INFLUENCE OF BALL WEIGHT ON JUNIOR-HIGH-SCHOOL GIRLS VOLLEYBALL PERFORMANCE

This study was designed to investigate the influence of a lighter ball (Tachikara Volley Lite) on 72 seventh-grade girls' tournament game play and pretest-to-posttest improvement for a 16-day volleyball practice period. Two intact classes were randomly assigned to groups, one of whom used lighter balls during skills progressions while a second used regulation balls. All students used regulation balls during tournament game play and skills tests. Both groups significantly improved the forearm pass from pretest to posttest. Analysis of covariance indicated no significant differences between groups on posttest means for any skill. A 2 x 6 (treatment x game day) analysis of variance indicated that the group practicing with lighter balls had significantly more correct sets and a higher average daily success rate for the set and underhand serve on game days than the group using a regulation ball.