Basic anthropometric measurements and proficiency in the game of adolescent (up to 16-year-old) male volleyballers at Estonian championships in three different years

Abstract

The article analyses young male volleyballers’ age, body build and performance at Estonian championships for up to 16-year-olds at three tournaments – Tartu 2005, Viljandi 2006 and Rakvere 2008. In all these years, the participants were the eight best teams of Estonia at the moment. A total of 197 boys were studied; 13 body measurements were taken. Proficiency in the game was assessed for both teams in parallel with two computers provided with the program Game.

Thirty-one indicators of proficiency in the game were calculated at each tournament. When we compared the tournament of 2005 with the tournament of 2008, we found statistically significant differences in nine indicators. The quality of the games has improved and the teams have become more equally matched. The number of spikes and blocks has increased; the indices of proficiency for all technical elements were higher in 2008 than in 2005. It is interesting that serve has changed from an element of putting the ball into the game into a genuinely attacking element. The number of ace serves has increased statistically significantly; the proficiency index of serves has rose by 2008. Unfortunately, however, the height and weight of the players decreased by 2008. This is a cause for concern, as taller players are more successful in volleyball.