Increasing tactical complexity to enhance the synchronisation of collective behaviours: An action-research study throughout a competitive volleyball season

Abstract

Implementing an action-research design throughout a competitive season in which Constraint-led and Step-Game approaches were combined, this study investigated the impact of increased complexity on synchronisation tendencies in team players, at different set moments. Youth volleyball team players (n=15) were studied across three action-research cycles, with performance in one competitive match analysed per cycle.Team synchronisation tendencies were assessed through the cluster phase method and a 3 (matches) x 2 (set moments) x 2 (field direction) repeated-measures ANOVA was used to calculate differences in cluster amplitude mean values. Results revealed a reduction in team synchrony when tactical complexity of counterattacking play increased (second AR-cycle). Nevertheless, similar levels of team's synchrony emerged between the first and third AR-cycles. Results also revealed the final moments of a set as a significant environmental constraint that shaped synchronisation processes.Evidence suggested that the (re)achievement of functional synchrony was realised through integration of Constraint-led and Step-Game approaches during practices designed to enhance tactical awareness in players. Finally, the insider action-research design provided relevant contextualised insights on the planned development of a team's synchronisation tendencies.

Towards a More Efficient Training Process in High-Level Female Volleyball From a Match Analysis Intervention Program Based on the Constraint-Led Approach: The Voice of the Players

“…Concretely, with such information it is possible to identify the constraints that must be manipulated in the design of tasks in order to create representative work environments (Renshaw et al, 2010;Chow, 2013), which meet the needs of athletes (Greenwood et al, 2012) and that guide the exploration of effective solutions in challenging environments (Roberts et al, 2019) with the aim of improving their performance (Hanin et al, 2016). In this sense, there are several studies that recently expose the importance of this ecological perspective for coaches in the advancement of training design (Ramos et al, 2020b;Woods et al, 2021).…”

Gaze behavior in social interactions between beach volleyball players—An exploratory approach

“…In contrast, under the high game performance pressure condition, the participants played nine short sets starting at 17:17, reaching 21 points to win in a best-of-9 mode. This manipulation was based on the findings of Marcelino et al (2011) and Ramos et al (2020) , who found that final set moments were considered as high-pressure moments. Due to the shorter set length and the associated greater importance of each error right at the beginning of the set under the high game performance pressure condition, this form of play implicitly increases the game performance pressure on the athletes.…”

Towards a contemporary player learning in development framework for sports practitioners

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