Effect of age group on male volleyball players technical-tactical performance profile for the spike

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1 International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport 2015, 15, Effect of age group on male volleyball players technical-tactical performance profile for the spike Antonio García-de-Alcaraz 1, Enrique Ortega 2 and José M. Palao 2 1 Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences. Polytechnic University of Madrid, Spain 2 Faculty of Sport Sciences. University of Murcia, Spain Abstract The aim of this study was to analyze male volleyball players technicaltactical performance profile of the spike (attack and counterattack) at various age groups and categories. The sample comprised 16,467 spike actions (8,890 attacks and 7,577 counterattacks) performed by 986 players in 299 sets from various categories (U-14, U-16, U-19, national senior, and international senior). A descriptive and correlational inter- and intragroup observational design was used. The variables studied were: category of competition, spike, and spike performance. The results showed a significant increase in the use of fast- attacks (first and second s) as well as a significant improvement in the performance of first spikes (both attack and counterattack). An increase in the speed of the game by means of fast attacks is observed at higher age categories, which contributes to higher efficacy. This paper discusses various reasons for the evolution in the spike as well as the effects on the training process in different categories of competition in volleyball. Key words: team sports, performance analysis, match analysis, volleyball. 1. Introduction The volleyball spike is the action that is most strongly related to the match s final outcome, especially in high-level categories (Drikos & Vagenas, 2011; Eom & Schutz, 1992a, 1992b; Laios & Kountouris, 2005; Lobietti, Michele, & Merni, 2006; Marcelino, Mesquita, & Afonso, 2008; Marelic, Resetar, & Jankovic, 2004; Palao, Santos, & Ureña, 2004, 2007). Spike performance is related to various factors such as ball contact height, attack, etc. Attack is defined by the period of time between the set and the spiker's hit. This period of time affects not only the execution of the spike but also the opponent s ability to organize their defense (Selinger & Ackermann-Blount, 1985). When the spike is performed quickly, there is greater efficacy (Bergeles & Nikolaidou, 2011; Castro, Souza, & Mesquita, 2011; Costa et al., 2011; Palao et al., 2007; Patsiaouras, Charitonidis, Moustakidis, & Kokaridas, 2009), yet quick spikes depend on the performance of prior actions such as reception or defense (Castro & Mesquita, 2010; Papadimitriou, Paschali, Sermaki, Mellas, & Papas, 2004). The reception occurs in a more stable or predictable phase of play than the defense, which 668

2 depends on the rival s attack (Castro et al., 2011). These differences result in an increase in quick shots from the reception (Palao et al., 2007) and an increase in attack performance for this phase (Eom & Schutz, 1992a; Marelic et al., 2004). These complex interactions between game actions result in the spike performance varying according to game phase, competition category, and/or level of performance. Concerning players individual characteristics, spike performance is related to the hit height (Grgantov, Katic, & Jankovic, 2006; Stanganelli, Dourado, Oncken, Mançan, & Costa, 2008) and the ball s release speed (Forthomme, Croisier, Ciccarone, Crielaard, & Cloes, 2005). To achieve maximum height, the development of anthropometric characteristics (Ciccarone et al., 2008; Sheppard et al., 2008; Stamm, Stamm, & Thomson, 2005) and lower body power (Sheppard et al., 2008) is important. On the other hand, to achieve maximum ball speed, the players height and weight (Marques, Tillaar, Gabbett, Reis, & González-Badillo, 2009) and upper body power (Forthomme et al., 2005; Marques et al., 2009) are important. In addition to anthropometric (height and standing reach) and physiological (power, speed, etc.) factors, technical execution of the spike (jump and hitting technique, etc.) influences spike performance (Selinger & Ackermann-Blount, 1985). From these research studies it can be concluded that the anthropometric and physiological development of volleyball players (Grgantov et al., 2006; Massa, Böhme, Silva, & Uezu, 2003; Rikberg & Raudsepp, 2011), the technical improvement gained from training (Gabbett et al., 2006), and the spike have an impact on spike performance. Since these characteristics are different in each competition category (Grgantov et al., 2006, Malina & Bouchard, 1991), spike efficacy may vary. Nevertheless, no research studies that show players technical-tactical performance profile of the spike in different competition categories have been found. Thus, this study is the first step in establishing volleyball players technical-tactical performance profile for the spike in various age groups and performance levels using common evaluation criteria. These reference values are useful in training and competition. The aim of this study was to analyze male volleyball players performance profile for the spike (attack and counterattack) in terms of execution and game phase in various competition categories. 2. Method 2.1. Population and sample The population consisted of teams and players participating in matches and sets in the Spanish U-14, U-16, and U-19 men s championships ( season), the Spanish First Division (national senior category, and seasons), and the 2008 Olympic Games (international senior category). The sample was composed of 16,467 spikes (8,890 attacks and 7,577 counterattacks) performed by 986 players in 299 sets. Fifty-nine sets were selected from the Olympic Games, while sixty sets were selected from the other categories. Sets were first stratified into groups in terms of level of performance (one of three rankings) at the end of the competition and quality of opposition (six possible confrontations based on the performance level of 669

