1 University of Presov, Faculty of Sports, Department of Sports Educology and Humanistics, Presov, 08001 Slovakia 2 University of Presov, Faculty of Sports, Department of Educology of Sports, Presov, 08001 Slovakia 3 Independent researcher *Correspondence: monika.vaskova@unipo.sk
Abstract
Background: Motor fitness is determined by the developmental rate of particular motor abilities. A player’s performance is influenced by many factors, but motor abilities remain the primary factor among them. Regular assessment of motor fitness offers insight into the players’ physical capabili-ties and enables evidence-based, individualized training interventions, supporting optimal athletic development and maximizing performance on the court. The purpose of the study was to assess the motor fitness level of cadet volleyball players. Methods: A total of 15 volleyball players participated in the study. The following six physical fitness tests were administered to determine their motor fitness level: standing long jump, 4 x 10 shuttle run, 2 kg medicine ball throw, sit-and-reach, sit-ups in 1 minute, and 20m multi-stage shuttle run. The descriptive statistics were used to compute the mean and standard deviations for somatic parameters and physical fitness tests. The test scores were classified based on established performance standards for cadet volleyball players. Results: The results revealed that the mean test scores for 4×10 shuttle run and sit-and-reach met performance standards. However, the scores on standing long jump, 2 kg medicine ball throw, and sit-ups in 1 minute indicated a low level of motor fitness. Conclusions: The results confirmed the necessity to enhance motor fitness in young players and develop, especially, the explosive power of lower and upper limbs and dynamic core endurance. Improving these specific areas is crucial for maximizing sports performance and meeting the physical requirements at this developmental stage.
Keywords: motor abilities, sports training, performance standards, volleyball
1. Cojocaru AM, Cojocaru M. Optimizing motor capacity in volleyball, at the level of jun-iors, through specific training. Science, Movement and Health [Internet]. 2020;20(2):197–203.
2. Cristian Cosmin S, Rusu A, Mihaela C, Claudiu A. Anthropometric characteristics, body composition and physical performance of female cadet volleyball players. Jour-nal of Physical Education and Sport [Internet]. 2014;16(1):664–7.
3. Ostojic SM. Seasonal alternations in body composition and sprint performance of elite soccer players. Journal of Exercise Physiology Online. 2003;6:11–4.
4. Argus CK, Gill N, Keogh J, Hopkins WG, Beaven CM. Effects of a short-term pre-sea-son training programme on the body composition and anaerobic performance of pro-fessional rugby union players. Journal of Sports Sciences. 2010;28(6):679–86.
5. Bilsborough JC, Greenway K, Livingston S, Cordy J, Coutts AJ. Changes in anthro-pometry, upper-body strength, and nutrient intake in professional Australian football players during a season. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance. 2016;11(3):290–300.
6. Sieroń A, Stachoń A, Pietraszewska J. Changes in body composition and motor fitness of young female volleyball players in an annual training cycle. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health [Internet]. 2023;20(3):2473.
7. Sattler T, Hadžić V, Dervišević E, Markovic G. Vertical jump performance of profes-sional male and female volleyball players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Re-search. 2015;29(6):1486–93.
8. Häkkinen K. Changes in physical fitness profile in female volleyball players during the competitive season. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness [Internet]. 1993;33(3):223–32.
9. Gualdi-Russo E, Zaccagni L. Somatotype, role and performance in elite volleyball players. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness [Internet]. 2001;41(2):256–62.
10. Peev P, Hristov O, Nurja A, Lazov S, Petkova P, Zdravcheva M, et al. Age-related dif-ferences in the development of motor abilities in volleyball. Journal of Applied Sports Sciences. 2024;2024(1):11–26.
11. Lidor R, Ziv G. Physical characteristics and physiological attributes of adolescent vol-leyball players: a review. Pediatric Exercise Science [Internet]. 2010;22(1):114–34.
12. Zapletalová Ľ, Hiadlovský I. Učebné osnovy športovej prípravy vo volejbale pre špor-tové triedy základných škôl, osemročné športové gymnáziá a športové gymnáziá. Bra-tislava: Slovenský zväz volejbalu; 2003.
13. Harriss DJ, Macsween A, Atkinson G. Standards for ethics in sport and exercise science research: 2018 update. International Journal of Sports Medicine. 2017;38(14):1126–31.
14. Pogoni A, Lleshi E. Assessment of physical components in young boys’ volleyball players. International Journal of Digital Research. 2025;1(1):2–9.
15. Lidor R, Hershko Y, Bilkevitz A, Arnon M, Falk B. Measurement of talent in volleyball: 15-month follow-up of elite adolescent players. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physi-cal Fitness [Internet]. 2007;47(2):159–68.
16. Rickta JF, Arafat MY, Mukta FTJ, Islam MR. Motor fitness comparison between junior national level and academy level volleyball players. International Journal of Physiol-ogy, Sports and Physical Education. 2023;5(2):19–22.
17. Gabbett T, Georgieff B. Physiological and anthropometric characteristics of Australian junior national, state, and novice volleyball players. Journal of Strength and Condi-tioning Research. 2007;21(3):902.
18. Goran N, Majstorović N, Osmankač N, Milenkoski J, Uslu S. Differences in anthropo-metric characteristics and motor abilities between volleyball players and untrained boys aged 17 years. International Journal of Sport Culture and Science. 2014;2(4):103–9.
19. Ghosh SS. A comparative study on physical fitness among state level footballers and volleyball players. Indian Journal of Applied Research. 2011;3(8):618–9.
20. Gulati A, Jain R, Lehri A, Kumar R. Effect of high and low flexibility on agility, accel-eration speed and vertical jump performance of volleyball players. European Journal of Physical Education and Sport Science. 2021;6(11).
21. Lidor R, Ziv G. Physical and physiological attributes of female volleyball players: a review. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2010;24(7):1963–73.
22. Nasuka N, Setiowati A, Indrawati F. Power, strength and endurance of volleyball ath-letes among different competition levels. Utopía y Praxis Latinoamericana [Internet]. 2020;25(Suppl.10):15–23.
23. Fauzi F, Primasoni N, Miftachurochmah Y. Health and skill related physical fitness variables between male and female junior volleyball players: a comparative study. Ad-vances in Health Sciences Research. 2024;233–47.
