgängliga i de svenska JVM trupperna, 58 platser fylldes av underåriga spelare. Underåriga spelare visade en signifikant skillnad i födelsedistribution. Underåriga spelare födda under det första halvåret hade större sannolikhet att bli uttagna som underåriga för U20 JVM trupperna. Ingen signifikant skillnad upptäcktes i spelarnas längd och vikt mellan de olika födelse kvartalen.  Slutsats, svensk ishockeys landslagsuttagningar har en kollektivistisk approach. Det var möjligt för spelare att komma in i systemet senare och fortfarande ha möjligheten att representera Sverige i U20 VM. De flesta spelarna blir uttagna vid 16 års ålder, vilket kan indikera att systemet är stängt. Skillnader i spelarnas födelsedistribution hittades, och spelare tidigt födda på året var över representerade i landslagen, men i junior VM truppen jämnade åldersdistributionen ut sig.

The relative age effect (RAE) is associated with (dis)advantages in competitive sports. While the RAE in elite male soccer reveals a skewed birthdate distribution in relation to a certain cut-off date, research of RAE in elite female soccer is affected by small number of samples and conflicting results. The purpose of this study was to investigate the RAE in elite adult German soccer regarding gender and competition level. The sample comprised 680 female and 1,083 male players of the two top German leagues during the 2019/20 season and German national teams (A-Team to Under 19). Differences between the observed and expected birthdate distributions were analyzed using chisquare statistics and effect sizes followed by calculating odds ratios. Results showed a statistically significant RAE with small effect size across all players included for both genders (female players: P < 0.001, W = 0.16, male players: P < 0.001, W = 0.23). The identified RAE was based on an over-representation of players born at the beginning of the year. According to gender and competition level, RAEs were more pronounced in German male soccer. While significant RAEs were found among males in the first two leagues (first league: P < 0.001, W = 0.19, second league: P < 0.001, W = 0.26), the RAE of females was more pronounced in the second league (first league: P = 0.080, W = 0.16, second league: P = 0.002, W = 0.20). The analysis of RAE regarding the national teams revealed a statistically significant RAE with large effect size for only the youngest investigated age group of male players (Under 19: P = 0.022, W = 0.52). Our data show an RAE in female and male German adult soccer, which could be accompanied by a loss of valuable elite players during the youth phase of the career. Consequently, the pool of talented players at the adult level would be limited.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / Specific knowledge of soccer players consists in solving capacity of problems arising from the complex interplay of environment, unpredictable and chaotic, emerging from the interaction between tactics and technique. The tactic is the game space management capabilities from tactical behaviors come from tactical principles. The technique consists of specific motor skills primarily made with the ball and that materialize the player's game intelligence. Psychosocial and biological factors may influence in a direct way the formation and development of specific knowledge of football players. Thus, this thesis consisted of four studies, although independent, sought in association verify the effects of these factors on manifestation of specific knowledge in young footballers. Briefly, the studies aimed at answering the following questions: a) Wich is the leadership profile of football coaches of Aracaju youth teams? b) Do players born in the first months of the year have different tactical behavior of those born in recent months? c) Somatic maturation and motor age influence the tactical behavior in young players? d) The proportion of use of preferred and non-preferred foot (technical functional asymmetry) in the technical actions affects the tactical behavior in young players. We evaluated the tactical behavior, the use of preferred and non-preferred foot, and releases by analyzing game. Coaches from Aracaju feature profile of autocratic leadership, positive reinforcement and training-education. The tactical performance was not influenced by month of birth, level of maturity, the motor age or technical functional asymmetry, although the tactical efficiency was partially influenced. A sample of 22 coaches and a total of 152 players from teams that competed in the Youth Championships in 2015, promoted by Sergipe Football Federation. The leadership profile of the coaches was determined by the Revised Leadership Scale for Sport. Tactical behavior and technical functional asymmetry were assessed by match-analysis, under FUT-SAT and SAFALL-FOOT protocols, respectively. The relative age was stratified into four-month periods based on month of birth. Somatic maturation was identified from the distance (in years) of each player from peak growth rate. Finally, the motor age was established by battery Lincoln-Oseretsky tests. Coaches from Aracaju feature predominantly autocratic style of decision, and high positive reinforcement and training-education. Tactical performance was not influenced by the relative age, somatic maturation level, the motor age nor technical functional asymmetry, although the tactical efficiency was partially influenced. / O conhecimento específico dos jogadores de futebol consiste na capacidade de solução dos problemas advindos de um ambiente de jogo complexo, imprevisível e caótico, emergindo da interação entre a tática e a técnica. A tática consiste na capacidade de administração do espaço de jogo a partir de comportamentos táticos oriundos de princípios táticos. A técnica consiste em habilidades motoras específicas realizadas prioritariamente com a bola e que materializam a inteligência de jogo do jogador. Desta forma, é possível que fatores biopsicossociais influenciem de maneira direta a formação e o desenvolvimento do conhecimento específico de jogadores de futebol. São exemplos desses fatores, o perfil de liderança dos treinadores, a idade relativa, a maturação somática, a idade motora, e a assimetria funcional técnica. Sendo assim, esta dissertação foi composta por quatro estudos que, embora independentes, buscaram de forma associada verificar os efeitos desses fatores sobre a manifestação do conhecimento específico de jovens futebolistas. Sucintamente os estudos visaram responder as seguintes questões: a) Qual o perfil de liderança dos treinadores de futebol das categorias de base de Aracaju/SE? b) Jogadores nascidos nos primeiros meses do ano apresentam comportamento tático diferenciado daqueles nascidos nos últimos meses? c) Em que medida a maturação somática e a idade motora influenciam o comportamento tático em jovens jogadores? e d) A proporção de uso dos pés preferido e não preferido (assimetria funcional técnica) nas ações técnicas afeta o comportamento tático em jovens jogadores? Foram avaliados 22 treinadores e um total de 152 jogadores de equipes que disputaram os Campeonatos de Base 2015, promovidos pela Federação Sergipana de Futebol. O perfil de liderança dos treinadores foi determinado pela Escala de Liderança Revisada para o Esporte. O comportamento tático e a assimetria funcional técnica foram avaliados por meio da análise de jogo, sendo aplicados os protocolos FUT-SAT e SAFALL-FOOT, respectivamente. A idade relativa foi estratificada em quadrimestres referentes ao mês de nascimento. A maturação somática foi identificada a partir da distância (em anos) de cada jogador do pico de velocidade de crescimento. Por fim, a idade motora foi estabelecida pela bateria de testes de Lincoln-Oseretsky. Os treinadores de Aracaju apresentam estilo de decisão predominantemente autocrático, e de elevado reforço positivo e treino-instrução. O desempenho tático não sofreu influência da idade relativa, do nível de maturação somática, da idade motora ou da assimetria funcional técnica, muito embora a eficiência tática fosse parcialmente influenciada.