Analysis of Forced and Unforced Errors of Winners and Losers in Volleyball

I. INTRODUCTION:

By nature human being are competitive and ambitious for the excellence in all sports performance. Not only every man but also every nation wants to show their supremacy by challenging the other man or nation. This challenge stimulates, inspires and motivates the entire nation to perform better and exhibit greater skills in the present competitive sports world. Sports today have a very dominant influence on our society. Indian society is gradually becoming aware about the value and significance of sports and there is hardly an individual who has been left out of its impact. At present winning competition involves national prestige as each nation strives to win. Certain nations ever try to project the superiority of their political and social systems through achievements sports. Sportsmen bring name, fame and laurels for their countries and raise their prestige high in the world. Though volleyball was originally invented to be a recreational game; it has now developed into a high competitive sport, requiring a high degree of skill. The requisite level of skill will vary depending upon the level of competition. Participation in top-notch competitive volleyball requires that a person should be in a state of optimum fitness. Forced and unforced errors in Volleyball are partially connected with the psychological & skillful aspects, as Volleyball first of all determined by the objective environment of the play. All the motor acts of the player are connected with the acyclic exercises. They pose a high degree of variability and changeability. The necessity to change from one from movement to another is one of the main peculiarities of specific motor acts, and every Volleyball player has to execute rapid changes in such movements during the game, the new movement may be altogether different in rhythm, speed & structure from the preceding one. Performance of player’s depends on experience gained in competitions. Each competition differs from others in respect of the type of opponents which call for varied response pattern to cope with a variety of situations and participating in competitions enables the members of the team to display flexibility in adjustment while facing changed environments and helps in removing errors of the team by getting experience in various forms of play and understanding that how to get benefited by committing which kind of errors during play.

II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE:

A careful review and exploration of the related literature and research studies are essential to have an insight into the work already been done in the field. The research scholar has given those studies a deep thinking and has gained theoretical frame from their research findings, which were of great help in developing the present research work. The research has reviewed all the available research studies which are cited below. Roberts et. al1 found that success and failure appear to be psychological status based on individual’s perceptions, the use of games outcome as the primary determinant of attributions. They have argued that objective and perceive outcomes are not necessarily the same. In their study, involving equitable players, they found that game outcome (Win/loss) might not be the best determinant of success and failure casual attributions. Rather they found that success and failure appear to be psychological status based on individual’s perceptions of why they win or lose. Scanlan2 undertook 41 high and 42 low competition trait-anxious (Sport Competition Anxiety Test). 5th- and 6th-grade boys were tested to assess the effects of success–failure competition outcomes on the perception of threat to self and the response to threat in terms of self- protective behavior. Three groups including success, moderate success, and failure were established by manipulating win percentage. State anxiety was used as the indicant of perceived threat, and self-protective behavior was assessed by causal attribution, opponent preference, and preference for social comparison others. The data were analyzed by multivariate analysis of covariance, ANOVA and chi square techniques. Findings indicate that success–failure is an important variable affecting the perception of threat to self in a competitive situation. McCaughan and McKinlay3 investigated on Female high school students participated in a motor task to assess the effects of success/failure and extrinsic reward on intrinsic motivation. A significant change in intrinsic motivation was found to be due to the effects of success and failure, but not to the effect of the tangible reward. Those groups receiving success feedback persisted longer at the voluntary play situation than did those receiving failure feedbacks. As well, the task was deemed more satisfying for the success feedback groups. Examined the participation of female high school students n=48) in a motor task to assess the effects of success/failure and extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation. A measuring instrument checked the degree of satisfaction after participation under each experimental condition. Results indicated that: a significant change in intrinsic motivation occurred due to the effects of success and failure but not due to the effect of the tangible reward, groups receiving success feedback persisted longer at the voluntary play situation than those receiving failure feedbacks, and the task was deemed more satisfying for the success feedback groups. From the review of literature given above regarding studies on forced and unforced errors of winners and losers in Volleyball, it may be set that many studies have investigated different aspects of these variables in Volleyball as well as in other are of sports some studies have attempted to find the influence of forced and unforced errors in Volleyball in general and specific discipline in particular, where as some studies clearly mentioned the effect of forced and unforced error on winner and loser teams in different sports. The studies on forced and unforced errors at different level of championship, gender difference, age difference etc. have also been attempted.

III. METHODS:

The subjects for the study were the 32 teams selected from the below mentioned tournaments: 1.1 Eight teams, which qualified for Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Final matches of 58th Senior National Volleyball Championship (Men) held at L.N.U.P.E., Gwalior (M.P.) in December 2009. These teams were Tamilnadu, Uttrakhand, Haryana, Kerala, Karnataka, Delhi, Southern Railways and Indian Railways States. 1.2 Eight teams, which qualified for Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Final matches of 58th Senior National Volleyball Championship (Women) held at L.N.U.P.E., Gwalior (M.P.) in December 2009. These teams were Indian Railways, West Bengal, Andra Pradesh, Kerala, Chandigarh, Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Jharkhand States/U.Ts. 1.3 Eight teams, which qualified for Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Final matches of West Zone Inter University Volleyball Championship (Men) held at Aurangabad, Maharashtra in December 2007. These teams were Rajasthan University, L.N.U.P.E., Jiwaji University, Aurangabad University, Nanded University, B.U. University, Shivaji University and Jabalpur University. 1.4 Eight teams, which qualified for Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Final matches of South-West Zone Inter University Volleyball Championship (Women) held at L.N.U.P.E., Gwalior in November 2010. These teams were M.G. University, Calicut University, Mysore University, SRM University, Kannur University, Vels University, Anna University and Jabalpur University. For the purpose of this study the researcher took help from Volleyball experts (Coaches, Trainers and Referees). Below mentioned errors were chosen for the study and they were further classified under two categories, Forced Errors and Unforced Errors, because these errors (movements/skills) were frequently performed by players unintentionally or under pressure during competitions. Total number of 4 variables on forced errors and 6 variables on unforced errors were selected. The distribution of variables in both the category is presented in Table 3.1below:

