Analysis of Methods for Determining the Stage of Sexual Maturity in Youth Sports

Abstract

It is known that at puberty the development of adolescents is very uneven, therefore, their physical abilities are also very diverse, which makes coaches think about the fact that in training groups of the same age, athletes can have different levels of both physical and psychological preparedness. In our opinion, it is very important to find a methodology that can be easily used by coaches to determine the level of puberty of athletes, to optimize the training process for youth athletes. The purpose of this literature review is: 1) to find out and compare different methods for determining the stages of sexual maturity, 2) adapt a method that can be applied in the training process for determining sexual maturity that can be easily practically applied to coaches to create appropriate, individualized training content and methodology for adolescent athletes. Material and methods. Analysis of sources of scientific literature. Results. After analysing several methods for determining the stage of maturity, we found out that all the methods found have limitations, therefore, after reviewing the literature, most often anthropometric measurements, or prediction of PHV in the long term may be practical in sport science studies, however, more accurate data on hormonal maturity are provided by blood test. Conclusions. After reviewing the scientific literature, in our opinion, it would be most successful for coaches to combine the method of blood tests with one of the somatic assessments to determine the stage of sexual maturity. In our opinion, it would be practical for coaches to apply non-invasive methods, but to include blood tests in the annual health examination of athletes, would provide a more accurate assessment of the stage of sexual maturity.