What is the Most Important Skill in Volleyball? What the Academic Research Says

Introduction

Back in late November, I asked what is the most important skill in volleyball is (blog post link).  I was interested in what others thought.  Everybody has their opinions, which is usually based on their philosophy and experience.  I got a variety of answers from such as reception, digs, vision, anticipation, movement, hug arms, setting, service and blocking.  However, what is the right answer, if any?

Well, I wanted to know that answer myself and it led me to write a 5,000 word essay on this subject.  The abridged version is below.

Results

Research is centred on the 6 technical skills of volleyball: service, reception, setting, attack, blocking and digging.  The studies performed statistical testing that discriminates between winning and losing teams or between successful and unsuccessful teams.  .  .  Studies showing support for the 6 technical volleyball skills as a performance indicator can be seen in Table 1. 

Skill	Studies Showing Support as a Performance Indicator	Studies Showing No Effect
Attack	(Palao , 2004; Zetou , 2006; Đurković , 2008; Marcelino , 2008; Drikos , 2009; Drikos & Vagenas, 2011; Patsiaouras , 2009)	No study is found not to support an attack performance indicator as decisive for success.
Serve	(Zetou , 2006; Đurković , 2008; Drikos , 2009; Drikos & Vagenas, 2011; Patsiaouras , 2009)	(Palao , 2004)
Block	(Palao , 2004; Drikos & Vagenas, 2011)	(Patsiaouras , 2009; Marcelino , 2008; Araújo , 2009)
Reception, dig, setting	No recent study has been found to support reception, dig or setting as decisive for success.	(Zetou , 2006; Monteiro , 2009)

Table 1: Studies showing support or no effect as performance indicators for the 6 technical skills in volleyball

*** Update 14 July 2014***A better illustration of valid performance indicator studies since 2004 can be seen below:

Discussion

Scoring skills (attack, serve and block) are important in volleyball.  This makes sense because you need to score points to win a match.  In addition, it makes sense that attack is the important skill because you score the most points via the attack.  It has to be noted that it is not simply procuring the most points but also minimizing errors. 

There is no support for reception, dig or setting as decisive for a positive outcome.  This is despite arguments that without a good reception and dig, you cannot build the platform for a good attack.  Also despite arguments that without a good setter, you cannot set a hittable ball from any bad passes or digs. 

Limitations

There is a danger to apply these findings globally because the samples used in the research mostly relate to senior male elite volleyball.  Findings identified in these populations (age, gender and team level) may not be valid outside these populations.  Thus, attack may not be the most important skill at local league or Super 8 level.

Practical Application

Coaches should focus on improving attack effectiveness in training, followed by serve and block.  This is not to say the other skills should be ignored.  Team selection should primarily be based upon players’ attack effectiveness. 

Personal Opinion

I certainly believe attack effectiveness is the most important skill in volleyball.  To win matches, you need to score points and most points are scored through kills.  It also has the added strategic benefit that a strong attack will reduce the attack effectiveness of the opponents (free balls or overpasses). In addition to attack, I reckon serve and reception are important at lower levels of play.  It certainly goes with my coaching philosophy of,

There were other things that people have said that does not related to the 6 technical skills such as vision, anticipation, movement and huge arms.  I would not know how you would be able to measure these skills in research.  However, I would say I am not sure how many points you can win on vision and anticipation alone.  Vision and anticipation skills might help keep you in a couple of rallies but you still need to win the rally.  Also, having good movement and big arms are genetic traits so it is not really a skill .  

Finally, I was surprised that nobody answered attack as the most important skill in volleyball.  Will this blog post change people’s opinions?  Voice your opinion here!

***UPDATE 14 JULY 2014***

This topic was so interesting to me that it eventually led to my dissertation research question: the identification of valid performance indicators in non-elite volleyball.  You can read the abridged version here.   It addressed the limitation written here that valid performance indicators may be different in non-elite volleyball, which might include defence.  It also answered my thinking back then that serve and reception was more important at lower levels of play.  It’s worth a read.***

Valid Performance Indicator Studies Series

This is a part of the valid performance indicator studies series, including an overview of all five studies that I did.  Links are below.

6 | Overview of the five valid performance indicator studies 5 | City University London + Opponents (BUCS South Eastern Division 1), 2017-20, Set outcome 4 | IBB Polonia Men + Opponents (Men’s Super League), 2018-20, Set outcome 3 | Women’s Super 8s + League, 2015-20, League correlation (2017-18) + Set outcome 2 | Women’s Super League, 2019-20, League correlation + set outcome 1 | Men’s Super 8s, 2012-13, League correlation + set outcome (Masters Dissertation) 0 | Academic Literature Review, elite men’s volleyball (2004 – 2012)