The data was collected with the help of panel of experts who were national level qualified Referees from Volleyball Federation of India to officiate during the matches, those who were not on duty in a particular match, helped in observing and recording the forced and unforced errors during the matches. The scholar had made a special score sheet to record the forced and unforced errors separately. To counter check, the scholar also used video recordings of the matches to analyze the forced and unforced errors committed by players during the matches. The detailed procedure for collecting the data for each variable was as follows: 1. Faults were detected by the judgment of referees. 2. For each error one point was given to respective team. 3. The faults which were committed intentionally and with pressure from opponent were considered as forced errors. 4. The faults which were committed unintentionally and without pressure from opponent were considered as unforced errors. To analyze forced and unforced errors committed by winners and losers in Volleyball, descriptive statistical technique was used. The raw scores were converted into tabulated form on the basis of score sheets.

The findings of the study have thrown light on various forced and unforced errors of teams (winners and losers). The research scholar feels justified and contended that the study and its findings have accomplished what he intended to investigate when he conceived the study. The study was conducted to analyze the forced errors (service fault, attack fault, blocking and over ball) and unforced errors (service fault, attack fault, back court, line cut, early movement and net touch) committed by teams during different levels of tournaments. 1. The findings of the study show that the teams which committed more percentage of forced errors were among the losers in quarterfinals, such as, Karnataka (30.76%), Delhi (26.66%), Southern Railways (33.33%), and Indian Railways (28.57%) teams as compared to their winners, such as, Tamilnadu (13.63%), Uttrakhand (15.15%), Haryana (17.94%), and Kerala (21.95%) teams respectively. Similarly, the percentage of unforced errors was also higher among losers in quarterfinals, such as, Karnataka (35.29%), Delhi (31.57%), Southern Railways (42.85%), and Indian Railways (40%) teams as compared to their winners, such as, Tamilnadu (29.03%), Uttrakhand (16.27%), Haryana (20.45%), and Kerala (19.14%) teams respectively. 2. The findings of the study show that the teams which committed more percentage of forced errors were among the losers in quarterfinals, such as, Chandigarh (30.76%), Karnataka (28.57%), Tamilnadu (33.33%), and Jharkhand (30.76%) teams as compared to their winners, such as, Indian Railways (13.63%), West Bengal (18.18%), Andra Pradesh (13.51%), and Kerala (24.32%) teams respectively. Similarly, the percentage of unforced errors was also higher among losers in quarterfinals, such as, Chandigarh (24%), Karnataka (25%), Tamilnadu (26.08%), and Jharkhand (25%) teams as compare to their winners, such as, Indian Railways (15.55%), West Bengal (22.64%), Andhra Pradesh (23.52%), and Kerala (16.92%) teams respectively. 3. The findings of the study show that the teams which committed more percentage of forced errors were among the losers in quarterfinals, such as, Nanded University (28.57%), B.U. Bhopal University (23.52%), Shivaji University (28.57%), and Jabalpur University (26.66%) teams as compared to their winners, such as, Rajasthan University (10.52%), L.N.U.P.E., Gwalior (15.62%), Jiwaji University (11.42%), and Aurangabad University (18.42%) teams respectively. Similarly, the percentage of unforced errors was also more among losers in quarterfinals, such as, Nanded University (26.08%), B.U. Bhopal University (23.07%), Shivaji University (28.57%), and Jabalpur University (31.57%) teams as compare to their winners, such as, Rajasthan University (13.33%), L.N.U.P.E., Gwalior (15.09%), Jiwaji University (14.28%), and Aurangabad University (31.57%) teams respectively. 4. The findings of the study show that the teams which committed more percentage of forced errors were among the losers in quarterfinals, such as, Kannur University (28.57%), Vels University (36.36%), Anna University (30.76%), and Jabalpur University (26.26%) teams as compared to their winners, such as, M.G. University (15.78%), Calicut University (19.23%), Mysore University (20%), and Aurangabad University (24.13%) teams respectively. Similarly, the percentage of unforced errors was also more among losers in quarterfinals, such as, Kannur University (35.29%), Vels University (33.33%), Anna University (28.57%), and Jabalpur University (40%) teams as compare to their winners, such as, M.G. University (19.44%), Calicut University (13.63%), Mysore University (15.21%), and Aurangabad University (11.11%) teams respectively. Based on the findings of the study, the researcher recommends that the coaches of volleyball teams must train their players on large number of techniques, with variabilities, with the aim of applying theory according to situations opponent, team mate and tactical aim. They must concentrate on practice of tactical skills (automatized motor aim) which is important to enable the players to perform required motor actions during pressure situations in the competition. This is necessary prerequisite for effective observation and perception of rapidly changing situations and the players should be able to bring variations in the basic tactical skills during the competition. Outstanding players are able to perform creative tactical skills in entirely new manner. So during the training, once the basic variation of technique has been learnt, stress should be laid on its variability under constant changing conditions. The degree of difficulty should be progressively increased. The stress should be laid on creating new and unaccustomed conditions under which the player should try to tackle the task in a new novel manner. Competitions under different and difficult conditions and against different opponents are necessary prerequisite for mastering tactical skills and minimizing faults in their execution. Players should practice to create situations and possibilities for applying their best skills by purposefully controlling the development or course of the competition.

Keeping the findings in mind the researcher hereby concludes that the Volleyball teams lose matches mostly due to the reason of committing more forced and unforced errors during the matches.

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Assistant Professor, IPS College of Physical Education, Gwalior