The somatotype of Greek female volleyball athletes

Abstract

The purpose of this study was the recording and the comparative evaluation of the somatotype of Greek female volleyball athletes according to their competitive level. The study included 229 female athletes (18 from the national team, 73 from the major Al, 52 from the minor A2, 79 from the B national league). The mean age of the female athletes was 22.4 +/- 4.9 years old. For the calculation of the somatotype of these female athletes, the Heath-Carter method (1967) was used, according to which 10 anthropometric measurements were taken. Values of the three components of endomorphy, mesomorphy and ectomorphy were calculated on the basis of the respective Carter's functions (1998). All divisions, as well as all athletes, were classified as the endomorphic type. The national team (4.2 - 2.2 - 2.2) was mostly endomorphic, with a remaining balance of mesomorphy in relation to ectomorphy. This somatotype is different from the one that is internationally encountered regarding the high-level teams, where the mesomorphic somatotype prevails. No differences occured in the somatotype according to the competitive level. The Greek National Team was found to possess more adipose and less muscle mass when compared to the internationally proposed somatotype model. This may be related to inappropriate identification of female athletes in long-term athlete development.