## 1 Introduction  
The competitive landscape of elite volleyball requires continuous innovation in its training methodologies to enhance athletic performance. Neuro-athletic training (NAT) has recently gained traction as a novel paradigm that integrates neuroscience principles with athletic conditioning to optimize neuromuscular function. Traditional training regimens in volleyball have historically focused on biomechanical and physiological elements, often neglecting the neural components of athletic performance. However, the complex coordination of sensory and motor systems suggests a profound neural foundation for high-level athletic skills [1]. Neuro-athletic training (NAT) proposes that by fostering neuroplasticityand enhancing the efficiency of the neural pathways, it is possible to achieve improved motor output, coordination, and overall athletic performance [2; 3]. NAT combines principles from both athletic training and neuroscience, suggesting that strengthening neural control mechanisms can significantly elevate physical performance beyond what is achievable through traditional methods alone. This approach emphasizes refining the movement control systems--namely the visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive systems--that govern an athlete's interaction with their environment [4]. These systems form a foundational triad dictating the accuracy of motor responses and the fluidity of complex movements essential in volleyball, such as spiking and blocking [5]. The visual system is crucial for tracking the ball and anticipating opponents' actions; the vestibular system supports balance and spatial orientation during rapid movements; and the proprioceptive system enables precise motor control, making each part of the triad indispensable to NAT's effectiveness [2; 3]. Effective communication between these systems ensures high-quality sensorimotor signals, which directly influence the performance outcomes [6]. Conversely, disruptions or suboptimal signals within these pathways can hinder training success and athletic performance, as highlighted by [PERSON] et al. [7]. Central to NAT is the vestibular system, which plays a significant role in balance, spatial orientation, and the fine-tuning of movements--all essential for volleyball-specific skills such as serving and spiking [7]. NAT's impact on flexibility, a key attribute for volleyball athletes, can facilitate an increased range of motion and a more dynamic muscular response through neuromuscular conditioning Additionally, serve speed and upper limb strength, which are critical for powerful serves and effective defence, are hypothesized to be positively modulated by an athlete's neural conditioning through NAT [8]. The importance of this randomized controlled trial lies in its potential to provide empirical evidence of the impact of neuro-athletic training (NAT) on volleyball-specific performance metrics, such as flexibility, serve speed, and upper limb strength and coordination. NAT aims to optimize neuromuscular performance by targeting the neural pathways involved in motor control and sensorimotor integration [9; 10]. Traditional volleyball training programs primarily emphasize biomechanical and physiological aspects like strength and endurance, often overlooking the neural contributions essential for complex motor tasks [11]. As recent studies have highlighted, enhancing the nervous system's efficiency in coordinating sensory inputs and motor outputs could unlock new performance gains in sports with high sensorimotor demands [12; 13]. Neuro-athletic training combines principles from neuroscience and motor learning, emphasizing the enhancement of neural systems that govern movement accuracy, coordination, and reaction speed [14]. Specifically, NAT addresses the integration of the visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive systems, which are crucial for an athlete's environmental awareness and movement execution [15]. These sensory systems form the foundation for coordinated motor responses in volleyball-specific skills, such as spiking, serving, and blocking [10].