3 the opponent) and then were randomly selected. Due to the different structure of the fifth set (FIVB, 2008), it was not included in the sample. All matches were recorded with the consent of the event s organizing committee. For the Olympics, matches were downloaded from open online channels such as NBC; for the other categories, matches were recorded. The process did not affect players or teams spontaneous behavior, as video recording is a common, non-invasive procedure typically used by volleyball coaches. This study was approved by the Bioethics Commission of the University of Murcia (Spain) and complied with the ethical principles stated by the Declaration of Helsinki Design A descriptive, correlational, observational (nomothetic, intrasessional, and multidimensional) design was implemented by means of a category system (Anguera, 2003). The variables included: a) category of competition (U-14, U-16, U-19, national senior, and international senior), b) spike (related to the synchronization between the setter s pass and the spiker s contact) (Palao & Manzanares, 2009; Selinger & Ackermann-Blount, 1985) (Table 1), and c) spike performance. Spike performance was measured in terms of the defending team s ability to counterattack when the ball passes to their court, or the attacking team s ability to counterattack when the ball remains in their court (Table ). The measurement scale that was used was adapted from Palao et al. (2004), by regrouping the categories of continuity. The spike was defined as the action carried out by a player when hitting the ball with one hand in the air and while jumping, regardless of whether contact with the ball was made above the height of the net. Table 1. Technical-tactical variables for the spike Type of spike Fast spike or first spike Tense spike or second spike High spike or third spike Description The spiker performs the jump spike before or during the setter s pass. The ball follows a relatively flat trajectory between the spiker and the setter. The spiker starts the approach run during the setter s pass, performing the last 2-3 steps at the moment of the pass. The ball follows an intermediate or rounder trajectory. The spiker starts the approach run after the setter s pass, performing at least two steps before the take-off of the jump spike. The ball follows a steep trajectory. Table 2. Performance variables for the spike Value Category Description 0 Error Attack error. The ball goes out of the court, into the net, or the spiker commits a rule violation while spiking (e.g. touching attack line, illegal contact). 0 Error (block) Attack error. The spike is blocked by the opponent s first line of defense (block). 1 Negative spike Spike continuity. The defending team can set up a counterattack with at least one attack option. When the ball does not pass to the opponent s court, the attacking team cannot counterattack, but the ball remains in play. 3 Positive spike Spike continuity. The defending team cannot set up a counterattack. When the ball does not pass to the opponent s court, the attacking team can counterattack with at least one attack option. 4 Point Point. The ball directly touches the floor in the opponent s court or the defending team cannot control the ball and it goes out of bounds. 670

