The evolution of blocking purpose: From reactive defense to coordinated scoring in women's volleyball across five Olympic games (2008–2024)

Abstract

The study aims to explore the evolution patterns of women's volleyball blocking techniques through a longitudinal analysis of changes in blocking techniques during the women's volleyball semifinals and finals from the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Performance data for blocking were derived from video analysis of 20 matches (71 sets). From this sample 4196 blocking actions were coded. The recorded variables included the number of blockers, the blocking positions, the opponent's offensive situation, and blocking effectiveness. Results showed that the number of blockers and blocking effectiveness had changed. The occurrence of triple blockers decreased significantly (p = 0.01), while double blockers became the dominant blocking formation. Significant differences were observed across different periods for both blocking errors (p < 0.05) and ineffective blocking (p < 0.05), whereas blocking points increased, suggesting a continuous improvement in blocking techniques proficiency. Additionally, no significant differences were found in relation to blocking positions or the opponent's offensive situation. The study's findings suggest that blocking in volleyball is gradually evolving from a simple defensive technique into an active scoring method, further highlighting the growing importance of this skill in the sport.