Ratko Pavlovic; Zhanneta Kozina; Vladan Savic; Dana Badau; Nikola Radulovic & Sinisa Nikolic

Motor skills, including explosive lower limb and upper body strength, coordination, flexibility, and endurance, are fundamental for volleyball performance. Evaluating differences between senior and junior players allows optimization of training programs and targeted development of specific motor abilities. This study aimed to examine differences in motor skills between senior and junior male volleyball players from the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team. A total of 29 healthy male volleyball players participated, divided into seniors (n=13; Body Height=194.77 ± 7.01 cm; Body Weight=92.92 ± 7.02 kg) and juniors (n=16; Body Height=197.06±4.65 cm; Body Weight = 83.19±5.15 kg). Motor abilities were assessed using standardized tests: block and spike jump height, standing long jump, dominant and non-dominant handgrip strength, 3 kg medicine ball throw, hand tapping, sit and reach flexibility, and sit-to-stand trunk endurance. Descriptive statistics (mean ±SD, coefficient of variation, skewness, kurtosis) were calculated, and independent t-tests with Levene’s test for equality of variances were used to compare groups. Significance was set at p < 0.05; p < 0.01. Senior players outperformed juniors in explosive lower limb and upper body strength: standing long jump (269.00 ± 19.38 cm vs. 253.50 ± 15.34 cm; t = 2.406, p = 0.028), dominant handgrip (52.62 ± 7.63 kg vs. 40.75 ± 8.26 kg; t = 3.979, p < 0.001), non-dominant handgrip (42.15 ± 5.00 kg vs. 31.88 ± 6.83 kg; t = 4.524, p < 0.001), and 3 kg medicine ball throw (10.17 ± 0.76 m vs. 8.22 ± 0.73 m; t = 7.033, p <?0.001). Differences in block jump height, spike jump height, hand coordination, flexibility, and trunk endurance were not statistically significant, although juniors showed higher variability in flexibility and handgrip strength. Senior volleyball players demonstrate superior explosive strength and upper body power, while juniors exhibit greater heterogeneity in motor skills. These findings highlight the necessity for individualized and targeted training programs for younger athletes to optimize motor development and reduce intra-group variability.

KEY WORDS: Motor skills; Explosive strength; Handgrip strength; Coordination; Flexibility; Endurance.

PAVLOVIC, R.; KOZINA, Z.; SAVIC, V.; BADAU, D.; RADULOVIC, N. & NIKOLIC, S. Motor development in volleyball players: A comparative study of senior and junior Bosnian and Herzegovinian national volleyball team members. Int. J. Morphol., 44(2):526-535, 2026.