Introduction

Training young female rugby players requires a solid understanding of how their bodies grow and develop, as these factors greatly influence their physical abilities and training needs. Concepts such as growth, maturation, and development are essential in guiding the structure of training programs. 

This module will equip coaches with key insights into these areas, specifically focusing on female athletes, and will emphasise how these factors should shape training approaches to optimise performance and development.

Growth, Maturation and Development

Physical growth, biological/sexual maturation and development are different concepts; however, all play a key role when training a young female athlete. Growth is the change in body size, body composition or dimensions of a specific region of the body (Joyce and Lewindon, 2014). The growth rate of stature is highest during the first year of life and gradually declines until the onset of the adolescent growth spurt, which generally occurs at about ten years in girls (Beunen and Malina, 2007).

Maturation refers to the progress towards a mature state, with individual variations in timings and tempo. This process varies greatly between individuals, with different body systems maturing at different rates. For instance, the skeletal system might mature later than the reproductive system, which can impact training (Lloyd et al., 2014). Development has both biological and behavioural aspects referring to the development of motor skills and movement patterns. 

As a coach, understanding these three factors—growth, maturation, and development—will help you design training that suits each athlete's unique needs. This knowledge ensures that you can support young female athletes in a way that promotes safe, effective, and age-appropriate development.