Action-Quality Rating Systems in Indoor Volleyball: A Scoping Review of Conceptual Frameworks, Analytical Approaches, and Positional Applications

Abstract

Objective This scoping review aimed to systematically map and categorise action-quality rating systems used to evaluate individual skill execution in indoor volleyball, with practical relevance for performance analysts supporting elite-level athletes such as the New Zealand VolleyFerns.

Methods Following the Joanna Briggs Institute and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, a comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, SPORTDiscus, and Scopus. Eligible studies included those that developed, applied, or evaluated rating systems for technical skill execution in indoor volleyball from 2000 to 2024. Forty-four studies were included after structured screening and data extraction using CADIMA. Rating systems were classified by typology, analytical approach, application context, and positional specificity.

Results Three typological categories emerged: ordinal-descriptive systems (64%), interval-probabilistic models (9%), and hybrid-emergent frameworks (27%). Analytical approaches ranged from basic descriptive statistics to probabilistic modelling, social network analysis, and machine learning. Most studies focused on elite-level female athletes and emphasised terminal actions (e.g., serve, attack), with growing attention to contextual and positional variation. Setter and libero actions were increasingly analysed through system-sensitive models reflecting match phase and tactical role.

Conclusion Volleyball action-quality rating systems have evolved from static ordinal scales to complex, context-sensitive frameworks that better capture the dynamic relationship between skill execution and match context. However, challenges such as methodological heterogeneity, inconsistent terminology, and limited validation persist. This review provides foundational insights for developing robust, role-specific, and analytically sound rating systems to inform coaching and talent identification in elite volleyball.