CHAPTER-I
INTRODUCTION
Sport is a discipline in which the winner/s is decided by
certain standard. The standard varies sport to sport. This standard
may be fixed in terms of point / score in certain sport, and in some
other sports in term of time and so on. Sports is a wider term which
includes games, athletics, swimming, cycling, gymnastics, shooting,
archery, boxing, certain martial arts and other events.
Game is generally played between two teams. Team may
consist of one or more players. Here winners are decided in terms of
scores / fixed points or time. Generally best teams often win the
competition. Performance of teams is generally judged by the
consistent results shown by the team/individuals.
Although these two terms namely sport and game may be
related in meaning, there are different connotations. Both words
describe the activities people do for pleasure in their leisure time. In
modern usage, "sports" refer to organized individual or group
competitive activities requiring varying degrees of bodily strength,
skill, or stamina, governed by rules or customs, and sometimes
undertaken as a means of livelihood. Many sports are played in
front of an audience as a form of entertainment. Games, on the
other hand, are structured activities that have rules, can be
2
Introduction
competitive or co-operative, and usually require the exertion of
one's mental powers as opposed to bodily strength. To excel in
sports and games one should have excellent technique, tactics,
training, skill etcetera.
1.1. Sport skill test
Evaluation is essential in the process of teaching and
coaching. Through evaluation, a teacher/coach knows the extent to
which learning has taken place. Hence, the teacher/coach must be
aware of some evaluation techniques, which will enable him to
measure the student’s/player’s skill objectively and classify them
initially as well as by measuring the progress made by them. There
are few skill tests in various physical activities, which help to
measure the playing abilities of the students/players in different
games and sports.
Sports skill tests are designed to measure the basic skills
used in the playing of a specific sport. Because of the wide range of
skills in most sports, a selection of the most important skill is
invariably necessary. Keeping in mind the literature available,
opinion of experts as well as by applying appropriate statistical
techniques the skill tests are designed. The skill items collectively
are called test battery. The skill test helps the students to evaluate
their performance in the fundamental skills of the game and to
provide an incentive for improvement. The test also serves the
3
Introduction
purpose
of
helping
student’s/player’s
the
performance
teachers/coach
and
to
to
evaluate
measure
their
own
teaching/coaching procedure and programme.
Many sports skill tests are described in the professional
literature, some of these tests are valid and reliable others are not.
Collins and Hodges (1978), describe 103 tests for twenty six
sports. Their comprehensive guide is an excellent source for skills
tests.
A skill is an ability, usually learned and acquired through
training, to perform actions which achieve a desired outcome.
During 1930, skill testing in the fundamental skills in different
games and sports were devised. Brace (1966) presented one of the
earliest skill tests on Basketball. All those tests followed the general
procedure to determine statistically a few simple test items to
measure the total activity of that sports and games. Skill tests were
developed to measure the basic skills used in a specific sport
(AAHPERD, 1969). The skill test items are collectively called a test
battery. Meanwhile the nature of the battery of tests in measuring
the fundamental skills should be a field based one rather than the
lab based. Since the field based test items highlight the real game
situations, assessing the player in the real game situation is
encouraged.
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Introduction
Skill test require an environment similar to the game
environment and standardized procedures for administration. The
validity of skill test is judged to some extent on the consistency
between testing and performing environments. This does not mean
one must recreate exactly the playing environment. It means that
the movements and the activity must correspond to those of the
actual sport. The virtue of skill tests is a subject of ongoing debate.
Many skill tests offer an objective, reliable and valid method for
evaluating motor skill objectives, while others do not. It is advised
not to use a skill test that does not meet evaluation needs or the
important criteria of reliability, validity and feasibility for mass
testing. Also, be sure to adopt tests that were developed on
students of the same gender, age and experience level as once
students. One can also modify an existing test to meet the needs
(Morrow et al, 2005).
Perhaps
the
most
popular
purpose
of
sports
skills
measurement is to determine an individual’s progress or level of
achievement in a particular sport. Other important purposes for the
measurement of sports skills follow. A skill test can be administered
early in the instruction in a sport to classify all participants. This
early test eliminates the need to observe the individuals for several
group meeting before attempting to classify them. Determining the
strengths and weakness of the students can aid in the planning of
5
Introduction
unit objectives and can help identify students who may need
special attention.
