Basic
Descriptions of Volleyball Positions
Explore Volleyball Positions and learn to
understand basics of different court positions.
Rotational
six positions of Volleyball
On this page we present volleyball
playing
positions (libero, outside hitter etc). If you were looking
for
rotational positions of volleyball
(position 4,
position 6 etc) and how players should line up, go to 6 positions of
volleyball page. The link is in the end of this page.
Rotational Volleyball
Positions
Volleyball court divides into attack zone (front row) and defense zone
(back
row).
Basics of volleyball positions on the court
- There are three players on each of the zone.
- Front row players are players who are allowed
to block the opponent and attack the ball in the attack zone.
- Back row players are players who play defense
by digging opponent’s attacks and attack the ball behind attack line (3
meter line, 10 feet line).
- Players are rotating clockwise on the court
after winning the rally after the opponent’s serve.
Players have rotational positions (position 5,
position 2 etc.) on the
court from which they are allowed to move to their playing
positions
(opposite, middle hitter etc.) after the serve when appropriate.
Volleyball positions on the court can also be
called
zones.
Position 4 being called
zone 4 etc.
Playing
Positions in Volleyball
Volleyball positions in a team:
- Outside hitter (also called wing spiker, left
side)
- Right side hitter (wing
spiker, right side)
- Opposite Hitter (attacker)
- Setter
- Middle Blocker (center, middle hitter)
- Libero
- Defensive Specialist
Outside
Hitter
(also called wing spiker, left side)
Outside Hitter is the player who carries the serve receive
responsibility along with the libero.
Outside hitter most often attacks
the balls which setter sets to the antenna to the left side of the
court. Therefore after the serve outside hitters place themselves to
the left front position. Sometimes setters run offensive plays in which
outside hitters run to hit balls “inside” around the middle blockers.
Outside hitters play both the front row and the back row. In modern
high level volleyball outside hitters are responsible for hitting the 3
meter or 10 feet line attacks, usually from the middle back position
when playing in the back row.
Playing on the outside hitter’s position
requires great all around skills because they play through the front
row and the back row. Wing spikers have to have the skills to pass,
attack, block, serve and play defense. Wing spikers along with the
opposites are often players who score the most points in the game.
Outside hitter’s passing responsibility makes them extremely important
player for the team.
Right
side hitter
(also called wing spiker)
Right side hitter has the similar role than outside hitter, they play
front row and back row and are carrying pass, attack, block, serve and
defense responsibilities.
Right side hitters aim to place themselves to
the right front playing position.
When playing top level international
volleyball on the back court right side hitters often have 3 meter or
10 feet attack responsibility from the middle back position. Right side
hitter can be also called a wing spiker.
Opposite
Opposite is the player who most often scores the most points in the
team. Opposite hitters don’t have the passing responsibilities. They
stand behind the passers on the rotation while libero and outside
hitters pass the ball and place themselves to the left front, right
front or right back playing position.
Opposite usually get the most
sets in the game. Often counter attack sets after the defensive play go
to the opposite hitters - they carry the responsibility of hitting the
ball against a solid block when the pass is off the net.
Opposites need to have great blocking skills since they play against
the opposite hitter of the opponent when in the front row.
Opposites
also need to have defensive skills because they also play the back row
where they are responsible of hitting 3 meter or 10 feet balls from the
right back position.
In professional volleyball opposites along with setters have
traditionally been the highest paid individuals - those are volleyball
positions in most demand.
Setter
Setter is the playmaker, point guard or the quarterback of the
volleyball team. Setter’s responsibility is to run the team’s offense
and build up offensive scoring opportunities for the team.
Setter plays both front row and back row, therefore s/he needs
to be able to block,
serve and play defense. Setter need to have good blocking skills
because in front row position s/he plays against the opponent’s outside
hitter who often carries big load of the attacking responsibility for
the team. Setter plays the right front or the right back position
Middle
Blocker
(Center, Middle, Middle Hitter)
Middle Blockers main responsibility is to stop the opponent’s offense.
Middle Blocker builds a block which stops the ball, or allows the team
to dig the ball up. Middle blockers job is to stop the opponent’s
middle hitters or wing hitters in co-operation with teammates.
Middle blocker need to have great blocking, attacking and serving
skills. In competitive volleyball middle blockers usually play defense
only on one rotation after own serve. After losing the rally after own
serving turn, libero usually comes in and replaces the middle blocker.
Middle blocker usually don’t master in defense because they hardly play
any of it. However at junior level practicing defense and even passing
is recommended for the middles. Junior coaches should allow
players to practice all the skills since it prepares them to play other
positions in the future.
Libero
Libero is fairly new position in volleyball. Libero is a back row
specialist who is allowed to play back court only. Libero wears a
different color shirt in the team and is allowed to enter and exit the
game without substitution request.
Libero can replace any player on the
court and most often replaces middle blockers.
Libero is not allowed to
serve the ball. (Some leagues in US allow liberos to serve.)
Since
playing in the back court only, libero needs to have the best passing
and defensive skills in the team. Libero need to have exceptional
passing skills because often they pass larger area than other passers
in the team.
Libero most often plays the left back position.
Defensive
Specialist
Most leagues in United States allow unlimited substitutions; therefore
very often in the team there are defensive specialists. Defensive
specialists in US enter the
game to replace players who in international volleyball would be
playing
both the front and the back row.
Defensive specialists carry a serve
receive and defense responsibility in the back row. Defensive
specialists are allowed to serve and often play the full back row
rotation before giving the spot in the front row to the offensive
player again.
Check out six volleyball positions page to find
out how players should
line up on the court.
6
positions of volleyball
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