Abstract
The aim of this study was to analyse the technical-tactical performance profile of blocking and court defence actions for various age groups and categories of competition in men's volleyball. The sample comprised 16,454 blocks and 8,321 digs performed in 299 sets in several categories of competition (from U-14 to Olympic Games). A descriptive and correlational inter- and intra-group observational design was used. The variables studied were: category of competition, opponent's spike tempo, and block and dig performance. The results showed a significant increase in the percentage of blocks and digs derived from fast attacks and a significant improvement in performance of these actions to counteract slow attacks. Thus, improving in blocking and digging performance was observed at higher categories when the attack is performed slowly. This paper discusses various reasons for the evolution in defensive performance and the effects on the training process for various categories of competition in volleyball.
Highlights
In a volleyball play, the defending team tries to neutralise or restrain the opponent’s offense through defensive actions such as blocking and court defence
This study demonstrates the technical-tactical performance profile of blocking and court defence depending on attack tempo at various age groups and categories of competition in men’s volleyball
The results of this study show changes in the performance of the block and court defence depending on various age groups and competition level
Summary
The defending team tries to neutralise or restrain the opponent’s offense through defensive actions such as blocking and court defence. The block is a team’s first line of defence, and it aims to intercept, stop, or restrain the opponent’s offensive actions (Selinger & Ackermann-Blount, 1985). Block and court defence performance depend on how an opponent’s spike (e.g. attack tempo, distance from the ball, previous displacements) is performed (Selinger & Ackermann-Blount, 1985) as well as on variables that determine the opponents offense (e.g. setter’s zone, available hitters, attack area) (Afonso & Mesquita, 2011). The interaction of various game actions determines the performance of defensive actions such that performance may vary according to the age group and/or competition level. These changes are determined by playersmaturity (e.g. greater height, weight, reach) (Malina & Bouchard, 1991), progress in the training process (e.g. higher speed, better technical execution), and changes in game regulations (e.g. net height, libero), which may occur as players progress from one category to the
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