Used correctly, a skill test can motivate
individuals to improve their abilities in a sport; the challenge of
competing against one’s own scores often is more motivating than
the challenge of competing against others. While performing the
test items, the students are actually practicing the skills of the
sport.
Test scores, as well as other information, can be used to
demonstrate to the administration, parents and the public the
objectives and values of physical education. When no such
information is available, the perception of physical education as a
play period is reaffirmed (Sureshkumar, 2010).
1.2. Need of skill test
At present the physical education teacher and coaches in
India have the resources sufficiently to measure the physical motor
and performance related components, whereas the tests measuring
the fundamental skills in sports and games are very limited.
Further the available tests are also not home based. So the results
and conclusions derived from these tests can have a change to
mislead due to some extraneous factors.
However the professionals in the field of physical education
and sports are forced to use foreign system because of limited
options.
In
such
a
situation
the
resources
on
tests
and
measurements to measure the fundamental skills have to be
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Introduction
enhanced. For that, physical educators and coaches should have a
sound knowledge on testing and measuring the performance related
components (physical, physiological, anatomical and psychological).
Such a sound knowledge gained from the test and measurement,
help them study the state and progress of individual performance in
the fundamental skills and identify the right type of athletes
because the aforesaid components are functioning as determinants
in individual performance. The field of Indian sports science has
very limited scientifically structured tests and measurements to
assess
the
individual
performance.
The
field
of
test
and
measurement to Indian applications has been chosen as an area
with the intention of imparting the real game situations admissible
to Indian conditions.
The assessment of sports skills serves many fundamental
functions
for
physical
education
teachers,
coaches,
and
participants, such as revision of curriculum, improvement of
instruction, prescription for correction, feedback to performers, and
evaluation of achievement. In spite of the popularity of racquetball
as a skill class in most colleges and universities, only a few tests
are currently available to determine the overall racquetball skill
level
of
young
adults.
After
realizing
that
there
were
no
standardized tests for measuring racquetball skills, Wickstrom and
Larson (1972) proposed a two-item skills test that included a rally
7
Introduction
test and a volley test. The rally test was a 30-sec front wall rally in
which the participant stayed behind the service line and used either
the forehand or backhand stroke to rally the ball against the front
wall. In doing the volleying test, the participant stayed behind a
restraining line 10 ft away from the front wall and volleyed the ball
off the front wall.
1.3. Steps in construction of tests
Tests are very important in the area of physical education.
Tests are widely used to diagnose the needs and weakness of the
student, to evaluate the effectiveness of a programme, to grade and
classify students with reference to their performance levels, to
motivate the students towards a particular activity or skill by
means of a test at the end of the programme as an instructional
device, as a prediction and as tool of research.
In test construction the test to be valid should have some
basic considerations. The basic considerations would adhere to the
standards of significance of test such as validity, reliability,
objectivity and norms. According to Johnson and Nelson (1988)
the nature of the game should be analysed in steps one in order to
determine the skills that are involved in activity is insufficient. It is
to determine the relative importance of a component because some
8
Introduction
of the traits involved in the skills, which are the byproducts of a
factor.
In step two, selection of test items that measure the desired
qualities are included. It is the most crucial step in the entire test
construction. The selection of test items must be chosen with
regard to their importance as well as their propensity to be
measured accurately. Selection of the test items may be either from
the established tests through the utilization of jury of experts or
may be determined arbitrarily by analyzing the game situation. If
the test pertains to a game, the test item should confirm as much
as possible to the actual game. Test item is only a sample of total
performance. In order to avoid the misleading results, the testing
situations should be easy and feasible one.
Step three includes the exact procedures for administering
and scoring of the test. In accomplishing this, the researcher must
resort to certain amount of trials and errors. The best-laid plans on
paper may be totally inaccessible in practice. Because the
applications of such plans in the real game situation may not be
desirable due to many external factors and the test needs to be
modified. The clarity and simplicity of directions have a direct
bearing on the reliability and objectivity of the test. The next step is,
determining the reliability of the test items. It can be obtained for
9
Introduction
each test by giving the test twice to the same group of subjects. In
this case care should be taken to ensure consistency among the
subjects.
Subjects selected for
tests should be the
course
representative of population for whom, the test is intended.
The next step is objectivity in that two competent testers
administering the test item to the same individuals can accomplish
it. It is directly related to the skill and integrity of the testers as well
as to the clarity and simplicity of the instructions and procedures of
the tests. The next step is validity. In that the composite score of all
the test items in the battery may be used for validating the test
items. Otherwise the judges rating on the overall performance of the
game may be considered as a criterion to establish the validity. Next
step is to revise the test in the light of the findings of the steps
already
described
and
finally
the
written
instructions
for
administering and scoring the test.