4 2.3. Procedure and instruments Competitions were recorded on video cameras located at the end of the court and at a height above the net, except for the matches of the Olympic Games, which were filmed from the sides and back of the court. It was ensured that at least the official court area (18 x 9 m) was recorded in order to allow full view of the game s actions. Regular video cameras were positioned on tripods and plugged into the wall with extension cords. In the case of the senior national category, matches were also downloaded from the official website of the Spanish competition. Technical-tactical actions were observed by a single observer, who held a degree in sport sciences as well as the highest coaching certification in Spain. He likewise had over ten years of experience in volleyball coaching and performance analysis. To assess the quality of data coding and variables, a training process was undertaken before starting the research study with twelve matches from the national senior category. A consistency analysis (Cronbach's Alpha) was conducted with two observers who held the highest coaching certification in Spain and had over two years of experience in performance analysis in volleyball as well as in the use of the observational software utilized in this study. For the inter-observer reliability analysis, 25% of sets from the national senior category were randomly selected and observed. Analyses showed an inter-observer reliability of.930 for attack and.812 for counterattack. For the intrareliability analysis, 20% of sets from each category of competition were randomly selected and observed. Analyses showed an intra-observer reliability of.879 for attack and.809 for counterattack. While observing the matches, variables were recorded with the Data Volley software (Data Volley 2007, Data Project Sport Software, Bologna, Italy). The recorded actions were then synchronized with video images by means of Data Video (Data Video 2007, Data Project Sport Software, Bologna, Italy), so that the data quality could be analyzed later. Following the procedure proposed by García-de-Alcaraz and Palao (2013), recorded data were exported using internal spreadsheets from the observation tool. Each spreadsheet contained players and teams performances during the set. All spreadsheets were merged into a single matrix in which contextual variables (category, team level, type of match, set result, game system, initial line-up, substitutions, and role of players) were added. SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, SPSS Inc) was used for descriptive and inferential analyses. The sample size was analyzed to check data stability (Hughes & Daniel, 2003). For all the analyzed variables, stability occurred below ten sets for the attack and below nineteen sets for the counterattack Statistical analysis A descriptive analysis for the various spikes and spike s for every category of competition was performed. Frequency (number of spikes or type of spikes), relative frequency (relative measure for frequency), average of actions (mean team value per set), coefficient (mean value for performance of spike or type of spike), efficacy (percentage of maximum performance of spike or type of spike), efficiency (percentage of maximum value of an action when subtracting the errors), ratio (error-to-point), and total ratio (error and block error-to-point) were calculated for the attack and counterattack. The following inferential tests were performed: a) Kolmogorov-Smirnov test to analyze the normality of the data, b) Kruskal-Wallis test (p <.05) to identify 671

5 differences among categories, c) Wilcoxon test (p <.05) to analyze specific differences within each category, and d) Mann Whitney U procedure with Bonferroni post hoc (p <.01) to analyze specific differences between each category. 3. Results Results for the execution of the attack (Table 2) showed a predominance of third attacks in initial stages (U-14, U-16, and U-19) and second attack in senior categories (national and international). Regarding the evolution of each type of attack, there was a statistically significant increase in the percentage of first and second attacks and a statistically significant decrease in the percentage of third attacks throughout the categories. With regard to attack (Table 3), the first attack resulted in a predominance of negative attacks in the U-14 category and of attack points in the remaining categories. Negative attacks decreased significantly beginning in the U-19 category, while positive attacks decrease significantly at the senior international category. A statistically significant decrease in attack errors was also found for senior categories (national and international) compared to U-19. Attack points increase significantly beginning in the U-19 category. No statistically significant differences in attack errors due to the opponent s block were appreciated. Concerning second attacks, a prevalence of attack points was found in all categories, with the exception of U-14, where no cases of second attacks were recorded. A statistically significant increase in negative attacks was observed in senior categories (national and international) compared to U-19. There were no statistically significant differences in the other variables. Regarding third attack, a prevalence of attack points in all categories was observed, with the exception of the predominance of negative attacks in the senior international category. Errors and positive attacks decrease significantly starting at the senior national category. A statistically significant increase in errors due to the opponent s block was observed when comparing the U-14 category with the rest of the categories of competition. There were no statistically significant differences for the other variables. 672

6 Table 2. Frequency of attacks, mean per set, and percentage of attacks per set by category U-14 U-16 U-19 National International n Mean % n Mean % n Mean % n Mean % n Mean % 1st * * * 2nd a a *a * a * \ 3rd ab ab *ab * ab * ab Total attacks Legend. n = frequency of attacks, Mean = mean per set, % = percentage of total attacks per set. p <.01 when compared to U-14. *p <.01 when compared to U-16. p <.01 when compared to U-19. \ p <.01 when compared to national category. a Significant differences when compared to first attack. b Significant differences when compared to second attack. 673

