Gaze behaviour of volleyball players during successful serve reception

The aim of this study was to identify and compare the gaze behaviour of both advancement levels (Advanced and Not Advanced) and genders (female and male) during successful serve reception. A quantitative, exploratory and quasi-experimental research design was used in which 50 ToppVolley Norway student athletes aged 16 to 19 years were sampled. The gaze behaviour of junior volleyball athletes was assesed as they received two types of serves (1 float and 1 top spin jump serve) and performed a forearm and/or overhead pass to a setter’s target while wearing an ASL mobile eye tracker. Gaze characteristics such as fixation number, fixation duration and areas of interest were used to achieve the aim of the study. The study found that Advanced participants differed from the Not Advanced athletes in employing fewer (9.70 ± 1.14 versus 10.77 ± 3.63 , p.20 ) fixations but for longer durations per fixations (1.64 ± 0.20 versus 1.60 ± 0.34, p.20 ) in receiving the float serve. Contrary, for the reception of the top spin jump serve, the Advanced athletes employed more fixations (12.11 ± 2.40 versus 11.83 ± 2.17, p.20 ) but for shorter durations per fixations (1.57 ± 0.26 versus 1.65 ± 0.34 sec, p.20 ) than the Not Advanced athletes. Male athletes in this study were more experienced than their female counterparts (5.97 ± 1.62 years versus 4.75 ± 1.59 years, p.20 ) with males employing more fixations than the females (11.02 ± 3.63 versus 9.19 ± 1.55 and 12.26 ± 2.46 versus 11.36 ± 1.69, p.20 ) for the float and top spin serves respectively but for shorter durations per fixation (1.62 ± 0.27 versus 1.76 ± 0.29 sec (float) and 1.56 ± 0.32 versus 1.73 ± 0.28 sec (top spin) p.20 ) than the female athletes. These results and findings suggests that Advanced athletes for both serves attended to the most appropriate visual information through the top-down approach, their knowledge and past experiences. For gender differences, the results show that the female athletes employed fewer fixation points in receiving float serves, however the employment of fewer fixation points during the top spin jump serves was due to receiving serves characterised by easily identifiable trajectories and lower speeds. The contradicting finding of the Advanced athletes employing more fixation points for the top spin jump serve may be due to task complexity demands. Thirteen areas of interests were also identified. The combined results for both gender and advancement levels suggest that the athletes fixated on similar areas of interests, primarily the upper body and secondary on the ball (flight), serve reception phase, arrival at target and contact point. The aim and objectives of this study were achieved in that both absolute and relative values for number of fixations, duration of fixations and areas of interest fixated on, were established. However the outcome of comparisons made, were not all expected particularly that of the Advanced group for the top spin jump serve. Possible explanations were offered, but further research is required in this regard