The last step is the construction of norms. For that a large
number of subjects who are representative of the population for
whom the test was intended should be given and the test and their
test scores are recorded. The score then is converted to percentile
or T-score. Norm for each item should be prepared. Usually the
norm for the composite total score is also desirable (Sureshkumar,
2010).
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Introduction
1.4. Ball badminton
Ball badminton is basically a South Indian game. There is no
exact record available, when and by whom this game was
introduced. But there is evidence that before 1856 the rulers of
Thanjavur played this game. It is learned that the royal family of
‘Travancore’ (Kerala) played this game as a recreation sport. Some
historians opined that the ‘ball badminton’ takes its name from the
badminton game because originally badminton is an Indian game.
In India, the game ‘ball badminton’ attained immense popularity in
the 19th century particularly in the south, people who migrated
from south India carried the game to different parts of the country.
Ball badminton is a team game. This game is played in two different
formats namely FIVES and DOUBLES. Nowadays few singles
tournaments are also organized. The ‘five’ format is the most
popular and almost all the major tournaments are held in this form
only. The mixed doubles game is getting popular in recent times.
(Kalidasan and sureshkumar, 2009).
Ball badminton is a fast-paced game; it demands skill, quick
reflexes, good judgment, agility, and the ability to control the ball
with one's wrist. Games are usually played outdoors during the day.
As a result weather conditions wield a considerable influence, and
ball badminton's rules allow the effects of weather conditions to be
11
Introduction
distributed more-or-less evenly between both teams. More recently,
indoor versions of the game have been played under artificial
lighting. All-India tournaments are conducted regularly using
floodlights in Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Andhra, and Karnataka.
Ball badminton is an extremely demanding sport especially in
all the schools and colleges of India. At an elite level, players are
often required to perform at their limits of speed, agility, flexibility,
endurance and strength. On top of all of this, players must
maintain a high state of concentration in order to meet the
tactical/mental demands of dealing with their opponents. The
varied potential stresses of competitive play are considerable. It is
therefore essential that everyone involved with the modern game
ought to be familiar with the fitness (physiological) requirements of
the game ball badminton.
Playing ball badminton is a series of demanding movements
performed using a movement pattern which is unique compared
with any other sport. So, ball badminton is a combination of speed
(anaerobic fitness) in smashing and endurance (aerobic fitness) to
allow sustained efforts and to promote recovery between points. All
of these fitness components should form part of player’s fitness
training. Additionally, the development of tactical and technical
elements is of course, also vital. With all of these types of training,
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Introduction
an understanding of the principles of fitness training from a general
point of view is essential.
Some people say that ball badminton is a skill oriented game,
not fitness oriented. But the modern ball badminton game needs
high degree of accuracy, reaction, strength, flexibility and reflexes
to perform powerful smashes, fast rallies, strokes and shut- at-net.
By performing the skills perfectly to win the opponents and play
without the risks of injury a player needs to have specific and
sufficient ball badminton fitness (Kirubakar & Glory, 2009).
1.5. Rationale of the study
Ball badminton today has undergone a tremendous amount of
improvement since its origin. There is a lack of standardized
evaluative skill test in ball badminton for assessing the ability,
grading and predicting the performance of Ball Badminton player.
Day by day the nature of the game changes its structure. Coaches,
trainers and players are continually searching for effective methods
of identifying and developing those characteristics in a player that
may enhance performance. Hence, the research scholar has decided
to design a skill test battery that measures the basic qualities of a
player, which is very essential in the game situation. This test
battery may be helping the coaches to classify the students into
homogenous group, find out their talents and to the players to
know about themselves. Most valid and reliable tests, measure one
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Introduction
or two isolated skills without regard to how they are used in the
actual game situation.
1.6. Statement of the problem
The purpose of the study was to construct skill test battery
and to develop standard norms for ball badminton players at
college level.
1.7. Objectives
1. To construct skill test in the game of ball badminton
2. To design skill test battery for ball badminton players
3. To develop standard norms for college ball badminton players.
1.8. Significance of the study
The study would be significance in the following aspects.
1. The study would provide coaches with realistic and objective
information about the standard of the players in order to
improve the specificity of training to prepare individuals for
optimal performance.
