Volleyball positions (coach, jersey, strategy, won)

[buenos]

I have played indoor volleyball is 4 places:
- in Eastern Europe in middle school in a team, we went to competitions. 1990's
- in Eastern Europe at university. 2000's
- In California in a free time weekly ad hoc group. 2015-2019
- In Florida in a free time weekly ad hoc group. now 2022

The positions of the players was always the same in all 4 cases. There were 6 players, they all rotated to all positions, some people swapped for setting at the front center.

I am trying to look up positions on the internet, I found several websites and videos, but whet they describe, does not resemble what i have experienced. For example they have back row setters, they have a "libero" who is not participating in rotations, people only come to the court to play back row then sub out at rotation, most positions seem to be swapped in pairs...

The formation with regular full rotation I played in 4 different places, does it have a name? Like basic volleyball, or high school volleyball, or beginner volleyball, or is it some old rules from the last century? What are the new ones listed on websites and youtube videos called?

I wanted to look up the position of the rear row center position, when to go forward tot he 3m line, and when to go back to the farthest back. In regular rotation.

[macroy]

I haven't played in awhile. But used to play competitively in HS/College (USVBA, now called USAV).

In the most basic form - you have 3 players in the front, 3 in the back. You also have the basic rule, front row can attack anywhere. Back row can only attack taking off from behind the 3 meter line. If you're facing the net, the back right person serves, the middle front will set. And you would rotate clockwise when you win the serve back.

Back in the day - you only score when you serve. If you win the serve back, it was called a Side-out. Now, it's rally scoring, Meaning a team gets a point when they win the play regardless if you served that point or not.

This is the fundamentals - we used to call it picnic volleyball as this is what you would do with friends at a picnic who likely don't play competitively.

Now, if you are play competitively, you have more specialized positions. You have Outside Hitters, Middle Blockers, and Setters. There is also "opposite", the guy who is playing opposite the setter, and Libero.

You typically have 2 MB and 2 OH, a Setter and the opposite (or 2 setters, depending on how you setup your offense). And you often will have these positions opposite each other. So only one of them are in the front/back as you rotate. Where you are in the rotation is really only for service. So if you are front center (position 5), you can't be closer to the sidelines than the two others in the front row, and you can't be behind anyone in the back row... BEFORE the ball is served. Once the ball is served and in play, people can go where they want. The only caveat is that a back row player can't attack/block the ball above the net in front of the 3 meter line. To receive the serve, you can have as many or as few people by positioning people around. For instance, may want to only have 2-3 people pass and "hide" the others so they can start the attack approach or they're just not good at serve receive. In may cases, you would just push them into the corner or back as far as possible without committing a rotation fault.

To have the most offensive advantage, most teams will have 1 setter (5-1 setup). And during play, they will normally be at the front right. If they are in the front row, they will have two front row attackers. If they are coming from the back row, they will have 3 front attacker to set to. In more advanced games, you can have all 5 as attackers (the back row folks will just come from the back row).

Libero - this is a (relatively) newer position. A back-row specialist that is often super quick and can play great defense. They can replace any backrow player as often as needed (typically substitution are player specific. If you come in for player 1 during a set, you can only come in for player 1 from now on). Of course, as a back-row specialist, there are some caveats. You can't over-hand set a ball in front of the 3 meter line to be attacked above the net. And you obviously cannot attack or block a ball.

[buenos]

Originally Posted by macroy

In the most basic form - you have 3 players in the front, 3 in the back. You also have the basic rule, front row can attack anywhere. Back row can only attack taking off from behind the 3 meter line. If you're facing the net, the back right person serves, the middle front will set. And you would rotate clockwise when you win the serve back. .

Thanks. Does this basic form have a name? It seems all non competitive groups play this, like the ones i have played at.
My main question was in the basic form, the back row center's position relative to the other 2 back row players, during serving, receiving, attack phase. I always thought this player has to be on the 3m line in all cases. Sometimes people tell me to pull back behind the other 2 back row players. The further front vs further back (relative to the other 2 back row players) position, does it depend on serving/receiving/attacking phase, or it depends on preference. Maybe the rules have changed some time between now an when i started vb in 1991, and it used to be further front, and now it has to be always further back?

[macroy]

Originally Posted by buenos

Thanks. Does this basic form have a name? It seems all non competitive groups play this, like the ones i have played at.
My main question was in the basic form, the back row center's position relative to the other 2 back row players, during serving, receiving, attack phase. I always thought this player has to be on the 3m line in all cases. Sometimes people tell me to pull back behind the other 2 back row players. The further front vs further back (relative to the other 2 back row players) position, does it depend on serving/receiving/attacking phase, or it depends on preference. Maybe the rules have changed some time between now an when i started vb in 1991, and it used to be further front, and now it has to be always further back?

There are some basics names for receiving serve like the W or U formation. Which is where your middle back person comes into play. Albeit in U, the middle back person is typically up front by the setter (vs. back on the baseline). There are also serve receive formations, defense formations (to defend against opponent’s attacks), and serving formations.

When you are defending against a hit, the middle back player may move back and play the baseline (vs. when you are serving or receiving serve). Not sure if that is what you are referring to? There is no “requirement” on staying on the 3M line. The only requirement is on serve/serve receive where the players have to maintain their rotation position until the ball is served. But that can be “manipulated”. You can have the left back player stand right near the net and you’re fine as long as they are standing behind the front left player and still left of the middle back player.

[MomizFelix]

It sounds like you've been playing what's commonly referred to as "six-person indoor volleyball" or "full-court volleyball." This is the traditional form of volleyball where six players are on the court at once, each with specific positions that rotate in a specific pattern.

In this formation, players typically take on the following positions:

Setter: This player usually starts in the right-back position and is responsible for setting up the attackers to hit the ball over the net.
Middle Blocker: Positioned in the middle of the net, this player is responsible for blocking opposing hitters and often participates in quick attacks in the front row.
Outside Hitters (Left-side and Right-side): These players start on the left-front and right-front positions respectively. They are primary attackers and also play a role in defense.
Opposite Hitter: Positioned opposite the setter, this player hits from the right-front position. They're another primary attacker and are often responsible for blocking.
Libero (if used): The libero is a defensive specialist who wears a different colored jersey. They can replace any back-row player and are not restricted by rotations.
In terms of rotation, players move clockwise when their team wins the serve. So, for instance, the player in the right-back position would move to the middle-back position after their team has served and won a rally. The rotation continues in this manner throughout the game.

As for the movement of the rear-row center position (often the setter), their movements depend on the team's strategy and the play that's unfolding. Generally, they would start in the back-right position, move to the front-center for setting during an attack, and then retreat back to the back-right position after the rally.

Nowadays, there are variations and specialized forms of volleyball, including those you mentioned like back-row setters and the libero position. These are often seen in higher-level play or adapted for specific needs or strategies. The formation you've described remains fundamental and is often taught in beginner or recreational settings.

If you're looking for more specific guidance or resources on volleyball techniques and strategies, you might find platforms like [url]https://volleycrafters.com/[/url] useful. They provide tailored coaching and resources for volleyball players of all levels, helping you refine your skills and understanding of the game.