Volleyball is included in sports where individual success of final efforts such as a successful attack or an effective block, is achieved by the harmonious collaboration of the preceded players’ efforts. The purpose of this present study was to evaluate the importance of technical skills that led to the success of the national teams that took part in the Olympic Games of Beijing 2008. The sample was constituted by all the matches of the volleyball men teams that participated in the Beijing Olympic Games. Overall, 29 games were videotaped and evaluated. Collection of data included the use of the statistical recording program Data Volley 2. The parameters that were evaluated were: a) service, b) service reception, c) attack, and d) attack blocked. The statistical treatment of data was realised through non parametric statistical analysis. The results showed that, service points, reception errors, and attacks blocked emerged as important factors that were decisive for wining or losing a match. Key-words: Olympic Games, Beijing 2008, Volleyball, Non parametric statistics

The present article focuses primarily on the effect of the setter’s choice on the outcome of the attack. The sample was comprised from the matches of the final four of the 2009 C.E.V. Champions League held in Prague and of the final four of the 2009 C.E.V. Cup held in Athens. The total number of phases analyzed was 1472. After a perfect reception the setter makes a right choice when the he chooses the center spiker only when the opposing center blocker is out of position or time to attempt the block, otherwise the pass goes to an outside hitter. Conversely, a wrong choice is when the center is blocked and he receives the pass, or when the center is free and he does not receive the pass. Results have shown that the setters make the right choice only in half the cases and this has a significant impact on the team’s attack efficiency, especially in the case of quick attacks. Setters can be trained to improve their peripheral vision, so that they can track simultaneously the trajectory of the ball coming from the reception, and the relative timing (or better its absence) of the middle hitters and blockers.

The purpose of the study was to determine the technical elements that could lead to a prediction to winning or losing a match by taking into account the differences of the technical elements recorded among the teams that participated in the Japan word volleyball championship (Pool B). The sample consisted of 6 national men’s teams who competed in the frames of world championship during the 2006 period. The recording was made by using the official statistical logistic package of the European Confederation (CEV). Additional statistical analysis of the results took place by using the SPSS 11 statistical package. Discriminant analysis was conducted to select which subset of the measured variables significantly contributed to the prediction of winning or losing a match. Results showed that “attack error”, “jump services point”, “quick ball error“, and “jump serves”, led to the prediction of the match outcome (winning or losing a match) whereas “attack after reception” and “quick ball attack” emerged as the decisive factors for team qualification.

The aim of the present study was to present the playing characteristics of the teams in complex I and to attempt to determine which of these characteristics led to victory and to the final ranking of the teams. The subjects were 38 Olympic Volleyball men's games. In every game, teams were characterized according to the result of the game (win or lose). The games were videorecorded and analyzed with the "Data Volleyball Project Sport Software" program. It recorded every skill of the complex I of the game, for each player of each team. There was a five level scale protocol according to the effectiveness of the skill (Eom & Schutz, 1992; Eom, 1989). Discriminant analysis was conducted to select which subset of the measured variables significantly contributed to the prediction of winning or losing in Olympic Volleyball teams. Among the five variables of service-reception: two variables "best reception, 1st set attack" and "Good reception, high set attack" were entered into the final model yielding, standardized coefficient 1.22 and .78 respectively. Among the five "attack from reception" categories, only one variable, "ace-point" was selected to enter into the final model. These results conclude that the "best" and "good reception" and the "ace-point" in the attack remain powerful aggressive tools for high level teams and were predictors to win.

The aim of the present study was to present the playing characteristics of the teams in complex II and to attempt to determine which of these characteristics led to victory and to the final ranking of the teams. The subjects were 38 Olympic Volleyball men’s games. In every game, teams were characterized according to the result of the game (win or lose). The games were video-recorded and analyzed with the “Data Volleyball” program. It recorded every skill of the complex II of the game, for each player of each team. There was a 5 level scale protocol according to the effectiveness of the skill (Eom & Schutz, 1992; Eom, 1989). Discriminant analysis was conducted to select which subset of the measured variables significantly contributed to the prediction of winning or losing in Olympic Volleyball teams. Among the five variables of service: “reception to other court” and “ace” were entered into the final model yielding high loadings, .80 and .79 respectively. Predicting game outcome from the five “counter attacked” variables, resulted in one significant function and “ace” was selected to enter into the final model. None of the three “dig” or the four “block” categories were significantly discriminating game outcome. These results conclude that “ace” in service and in counterattack remain powerful aggressive tools for high level teams and were predictors to win.