ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the influence that birthdate and birthplace can have on long-term sport participation. It provides solutions and recommendations to prevent or reduce the likelihood of sport participation inequalities created by birthdate and birthplace. In most youth sports, governing bodies impose competition years that place athletes into one- or two-year age bands. Parents are not the only social agents contributing to relative age effects. Researchers have demonstrated that coaches perpetuate relative age effects. The contention is that coaches focus on athletes’ physical attributes during team selections. Over a decade of research highlights the important role of one’s birthplace with respect to sport participation and performance, known as the birthplace effect. The intent of the following recommendations is to provide clear direction for parents and sport scientists to navigate relative age and birthplace effects during the first ten years of life.
