OFFENSIVE TECHNICAL-TACTICAL PERFORMANCE IN FEMALE BEACH VOLLEYBALL ACROSS DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS

Abstract

Modern development of beach volleyball is characterized by an increase in the intensity of competitive activity, the growing complexity of the structure of technical and tactical actions, and higher demands on the individual effectiveness of female athletes. Under these conditions, the study of the effectiveness of technical and tactical offensive actions, taking into account age-related characteristics, becomes particularly relevant, as it is a necessary prerequisite for the scientific substantiation of the training process content.
The aim of the study is to determine the effectiveness of serves and attack hits as key offensive technical and tactical actions in the competitive activity of female beach volleyball players aged 13–15, 16–17, and 18–19 years.
The research methods included analysis and synthesis of scientific and methodological literature, pedagogical observation, and analysis of competitive activity using protocols for recording technical and tactical actions. The empirical basis of the study consisted of data from 180 sets of official competitions of the Ukrainian Championships held in 2023–2025. The assessment was carried out according to the indicators of efficiency, defined as the ability of an action to maintain ball possession and organize the subsequent attack; scoring effectiveness, defined as winning a point; and errors, defined as losing the rally.
The results of the study indicate that, in the process of long-term athletic development, a regular transformation occurs in the structure of technical and tactical offensive actions. In the 13–15-year-old age group, technically simple actions, such as standing serves and attack hits, predominate. Their efficiency is ensured mainly by execution stability; however, they are accompanied by limited scoring effectiveness and high variability of errors when technical complexity increases.
In female athletes aged 16–17 years, an intensive stage of technical and tactical mastery formation was identified. This was manifested in the expansion of the attack hit arsenal, an increase in the scoring effectiveness of power attack hits, and a gradual reduction in errors, while their relatively high level was still maintained during the execution of complex technical elements.
In the 18–19-year-old age group, a balanced model of technical and tactical offensive actions is formed. It is characterized by an optimal ratio between efficiency, scoring effectiveness, and errors; stabilization of technical execution; and an increasing role of variable and tactically determined offensive actions, particularly counterattacks.
It was established that with age, not only the scoring effectiveness of technical and tactical actions increases, but also their functional expediency. This is reflected in the growing proportion of efficient actions aimed at maintaining ball possession and organizing the subsequent attack. The obtained results may be used to substantiate individualized programs of technical and tactical training for female beach volleyball players.