7 Table 3. Performance of first, second, and third attacks by category. 1st 2nd 3rd U-14 U-16 U-19 National International n M % n M % n M % n M % n M % Error Error/B a a Neg ab ab ab ab ab Pos abc ab bc ab * \c Point ab abc abcd * abcd * abcd Total Error Error/B a Neg ab ab Pos b abc c Point bc abcd abcd abcd Total Error * * Error/B a a a a Neg ab ab ab ab ab Pos bc bc bc * c * ac Point abd abd abd abd abd Total Legend. n = frequency of attacks, M = mean per set, % = percentage of total attacks per set, Error/B: attack error due to opponent s block, Neg.: negative attack, Pos.: positive attack. p <.01 when compared to U-14. *p <.01 when compared to U-16. p <.01 when compared to U-19. \ p <.01 when compared to national category. a Significant differences when compared to error. b Significant differences when compared to Error/B. c Significant differences when compared to negative attack. d Significant differences when compared to positive attack. 674

8 Regarding statistical data for total attacks (Table 4), at higher categories, there were statistically significant increases in the coefficient, efficacy and efficiency as well as a statistically significant decrease in the percentage of error, ratio and total ratio. Also, a statistically significant increase in errors due to the opponent s block starting in the U- 16 category was found. For first attacks, there were statistically significant increases in the coefficient, efficacy and efficiency as well as a statistically significant decrease in the ratio and total ratio between the initial stages and senior categories (national and international). The efficacy also increased significantly between the U-14 and U-19 categories. Statistically significant differences in the percentage of error were also observed although no trend was shown. No statistically significant differences in the percentage of error due to the opponent s block were found. For second attacks, there were statistically significant decreases in the ratio at the senior international level as well as for the total ratio starting at the senior national level, when compared with U-16 and U-19. Finally, third attacks showed statistically significant increases in the percentage of errors due to the opponent s block (when comparing U-14 with the rest of the categories) and in total ratio (starting with the national category) as well as statistically significant decreases in the percentage of error and ratio (starting with the national category). No significant differences were found in other variables. Regarding the counterattack action (Table 5), a predominance of third attacks was found in all categories. Concerning the evolution of each of counterattack, a statistically significant increase in second attacks and a statistically significant decrease in third attacks were observed. Statistically significant differences in first attacks were also found. 675

9 Table 4. Attack performance values by category. Type of attack Total 1st 2nd 3rd Statistical data U-14 U-16 U-19 National International Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD Coefficient * * 1.12 Efficacy (%) * * Error (%) * * Error/B (%) * * Efficieny (%) * * Ratio 1: : : :6.79 * :7.37 * 1.21 Total ratio 1: : : :3.27 * :3.31 * 1.20 Coefficient * * 1.26 Efficacy (%) * * Error (%) Error/B (%) Efficieny (%) * * Ratio 1: : : : : Total ratio 1: : : :4.43 * :4.94 * 1.20 Coefficient Efficacy (%) Error (%) Error/B (%) Efficieny (%) Ratio.. 1: : : :7.36 * 1.14 Total ratio.. 1: : :3.43 * :3.33 * 1.15 Coefficient Efficacy (%) Error (%) * * Error/B (%) Efficieny (%) Ratio 1: : : :2.81 * :3.50 * 0.67 Total ratio 1: : : :1.49 * :1.27 * 0.44 Legend. Mean = mean per set, SD = standard deviation, Error/B: attack error due to opponent s block. p <.01 when compared to U-14. *p <.01 when compared to U-16. p <.01 when compared to U-19. \ p <.01 when compared to national category. 676

10 Table 5. Frequency of counterattacks, mean per set, and percentage of counterattacks per set by category. 1st U-14 U-16 U-19 National International n Mean % n Mean % n Mean % n Mean % n Mean % * * nd a a a * a * \a 3rd ab ab *ab * ab * ab Total Legend: n = frequency of counterattacks, Mean = mean per set, % = percentage of total counterattacks per set. p <.01 when compared to U-14. *p <.01 when compared to U-16. p <.01 when compared to U-19. \ p <.01 when compared to national category. a Significant differences when compared to first counterattack. b Significant differences when compared to second counterattack. 677

