Do height and weight play an important role in block and attack efficiency in high-level men's volleyball?

Abstract

The research objective was to study the relationships of players’ efficiency in attack and block with their anthropometric characteristics. Data on men’s weight and height and their proficiency in the game were used. The subjects were the members of the Estonian, Italian, French and Croatian national volleyball teams who participated in Pool B of the European Championship. Data are given on men’s height, weight, age, total number of spikes, attack errors, attacks won, efficiency of attack, total number of blocks, block errors, blocks won, and efficiency of block. In addition, the number of points won by men and their positions in the game are given. Minimums, maximums, standard deviations and means were calculated. To find correlations, Pearson’s correlation analysis (p<0.05) was used. In our study, taller and heavier players proved to be more efficient at attack. Comparison of positions showed that middle blockers were taller and performed more blocks, setters were shorter and performed the least of attacks, and outside attackers and opposite attackers were of medium height and carried the greatest load of attack. As a conclusion, it was found that, in professional volleyball, height correlated with the efficiency of attack (r= 0.534; p<0.05), and weight also correlated with the efficiency of attack (r= 0.518; p<0.05). There was no correlation between the anthropometric characteristics and block in volleyball at the professional level in our study. In volleyball, the greatest load at attack is carried by outside attackers and opposite attackers, while middle blockers have the greatest load at block. Setters perform the smallest number of attacks.