The impact of age and biological maturity in youth sports, with Aaron Patterson, M.S.

Youth sports are more competitive than ever, and the rise in popularity and competitiveness will likely only continue to increase. But have you ever considered the disparity in talent, even within the same age group? In this episode, NSCA certified trainer and sport performance coach Aaron Patterson discusses the impact of Relative Age Effects and Biological Maturity through the lens of a recent research article titled The Influence of Relative Age and Biological Maturity on Youth Weightlifting Performance.   Citation Morris, S., Oliver, J., Radnor, J., Hill, M., Haff, G., and Lloyd, R., (2025). The influence of relative age and biological maturity on youth weightlifting performance. Pediatric Exercise Science, 38:1; 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1123/pes.2024-0083 Aaron Patterson, M.S., NSCA-CPT, CWPC, CSAC, CTPS Aaron Patterson provides informative and educational content for Human Kinetics in the areas of health, fitness, strength and conditioning, and sport performance including exercise technique videos, author interviews, and podcast episodes. Certified through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), Aaron has over 12 years of experience as a personal trainer and sport performance coach. He holds specialty certifications as a Certified Weightlifting Performance Coach (CWPC), Certified Speed and Agility Coach (CSAC), and Certified Tennis Performance Specialist (CTPS).   Training primarily middle school and high school athletes, Aaron recognized the growing need for athletes to also work on their mental performance. It was then that he pursued his master's degree in Kinesiology with a focus in Exercise and Sport Psychology to become a Certified Mental Performance Consultant. As a CMPC, Aaron coaches high performers on mental aspects of their sport performance to build confidence, reduce anxiety, regulate their emotions, and more.   As a track and field coach specializing in jumps and sprints, Aaron is also a Certified American Sport Education Program Coach, and is a member of the National High School Strength Coaches Association (NHSSCA), the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), and the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP). Aaron completed his Master of Science in Kinesiology, Exercise and Sport Psychology, from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.