Volume 13, Issue 9 (September 2026), Pages: 90-100

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 Original Research Paper

Temporal dynamics of motor skill acquisition in volleyball forearm self-volleying among PATHFit 4 students at Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology, Philippines

 Author(s): 

Kenneth S. Samonte *

 Affiliation(s):

College of Education, Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology, Cabanatuan City, Philippines

 Full text

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 * Corresponding Author. 

   Corresponding author's ORCID profile:  https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8694-8027

 Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

 
https://doi.org/10.21833/ijaas.2026.09.009

 Abstract

This study examines the temporal dynamics of motor skill acquisition in volleyball forearm self-volleying among Physical Activity towards Health and Fitness (PATHFit) 4 students at Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology, Philippines. The study aimed to determine baseline proficiency, monitor changes in performance at 15-minute intervals during a continuous practice session, and establish how age and sex affect skill development. The researchers used a quasi-experimental time-tracking design to assess 123 second-year students through repeated measurements over one hour of instructional time. The results showed a steadily increasing trend, with the greatest improvements observed during the initial stage of cognitive learning. Although male students demonstrated higher absolute performance throughout the period, female students showed greater relative percentage gains during the first interval. Statistical results indicated that sex was significantly associated with performance, whereas age was not. The study concludes that although short-term intensive practice leads to substantial technical improvements, performance plateaus and coordination declines occur towards the end of the hour due to physical fatigue. The study recommends adopting the Temporal Mastery Forearm Proficiency Program to support gender-sensitive instruction and shared learning activities.

 © 2026 The Authors. Published by IASE.

 This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

 Keywords

Motor skill acquisition, Volleyball, Forearm passing, Skill development, Physical education

 Article history

Received 28 March 2026, Received in revised form 5 September 2026, Accepted 17 September 2026

 Acknowledgment

The researcher would like to express his utmost gratitude to the administration of the Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology, San Isidro Campus, who assisted the researcher with the provision of the gym facilities and institutional support for this study, and to the second-year students of the academic year 2025-2026 for their discipline in participation. This research project is devoted to advancing sports science in the Philippines and the overall development of Filipino student-athletes. 

 Compliance with ethical standards

 Ethical considerations

This study received approval from the University Research Ethics Committee (through proper Letter of Approval) and was carried out in compliance with ethical standards for research involving human subjects. All participants signed informed consent forms before the data were collected, and all participants voluntarily participated. Safety practices included warm-up drills and first aid on site. Data were anonymized using coded identifiers and stored securely, and the confidentiality of participants was maintained. 

 Citation:

Samonte KS (2026). Temporal dynamics of motor skill acquisition in volleyball forearm self-volleying among PATHFit 4 students at Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology, Philippines. International Journal of Advanced and Applied Sciences, 13(9): 90-100

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