Analysis of the Results of a Questionnaire Survey of Amateur Volleyball Players and Students of Higher Edu-cation Institutions in Physical Culture and Sport Regarding Theoretical Preparation in the Educational and Training Process of Volleyball Players

The aim of the study is to determine the opinions of amateur volleyball players and students of higher education institutions in the field of physical culture regarding theoretical preparation. Materials and Methods. During the research, the following methods were used: methods of theoretical level of research, methods of empirical level of research and mathematical statistical methods. Our survey aimed to identify the attitudes of amateur volleyball players and students of higher education institutions in physical culture regarding distance teaching of volleyball and theoretical preparation during both online and offline training processes. We proposed 8 specific questions in the survey about the respondents' awareness of theoretical preparation in volleyball, its significance, and the availability of modern forms and methods, as well as their self-assessment of theoretical preparedness, etc. A total of 70 respondents participated in the survey, including: 1 Master of Sports of International Class (1.4%); 1 Master of Sports (1.4%); 6 Candidates for Master of Sports (8.6%); 8 First-Class players (11.4%); 3 Second-Class players (4.3%); and 51 unclassified players (72.9%). Among all respondents, 49 were female (70%) and 21 were male (30%). By age: under 20 years – 17 individuals (24.2%); 20 to 25 years - 24 (34.3%); 25 to 30 years – 18 (25.8%); 30 to 35 years – 7 (10,0%); 35 to 40 years – 3 (4.3%); over 40 years – 1 (1.4%). Additionally, 65 volleyball players live in the city (92.85%), 1 in an urban-type settlement (1.43%), and 4 (5.72%) in rural areas. Among the respondents there were 24 students (34.3%), 40 (57.1%) working volleyball players, and 6 (8.6%) temporarily unemployed. The experience of volleyball training among the respondents varied from 1 to over 20 years: from 0 to 5 years – 19 (27.1%), from 5 to 10 years – 22 individuals (31.4%); from 10 to 15 years – 14 (20%); from 15 to 20 years – 9 (12.85%); over 20 years – 6 (8.6%). The survey was conducted during the "Fit-Mix" park volleyball tournament among amateur teams in Dnipro from March 9 to March 10, 2024, which involved 10 teams. Results. The analysis of the responses from amateur athletes and students of higher education institutions in physical culture to the question "Do you feel the need to acquire theoretical knowledge in volleyball?" indicates that 15 of them (21.4%) do not need theoretical knowledge at all, 14.3% rely on the coach's knowledge, only 8 (11.4%) have a constant need for knowledge about volleyball, and 37 (52.8%) feel the need for theoretical knowledge "from time to time." Conclusions. The research established that our assumption as to the necessity of scientific substantiating the structure and content of theoretical preparation in volleyball is confirmed by the majority of respondents expressing a need for theoretical knowledge. This is a relevant issue which solution will enhance the quality of training for higher education students in the field of physical culture and sports.