Construção do conhecimento e a estruturação das decisões do levantador de voleibol no núcleo do sistema ofensivo na ação situada e incorporada

Abstract

The study investigated the setter's decision-making within the complexity of the real world, in its role of organizing the offensive system. The participants were two top-level setters: one of each sex. Both were international champions the Brazilian Volleyball national team. The theoretical framework of this research was the Course of Action and the self-confrontation interview, was the tool for collecting data. The athletes were both observers and observed in their own actions. The self-confrontation interview was employed in two games for each team in the finals of Superliga. The games were recorded on video. In convergence with its action performed in the game, the athlete explained the reasons of the decision-making of each action, in all offensive sequences. After this, the interaction of the investigator was with some elite coaches volleyball. The analysis of the decisions of the setters on the offensive organization involved confrontation between the action performed in the match and the significance of this action built by the player. The researcher and coach discussion related with the setters' action in the game and the setters' analysis from the self-confrontation in the units resulted in the decision-making framework of the offensive organization. From the analyse of the interactions between the setter (as observer and observed) and also between the player, the researcher and the coaches, different tactics dimensions relative to the setter's decision making were identified. Researcher and coach agreed with all the built dimensions. The dimensions were inserted in two different interactions: communication with members of his own team and counter communication with members of the opposing team. The communication included the following tactical dimensions: first touch (reception or defense); previous knowledge of offensive players; offensive control, perception of the offensive move; offensive replication; offensive precision; offensive expectation. Counter communication by this side included: wing-blocker; middle-blocker; both wing-blocker and middle-blocker. The results enable a deeper understanding of the setters decision making which involved the cognitive processes and the logic of the game. Those tactical dimensions can be used as indicators for training the decision making of the setter and the first and thirth touch as well, through the interaction between researcher and player or coach and player. This will guide the training of team's offensive system. The study showed that successful teams in the Brazilian volleyball have setters that show a strong decisional autonomy and skillfulness to decide with intelligence and creativity.