11 Regarding first counterattacks (Table 6), a predominance of negative attacks in the U-14 and U-16 categories and of counterattack points in the remaining categories was observed. A statistically significant decrease in negative and positive counterattacks and a statistically significant increase in counterattack points were observed. Statistically significant differences for error were also found; however, no statistically significant differences for errors due to the opponent s block were found. With regard to second counterattacks, a predominance of counterattack points was observed at all stages. No data were available in the U-14 category, and there were no statistically significant differences for these variables between any category. Regarding third counterattacks, a predominance of counterattack points was found in all categories, with the exception of the international senior category, where there was a predominance of negative attacks. A statistically significant decrease in positive counterattacks and errors and a statistically significant increase in errors due to the opponent s block were observed. Statistically significant differences for counterattack points were also found. No statistically significant differences in the negative counterattacks were observed. 678

12 Table 6. Performance of first, second, and third counterattacks by category. 1st 2nd 3rd U-14 U-16 U-19 National International n M % n M % n M % n M % n M % Error Error/B Neg ab ab ab *b ab Pos abc bc b c Point ab abd abd * abcd abcd Total Error Error/B Neg ab ab Pos c c c Point abcd abcd abcd abcd Total Error * * Error/B a a a * a * a Neg ab ab ab ab ab Pos bc abc bc * ac * ac Point abcd abd abcd abcd abd Total Legend. n = frequency of counterattacks, M = mean per set, % = percentage of total counterattacks per set, Error/B: counterattack error due to the opponent s block, Neg.: negative counterattack, Pos.: positive counterattack. p <.01 when compared to U-14. *p <.01 when compared to U-16. p <.01 when compared to U-19. \ p <.01 when compared to the national category. a Significant differences when compared to error. b Significant differences when compared to Error/B. c Significant differences when compared to negative counterattack. d Significant differences when compared to positive counterattack. 679

13 With regard to statistical data for the total sample of counterattacks (Table 7), there were statistically significant increases in the efficacy, percentage of error due to the opponent s block, and efficiency as well as a statistically significant decrease in the percentage of error beginning in the national category. No other statistically significant differences were observed. The first counterattack showed a statistically significant increase in efficacy at higher categories. Statistically significant differences for efficiency were also observed. For the second counterattack, no statistically significant differences were found. Finally, the third counterattack showed a statistically significant increase in the percentage of error due to the opponent s block and total ratio and a statistically significant decrease in the percentage of error and ratio between initial stages and senior categories (national and international). Statistically significant differences for efficacy were also found, though no significant differences were found for other variables. 680

14 Table 7. Counterattack performance values by category. Types of counterattack Total 1st 2nd 3rd Statistical data U-14 U-16 U-19 National International Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD Coefficient Efficacy (%) * * Error (%) * * Error/B (%) * * Efficieny (%) * Ratio 1: : : : : Total ratio 1: : : : : Coefficient Efficacy (%) * Error (%) Error/B (%) Efficieny (%) Ratio 1: : : : : Total ratio 1: : : : : Coefficient Efficacy (%) Error (%) Error/B (%) Efficieny (%) Ratio.. 1: : : : Total ratio.. 1: : : : Coefficient Efficacy (%) Error (%) * * Error/B (%) * * Efficieny (%) Ratio 1: : : : :4.75 * 0.63 Total ratio 1: : : :1.48 * :1.62 * 0.75 Legend. Mean = mean per set, SD = standard deviation, Error/B: attack error due to opponent s block. p <.01 when compared to U-14. *p <.01 when compared to U-16. p <.01 when compared to U-19. \ p <.01 when compared to national category. 681

