相對年齡效應對跆拳道青少年女子運動員之影響

The Relative Age Effect on Adolescent Female Taekwondo Athletes

本研究目的在探討青少年女子跆拳道選手出生季的人數分佈，以了解是否存在相對年齡效應。研究對象為國高中女子跆拳道選手 114 人，依照 9 月 1 日開學為基準，9、10、11 月出生者為第 1 季，12-2、3-5、6-8 月出生者依序為第 2、3、4 季，分別進行人數統計。另外，進一步依據選手表現分為優秀與非優秀組，優秀組為曾參加全國跆拳道賽事獲得前 4 名者，其餘為非優秀組。數據以 SPSS 22.0 中文版統計軟體處理，分別進行描述性統計和卡方檢定分析。結果顯示第 1-4 季出生人數分別為 37、26、22、29 人，各季人數比例經卡方檢定顯示差異不顯著。優秀與非優秀組人數分別為 37 與 77 人，其中優秀組 1-4 季出生人數分別為 13、10、6、8 人，各季人數比例經卡方檢定顯示差異不顯著。非優秀組 1-4 季出生人數分別為 24、16、16、21 人，各季人數比例經卡方檢定也顯示差異不顯著。根據本研究，相對年齡效應在青少年女子跆拳道選手並不明顯。進一步分析奪牌優秀選手和次佳選手，也沒有發現相對年齡效應。推測原因可能是青少女發育成熟時間較男生早，多數青少年女子跆拳道選手在進到國中後成長速度跡象就下降許多，加上跆拳道賽事分量級比賽，出生月較晚、體型較小的運動員可以參加較輕量級的賽事而不受影響。

This study investigated the distribution of birth month of adolescent female taekwondo athletes to discern the relative age effect. 114 female taekwondo players in junior and senior high school were recruited in this study. The birth month and results in competition events of each player were collected. Because the school year started in September, birth month between September and November was grouped as season 1, and birth month between December-February, March-May, and June-August, were grouped as season 2, 3 and 4, respectively. Performance of these athletes was divided as the elite and the sub-elite. Those won a medal in a national-wide game in the past year were grouped as the elite and the others were grouped as the sub-elite. The data was processed with SPSS 22.0 Chinese version statistical software with descriptive statistics and chi -square test analysis were performed. The statistical test level is set to α = .05. The results showed that the number of athletes in four seasons was 37, 26, 22, and 29, respectively. The chi -square test showed the numbers of four seasons were not significantly different. In the elite 37 athletes, the numbers of four seasons were 13, 10, 6, and 8, r espectively, and chi-square test showed the difference of the number was not significant. In the sub -elite 77 athletes, the numbers of four seasons were 37, 26, 22, and 29, and likewise, difference of the number was not significant in the chi-square test. According to this study, the relative age effect was not existed in these young female taekwondo players, even in the elite group. In general, young females matured earlier than the young males. The young female athletes of this study may pass the growth spurt, and hence the advantage of earlier mature diminished. Moreover, events of taekwondo competition are categorized by weight classes, young female athletes who born later may have a smaller body size hence be benefitted to compete in lighter weight classes.