Metric characteristics of the step hop test in young female volleyball players [Metrijske karakteristike step hop testa kod mladih odbojkašica]

The main goal of the study was to analyse the metric characteristics of a specific volleyball agility test (SHT: Step-hop test) on a sample of 204 youth Croatian female volleyball players whose mean chronological age was 14.11±0.84 years with a training experience of 42.14±16.76 months. High values of the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (0.93) and low values (0.97 – 0.87 to include the values) of the coefficient of variation (0.004) confirmed good reliability of the step-hop test. Significant differences were found between the measured items by using the F-test,i.e.,there was a noticeable trend of result improvement over the three consecutive test performances. The obtained value of the KS test and the values of coefficients of distribution Skewness (Skew) and Kurtosis (Kurt) indicated good sensitivity of the step-hop test. It was determined by factor analysis (principal components analysis) and correlation analysis that the step-hop test had the same object of measurement as the two tests for assessing agility in volleyball (side steps and 9-3-6-3-9) with validated metric characteristics. Univariate analysis of variance showed no significant inter-positional differences in the SHT performance. By applying an independent samples t-test significant differences were found between more successful and less successful young volleyball players at passer-hitter position. Based on the obtained results,the SHT can be recommended in the process of identification and selection of young female volleyball players at passer-hitter position. To improve the homogeneity of the test,subjects should be allowed more trials and the test should be modified so that every change of movement direction is initiated by the foot opposite from that which was last put on the floor in the previous movement.