15 4. Discussion The aim of this study was to analyze male volleyball players performance profile for the spike (attack and counterattack) in terms of execution and game phase in various competition categories. Concerning the execution, a significant decrease in the use of slow spikes (third ) and a significant increase in fast spikes (first and second s), both for attack and counterattack, are observed. In terms of spike performance, the first spike is the most effective spike as well as the only one that shows a significant increase in efficacy at higher age groups, both for attack and counterattack. A significant decrease in third spikes and a significant increase in the percentage of first and second spikes, both in attack and counterattack, may be related to improved performance in previous actions such as reception and dig, respectively. These results indirectly confirm the improved performance in the reception and the dig at higher age categories (Grgantov et al., 2006). Thus, fast spikes occur when performance in the reception or dig improves (Castro & Mesquita, 2010; Papadimitriou et al., 2004). A higher percentage of fast spikes (first and second s) in attack for all categories compared to counterattack is related to a higher efficacy in reception compared to the dig (Palao, Manzanares, & Ortega, 2009). This difference is related to the time elapsed between the serve and the reception, which is longer than the time elapsed between the spike and the dig (Marcelino, Mesquita, & Sampaio, 2009). Thus, the phase of reception and attack is more stable than the phase of dig and counterattack (Costa et al., 2011). This reception phase is determined by more attack combinations and a higher number of spikers than the defense phase (Palao, Santos, & Ureña, 2005). Therefore, at higher levels of competition, the second attack is the most common attack, while the third attack is the most common action in counterattack (Afonso, Mesquita, & Palao, 2005; Castro & Mesquita, 2008). In terms of spike performance, the first is the most effective option, and it is the only one that improves significantly at higher age groups, both for attack and counterattack. This efficacy may be related to a reduction in the time the ball is in the air (Bergeles & Nikolaidou, 2011), which in turn affects the number of players in the opponent s block (Afonso et al., 2005). Additionally, the first spike has a higher probability to score points and reduce errors, both in attack (Palao et al., 2007; Patsiaouras et al., 2009) and in counterattack (Castro et al., 2011; Costa et al., 2011; Palao et al., 2007). The performance of second and third spikes shows a decrease in efficacy and an increase in the percentage of errors when compared to the first spike, both in attack and counterattack (Palao et al., 2007). A decrease in performance, particularly in the third spike, may explain the increased frequency of use of fast spikes as the competition level increases. These actions are intended to reduce the time available to opponents to organize their defense. However, the second spike is the action that is most frequently used (Afonso et al., 2005). This may be due to the fact that first spikes require a higher performance in prior actions. 682

16 Regarding attack errors, there is an increase in the percentage of errors due to the opponent s block compared to the percentage of errors made by spikers (spike out, spike to net, etc.) at higher age categories and as the spike increases (from first to third ), both for attack and counterattack. An increase in the number of blockers when the spike increases (Afonso et al., 2005) may limit the trajectories of the spike, and therefore, increase the percentage of errors due to the opponent s block. Alternatively, it is also possible that a decrease in the percentage of errors might be due to the spikers technical improvement after years of training and experience (Forthomme et al., 2005; Gabbett et al., 2006; Gabbett, Georgieff, & Domrow, 2007; McGown et al., 1990). The error-to-point ratio shows a significant improvement in the spike at higher categories (Grgantov et al., 2006; Rikberg & Raudsepp, 2011), especially for the attack. These results show the performance profile of attack and counterattack in various competition categories. They are an objective reference for coaches and may be useful for setting goals in accordance with competition requirements. Nevertheless, it is necessary to delve into the complexities of the variables which may influence the performance of the attack and counterattack, both prior actions (reception/dig and set) as well as subsequent actions (dig, block, etc.). 5. Conclusions The results show the changes in spike performance (frequency of use and efficacy) that take place according to game phase, age group, and level of competition. A significant increase in the frequency of fast attacks (first and second s) and a significant decrease in the frequency of slow attacks (third ) were found at higher categories, both for the attack and counterattack. In terms of spike performance, the first spike is the most effective option as it leads to fewer errors. In contrast, the third spike decreases performance at higher categories. These data contribute to the development of a performance profile of male volleyball players in various categories for the attack and counterattack. This performance profile may be used to set training and competition goals and to design training tasks according to the reality of competition. These data provide information about the elements and efficacy to work on in each stage and in preparation for future stages. Moreover, this information may allow coaches and strength and conditioning coaches to plan ahead in the development of athletes physiological factors according to the demands of the game in terms of frequency of execution, velocity of the actions, type of jumps, strength requirements, etc. 6. References Afonso, J., Mesquita, I., & Palao, J. M. (2005). Relationship between the and zone of spike and the number of blockers against the hitters. International Journal of Volleyball Research, 8(1),

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