Volleyball Reasearch Project
Vizual Edge Performance Trainer (VEPT)
Volleyball Research Report
Dr. Frank Spaniol
Professor, Department of Kinesiology
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
Fourteen (14) NCAA DI volleyball players participated in a study to investigate the relationship between visual skills and volleyball performance. Visual skills were determined by the VizualEdge Performance Trainer® (VEPT), a commercial software program designed to test and train visual skills. Individual test scores were determined for eye alignment, eye flexibility, visual recognition, visual memory, and visual tracking. A composite VEPT score was also calculated for each subject. Volleyball performance was determined by official NCAA statistics. Research results are as follows:
• Houston Baptist University (HBU) is a NCAA DI program that is transitioning to NCAA DI. The team finished the 2008 season with a record of 24-7 while winning the National Transitions Challenge Championship.
• The mean VEPT score for the fourteen subjects was 79.46 with a standard deviation of 12.56. The high and low scores were 91.14 and 41.02, respectively.
Top VEPT Scores
• The top VEPT score (91.14) was achieved by the team setter who ranked first in assists, second in serve aces, and fourth in digs.
• The second best VEPT score (89.93) was achieved by the team’s top attacker (outside hitter) who ranked first in attacks and kills, third in serve aces, and second in digs.
• The third best VEPT score (87.13) was achieved by the team’s top middle blocker who ranked third in attacks, first in blocks, and third in kills.
Top Volleyball Statistical Leaders
• The team’s best setter (9.51 assists per set) had the best VEPT score (91.14) on the team, while the best set percentage (.545) was achieved by fourth highest VEPT score (86.27) on the team.
• The team’s best attacker (828) had the second highest VEPT score on the team, while the best attack percentage (.348) was achieved by third highest VEPT score (87.13) on the team.
• The team’s best blocker (.75 blocks per set) had the third highest VEPT score (87.13) on the team.
• The player with the team’s best kill per set (3.30) had the second highest VEPT score on the team, while the best attack percentage (.348) was achieved by the player with the third highest VEPT score (87.13) on the team.
• The team’s best server (.45 serve aces per set) had the fourth highest VEPT score on the team, while the team’s top three servers had VEPT scores that ranked 4, 1, and 2, respectively.
• Three of the team’s four best diggers ranked in the top five VEPT scores.
Summary
• The results of this investigation indicate that the performance leaders in every major statistical category were dominated by players with the best visual skills (VEPT).
• The results of this investigation indicate statistical evidence that suggests a positive relationship between visual skills and volleyball performance of NCAA DI volleyball players.
Normative VEPT data for NCAA DI volleyball players (N=27) is as follows:
VEPT Scores – NCAA DI Volleyball
VEPT Score Category
86.86 and above Excellent
79.73-86.85 Good
73.19-79.72 Average
66.77-73.18 Fair
66.76 and below Poor
