TECHNICAL PERSONNEL AND VOLLEYBALL FACILITIES AS FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH FEMALE TALENT IDENTIFICATION IN NORTH-WEST NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES

This study examined the association between the availability of technical personnel, the availability of volleyball facilities, and successful talent identification among female volleyball players in universities in the North-West Geopolitical Zone of Nigeria. The study was guided by two objectives, two research questions, and two null hypotheses and adopted a cross-sectional survey design. A sample of 212 respondents comprising 168 female volleyball players, 16 coaches, 14 Directors of Sports, and 14 Deputy Directors of Sports was selected from 14 Federal and State universities using a two-stage sampling procedure. Directors of Sports, Deputy Directors of Sports, and volleyball coaches were purposively selected, while female volleyball players were selected from the available players in the sampled institutions. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire that was subjected to expert validation and demonstrated satisfactory overall internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = .816). Means and standard deviations were used for descriptive analysis, while chi-square tests of association were used to test the null hypotheses at the .05 level of significance after relevant responses had been categorized into appropriate categorical levels. Findings indicated significant associations between the availability of technical personnel and successful talent identification (χ² = 128.64, p < .001) and between the availability of volleyball facilities and successful talent identification (χ² = 114.27, p < .001). The study concluded that the availability and adequacy of technical personnel and volleyball facilities are significantly associated with successful talent identification among female volleyball players in universities in the North-West Geopolitical Zone of Nigeria. The study recommends regular professional development for technical personnel and the provision, upgrading, and maintenance of standard volleyball facilities.