| Physical maturity levels vary widely between | | | | importance on the field, pitcher and shortstop. It is no |
| individuals of the same age. At the Little League age | | | | coincidence that these positions involve a lot of |
| (10-12) there can be a noticeable difference in the | | | | throwing and catching. |
| physical maturity of players. The beginning of | | | | These positions also require the player to engage the |
| adolescence for the average male is around | | | | game and to become involved mentally with learning |
| 12-years-old. An early maturing male may begin | | | | the game of baseball. Meanwhile, the later maturing |
| adolescence at 10-years-old or earlier while a late | | | | players tend to occupy the less important positions |
| maturing male may not enter puberty until the age of | | | | such as outfield, particularly rightfield, where they will |
| 15 or later. | | | | be less likely to have to throw and catch and less |
| Associated with adolescence is an increase in height, | | | | likely to be making decisions that will affect the |
| weight, muscle mass, and bone mass. The individual is | | | | outcome of the game. |
| transformed into a body that is much more capable | | | | The early maturing players also tend to occupy the |
| of performing at higher and more coordinated levels | | | | more important positions in the batting order, slots |
| of physical activity due to the change in physique and | | | | one through five, while the late maturers are typically |
| stature. | | | | placed at the bottom of the line up in the seven, |
| The implications of maturation rates and youth | | | | eight, and nine hitting slots. |
| baseball are great. For example, a 15-player team | | | | Early maturers' physical size and stature provides |
| may have five players who are early maturers, five | | | | them with an advantage when it comes to hitting. |
| who are average maturers, and five who are late | | | | They have greater bat speed and better bat control |
| maturers. The five players who are early maturers | | | | than the later maturing players. |
| may have a biological age that is two to three years | | | | This phenomena tends to decrease as the level of |
| ahead of their chronological age while the five players | | | | play and specialization of position increases. For |
| whose rates of maturation are later than the | | | | example, players who were right fielders at the lower |
| average may have a biological age that is two to | | | | levels of little-league often become left fielders or |
| three years behind their chronological age. | | | | first baseman, if they haven't dropped out by then, |
| This translates, at the physical level, into having five | | | | at the higher levels of junior-high and high-school |
| players on the team who are between the ages of | | | | baseball because the throwing distances are shorter |
| 14 and 15 and another group of five who are | | | | at those positions. However, the "Rightfield |
| between the ages of eight and nine. So essentially | | | | Syndrome" is particularly prevalent at the |
| there are kids with the bodies of 14-and 15-years-old | | | | Little-League level. |
| competing against kids with the bodies of eight-and | | | | Youth sport coaches and parents need to be keenly |
| nine-years-old. This example may seem drastic, and in | | | | aware of the fact that a late maturing child will |
| most cases this does not happen to such an | | | | eventually catch up to and many times surpass the |
| extreme, but it is entirely possible in a youth-sport | | | | early maturer in the changes associated with |
| setting like Little League baseball. | | | | adolescence. |
| It is no wonder that we typically see the bigger and | | | | This means that the smaller, less physically mature |
| more physically mature kids making up the majority | | | | child has the same physical potential of playing |
| of the all-star teams. At the Little-League level, the | | | | Major-League baseball as the early-maturing child. |
| game of baseball favors the players who are bigger | | | | There is little correlation between stardom at the |
| and stronger.The bigger and stronger players can | | | | Little-League level of play and stardom at, and |
| throw harder and farther, swing the bat faster and | | | | beyond, the college level of play. |
| with more control, handle a baseball glove more | | | | While maturation rates may explain some of the |
| proficiently, run faster, and in general produce more | | | | difference in youth-league performance levels |
| strength, power, and coordination with their physically | | | | coaches and parents should avoid pigeonholing players |
| advanced bodies than the average and late maturing | | | | into positions because of physical features that may |
| players.Thus, the early maturing players tend to | | | | simply be a byproduct of differences in maturity |
| occupy the positions considered to be of the most | | | | levels between players. |