Analysis of body build and physical abilities of volleyball players aged 10–12 years

The aim of the study was to analyse the body build and physical abilities of 10–12-year-old volleyball players in order to identify the most promising young volleyball players in Estonia. The following research tasks were set: to find the anthropometric variables and physical abilities tests results of young volleyball players based on age classes and individually, to establish the body build types of young volleyball players based on a 5 SD height-weight classification, to find statistically significant differences in body build types in individual anthropometric variables and physical abilities tests, and to give an assessment to the results of the physical abilities tests and indicators of height, arm reach, body type, wrist circumference and lower leg circumference to find in which indicators volleyball players exceed the mean results of their age group. In total, 232 young volleyball players participated in the study – 118 players in the first measurement session and 114 players in the second measurement session. The following physical abilities tests were used in the study: hand grip test, reaction test, T-test, 5-0-5 run test, jump height tests (with and without arm swing) and step frequency test. The measured anthropometric variables were height, weight, arm reach, fat percentage, amount of fat, lower leg, wrist and waist circumferences. For data analysis, the Microsoft Excel program was used. To compare the mean results of the groups, Student’s t-test was used. The results revealed that there were differences in both boys and girls between 10- and 12-year-olds and in some cases also between 11-year-olds and 12-year-olds in almost all anthropometric variables and physical ability test results. Older volleyball players received better results. Regarding the differences between the measurement sessions in the results of physical abilities tests and anthropometric variables, no definite pattern was formed that the results would improve in all age groups and sexes. This could be caused by the fact that not exactly the same volleyball players participated in both measurement sessions. When the volleyball players were divided into body build classes based on a 5 SD height-weight classification, it was revealed that statistically significant differences between classes occurred in all anthropometric characteristics. In physical ability tests, the results improved statistically significantly in the direction from small to medium and large classes and were always better in leptomorphs than in pycnomorphs. The players who exceeded the mean results of their age group in the results of the physical ability tests and based on certain body composition indicators received points for being promising. By adding up the points, the potentiality score was formed. Players in each age group whose score was higher than the mean score of their age group were considered more promising. We are of the opinion that, for Estonia to be successful compared to other countries in a sport like volleyball, we need to direct our resources to the search and development of young talents, because, with such a small population, we should not overlook a single young person who is a potential player of the national team.