Giuseppe SCARDINA
Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, Via Giovanni Pascoli 6, Palermo, 90144, Italy.
e-Mail: giuseppe.scardina@unipa.it
Education
Master of Science in Strength and Conditioning at Liverpool John Moores University,
Bachelor’s Degree in Sports and Exercise Sciences with Honours at Università degli Studi di Palermo.
Current Positions
PhD Student in Health Promotion and Cognitive Sciences
PhD project title and a short abstract
Title: Influence of Maturation Status on Physical Performance in Males and Females Youth Soccer Players
Abstract: The physical performance of youth soccer players seems to be influenced by the maturation status. This study aims to investigate how biological maturation impacts physical performance by exploring variations in physical attributes across different maturation levels and player positions, with a focus on both males and females. By adopting a longitudinal design, participants from Under 11 to Under 16 will be recruited and categorized by maturation status (i.e., early-maturing; late-maturing; and on-time maturing) and player position. Anthropometric data (standing height, sitting height, and weight), growth changes [Age at Peak Height Velocity (APHV)], and physical performances including sprint speed, agility, and jumping ability, across three key periods (i.e., pre-season, mid-season, and end-season) will be collected. The research will also investigate the Relative Age Effect (RAE) with its implications in talent recognition and selection. The expected results of this study are to find higher physical performances in early-maturing players and that the RAE may influence players’ selection in favour of players born earlier in the selection year.
The results of this research could be useful to enhance fair development opportunities and optimize training programs. The findings will contribute to more equitable talent identification and development strategies, addressing biases related to maturation and relative age, and offering insights into gender-specific performance differences.
Supervisor: Prof. Valerio Giustino
Main research areas of interest
Sports and Exercise Sciences; Strength and Conditioning; Sports Performance; Physical Activity; Exercise Physiology.
Researcher ID
ORCID: 0009-0006-0443-2806
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Giuseppe-Scardina-2