Validating a checklist for the qualitative analysis of volleyball serves

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to develop and validate a qualitative research tool to analyze volleyball serves (underhand, overhand and the round house/Asian floater). Volleyball experts analyzed the checklist content and helped to determine intra and inter correlation coefficients. Serves performed by six female scholars (mean = 12.7 years of age) were filmed and analyzed. The checklist consisted of four phases: (I) initial position, (II) ball throw, (III) strike, and (IV) final phase. Its content showed satisfactory clearness (50% easily understandable and 50% very easily understandable), appropriate technical relevance (50% adequate and 33% very adequate) and easy applicability (33% feasible and 67% very feasible). As for its consistency and reproducibility, it could be inferred that the checklist is adequate on the grounds of: (1) significant intra-expert correlations for the majority of experts in each phase; (2) significant inter-expert correlations in three of the four phases (phase 1 – 0.86; phase 2 – 0.85; phase 3 – 0.76); and (3) significant mean values of inter- (0.81) and intra-expert (0.86) correlation, considering the final grade of the movement pattern. These results showed that the checklist seems to be a useful tool to assess the volleyball serve movement pattern.