The impact of growth and maturation on athletic performance in adolescent female cricketers: age-related trends and training implications

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the growth, maturation, and performance characteristics of young female cricketers across the U15, U17, and U19 age categories, with a focus on age-related variations in performance relationships. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 93 female cricket divided into three age groups: U15 (n = 30), U17 (n = 36), and U19 (n = 27). Anthropometric data (height, weight, sitting height) and performance metrics (jump tests, sprint speed, agility, and aerobic capacity) were assessed. One-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post hoc tests and Pearson correlations were used to analyze group differences and variable relationships. Results: Significant differences in standing height and age at peak height velocity (PHV) were observed across all three age groups (p < 0.01), with U19 cricketers being the tallest and reaching PHV later. Weight differences were significant between the U17 and U19 groups but not between the U15 and U17 groups. Strong positive correlations were found between most performance metrics within each age group (p < 0.05), although these relationships generally weakened with age. For example, the correlation between speed and agility decreased significantly from U15 to U19. Interestingly, the Yo-Yo IR1, a measure of aerobic fitness, showed a negative correlation with speed, particularly in the U15 and U17 groups, indicating a potential trade-off between these attributes in younger Players Conclusions: Growth, maturation, and physical performance are closely interrelated in young female cricketers, but the nature of these relationships changes with age.