2. The study would serve as a motivational force to the ball
badminton players to improve upon their skills.
3. The study would be helpful in locating potential ball
badminton players.
14
Introduction
4. The skill test battery developed in this study would help the
physical educators and coaches to evaluate their players more
accurately, since large numbers of test items were included in
this battery.
5. The constructed test battery would help the coaches and
physical educators to have periodical monitoring on the
performance of players during the training and coaching
period.
6. The norms developed in this study would help the players,
physical educators and coaches to assess the skill level and
make a comparison between other groups.
7. This study would yield norm to be used for the evaluation,
classification and selection of ball badminton players for
different levels of competition.
1.9. Delimitations
The present study was delimited in the following aspects
1. The present study was confined to male ball badminton
players and their age range between 18 and 23 year only.
2. The study was delimited to 330 ball badminton players
studying in various colleges of Tamilnadu state, India.
3. The subjects had past playing experience of at least three
years in ball badminton and only those who represented their
respective college teams were taken as subjects.
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Introduction
4. The data were collected just before the competition period.
1.10. Limitations
1. The influences of training schedules, previous experience,
playing position, fatigue factors, motivational factors and
various physical activities on the subject’s playing ability were
not taken in to account.
2. Variations in performance due to diet, climatic conditions,
ground conditions and other environmental factors that might
affect the study, were not taken in to consideration.
3. Since
the
human
elements
are
involved
in
the
test
administration even slight error in measurement and timings
which might affect the results were also considered as
limitations of the study.
1.11. Definition of the terms
Ball badminton
Ball badminton is a team game, generally played in day light
and outdoors. This game is played in two different formats namely
fives and doubles (Kalidasan and Suresh Kumar 2009).
Evaluation
Evaluation is the statement of equity, value or worthiness
about what has been assessed (Morrow, et.al 2005).
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Introduction
Factor analysis
A statistical procedure that is used to reduce a large number
of variables to a much smaller representative set of variables called
‘factors’. The object of factor analysis is to achieve parsimony and
often to discover the essential variables that underline and
summarize the information in a large set of variables (Field, 2005)
Measurement
Measurement is the collection of information on which a
decision is based (Baumgartner, et.al 2003).
Norms
Norms are values considered to be representative or a
specified population. They provide information for the individual in
the programme and counsels to enable them interpret any
individual score in relation to the scores made by other individuals
in the same population. Norms are usually based on age, grade,
height,
weight,
sex,
or
the
various
combinations
of
these
characteristics (Johnson and Nelson, 1988).
Objectivity
The process of evaluating the degree of agreement in the
results obtained by the different testers by using the same tests or
instrument (Kansal, 2012).
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Introduction
Reliability
The process of evaluating the degree of consistency in
results with which a test or an instrument measures on repeated
use of the test or instrument by the same test (Kansal, 2012).
Shut-at-net
A technique used by a front or centre player standing close to
the net to meet the stroke from the opponent (Kalidasan and
Suresh Kumar, 2009).
Skill
An art of co-ordinated use of hands (or) any other part (or)
parts of the body to perform a specific job (Kansal, 2012).
Technique
Technique is a scientific and economical method to attain
high sports performance (Uppal, 2009).
Test
A test is an instrument or tool used to make the particular
measurement (Morrow et.al 2005).
Validity
The process of evaluating the degree to which a test measures
the factor for which it was designed (Kansal, 2012).
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Introduction
1.12. Definition of the operational terms
Back row over head flat smash
It is the offensive stroke played with flat bat which moves
faster in the air and land in the back row only.
Back row over head twist smash
It is the offensive stroke where ball is cut on either one side
which moves in the air with greater height and land in the back row
only.
Fast drive wrist service
In fast drive wrist service the wrist is used and served in the
back court of the opponent. This serve generally goes very fast
and flat.
Front row over head flat smash
It is the powerful stroke played by front row and centre
player with flat bat.
High spin twist service
Twisting is nothing but cutting the ball during the high
service, in order to create spin in the service. Side spin, back spin
and top (over) spin are applied in ball badminton to deceive the
opponents at the back court.
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Introduction
Low service
In low service the ball passes low over the net and generally
falls over the service line.
Over arm volley test
Over arm volley is basically defensive stroke generally
played by back row players. This stroke is made above the
shoulder level.
Under arm volley test
Under arm volley is a defensive stroke normally played by
the back row players below shoulder height.