Caracterização da participação desportiva de jovens jogadores de voleibol de nível de rendimento diferenciado: o papel da quantidade e do tipo de prática

Abstract

The purpose of this present was to characterize the sport participation history of youth male volleyball players from different levels of performance (national team players and club players) taking into account the quantity and type of sport activities practised (formal and informal activities). The sample included a total of 39 volleyball players, 19 national team players and 19 club players. A semi-structured interview was applied in order to gather information about: 1) the height and birthday,2) the general sport starting age, 3) the volleyball starting age, 4) the age of specialization in volleyball, 5) the number of formal sport activities practised, 6) the quantity and type of sport activities practised, 7) the number of hours of specific practise (i.e. hours of volleyball), 8) the number of informal activities practised, 9) the number of hours of informal activities. The variables were analysed throughout four different developmental stages, namely stage 1 (before 6 years of age), stage 2 (between 6 and 12 years of age), stage 3 (between 13 and 16 years of age) and stage 4 (after 16 years of age). The results showed that, in general, these volleyball players did not specialized earlier in volleyball, and participated in several diversified sport activities, both formal and informal, during their childhood. However, national team players differed from club players because they: 1) were taller, 2) participated in more diversified sport activities between 6 and 16 years of age, 3) participated in more invasion-game type of sport activities, and 4) participated in more informal activities between 6 and 12 years of age. The present study offers important information that could guide long-term volleyball players developmental programs in Portugal.