Multidimensional Performance Characteristics in Talented Male Youth Volleyball Players

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether anthropometric, physical, psychological, and skill test results could be used to discriminate between male junior volleyball players of varying ability. A total of 66 elite and nonelite male Estonian volleyball players aged 16–17 years were measured for anthropometric and physical variables and sport-specific skills. In addition, the players’ provided self-reports of dispositional achievement goals, perceived sport competence and enjoyment and their game intelligence was measured. Selected youth players scored better than nonselected youth players on physical (explosive strength), technical (passing and spiking), and cognitive (game intelligence) characteristics and reported higher mastery-approach goals, perceived sport competence and enjoyment of sport. The most discriminating variables were game intelligence, mastery approach goals, perceived sport competence and passing technique. These results suggest the important role of multidimensional performance measures in selecting and developing young male volleyball players. Structured talent identification and development programs have been developed for several sports, in particular athletics, rowing, gymnastics, field hockey and soccer, where success has been related to anthropometric, physiological and motor skill attributes (3,25,34,46). According to Williams and Reilly (50), research should adopt a multidisciplinary approach to talent identification. Recently, Vaeyens et al. (46) suggested that when researchers will concentrate on a combination of anthropometric, physical, and physiological measures, their predictive value has proven problematic in the majority of team sports. For example, Gabbett and coworkers demonstrated that subjective coach evaluation of passing and serving technique, but not physiological and anthropometric data, discriminate between successful and unsuccessful talent-identified junior volleyball players (20). In addition, an increasing number of researchers have argued that potentially important psychological variables are often overlooked within talent identification models (1,34,46). Research suggests that successful elite athletes posses a range of psychological characteristics including the ability to cope with anxiety and obstacles, selfconfidence, competitiveness, intrinsic motivation, and the ability to set and achieve