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This study examined whether anthropometric and fitness tests might successfully predict selection of young female volleyball players for a junior national team. Sixty four female players (age: 14.4 ± 0.5 y, body height: 1.76 ± 0.05 m, body mass: 63.9 ± 6.4 kg) underwent a selection procedure for the junior national team. Anthropometric data and speed and power test results were obtained and players were graded for their performance in a volleyball tournament. Selected players differed from the non-qualified in body height (3.4{\%}; p = 0.001), standing reach height (2.6{\%}; p = 0.001), the sum of skinfolds (15.4{\%}; p = 0.035), body mass index (BMI; 7.1{\%}; p = 0.005) and spike jump and reach (SJR) (2.5{\%}; p = 0.001). Selected players were classified in the 99.2 ± 1.6 percentile in body height and in the 51.4 ± 20.6 percentile in the BMI, which were significantly different from those of the non-qualified players (95.4 ± 7.0 and 66.7 ± 18.6, p = 0.02 and p = 0.004, respectively). Stepwise discriminant analysis yielded a discriminant function (p {\textless} 0.001, $\eta$2 = 0.78) that was highly loaded by height, SJR and the BMI (r = 0.79, r = 0.74 and r = -0.53, respectively). Cross validation results showed that selection was correctly predicted in 15 out of the 20 selected players (predictive accuracy: 75.0{\%}) and in 35 out of the 44 non-qualified players (predictive accuracy: 79.5{\%}). In conclusion, body height, the BMI and SJR height successfully discriminated between selected and non-qualified elite young female junior national team volleyball players. The equal vertical jump, sprint and agility of selected and non-qualified players, highlight the importance of body height and the BMI for selection of elite junior female volleyball players.

This study compares the differences in effectiveness of the five volleyball skills (serve, reception, attack, block, and dig) between men and women in high- level tournament games played at the last four consecutive Olympics. Results showed that men's and women's volleyball games are completely differentiated by two outcome measures. The first one is the higher proportion of faulty serves performed by men which is essentially attributable to the 19 cm difference in net height, while the second one derives from the fact that men outperform women at the execution of the attack.

This study examined the effects of a progressive resistance training program in ad- dition to soccer training on the physical capacities of male ado- lescents. Eighteen soccer players (age: 12–15 years) were sepa- rated in a soccer (SOC; n ⫽ 9) and a strength-soccer (STR; n ⫽ 9) training group and 8 subjects of similar age constituted a control group. All players followed a soccer training program 5 times a week for the development of technical and tactical skills. In addition, the STR group followed a strength training program twice a week for 16 weeks. The program included 10 exercises, and at each exercise, 2–3 sets of 8–15 repetitions with a load 55–80% of 1 repetition maximum (1RM). Maximum strength ([1RM] leg press, bench-press), jumping ability (squat jump [SJ], countermovement jump [CMJ], repeated jumps for 30 seconds) running speed (30 m, 10 ⫻ 5-m shuttle run), flexibility (seat and reach), and soccer technique were measured at the beginning, after 8 weeks, and at the end of the training period. After 16 weeks of training, 1RM leg press, 10 ⫻ 5-m shuttle run speed, and performance in soccer technique were higher (p ⬍ 0.05) for the STR and the SOC groups than for the control group. One repetition maximum bench press and leg press, SJ and CMJ height, and 30-m speed were higher (p ⬍ 0.05) for the STR group compared with SOC and control groups. The above data show that soccer training alone improves more than normal growth maximum strength of the lower limps and agility. The addition of resistance training, however, improves more maximal strength of the upper and the lower body, vertical jump height, and 30-m speed. Thus, the combination of soccer and resistance training could be used for an overall development of the physical capacities of young boys.