Physical performance, training load, and growth and maturation in adolescent team sport athletes

Adolescence  represents a pivotal phase of athletic development marked by significant physiological changes with increases in height and body mass alongside improved physical performance - occurring independently of training. While differences in physical performance between boys and girls are negligible prior to puberty, the magnitude of growth is greater in boys which leads to considerably greater physical development. However, there is an absence of studies that include girls, and even fewer directly comparing the development of boys and girls. External training load have also not been quantified in adolescent girls, and few studies have explored the change in loading patterns during these years.  It is vital for coaches to understand these developmental trends throughout an athlete’s growth to better inform training and optimize progression.