NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY,INC

Laoag City, Ilocos Norte

The Players and Rotation

A team is made up of twelve (12)

players but only six (6) players are
allowed to play inside the playing
court.

There are three front row and three

back row players.

The Server

The player who rotates to the

right back position serves, or if at the
start of the game is the first server.
The serve is initiated from anywhere
behind the end line
of the court. The objective is to serve
the ball across the net into the
opponent’s court. After the ball is
served, players can cover any section of
the court.

Different Players’ Positions in Volleyball

There are six positions on a volleyball court, and each position serves a unique role in the
success of the team. Just like other competitive teams, you need to depend on each player to not
only do their job but do their job well. Volleyball is extremely fast-paced and requires serious
athletic ability. Depending on your skill-set and which aspect of the game you excel in the most,
you can determine which of these six positions you will play. In today’s blog, Hoover Met
Complex will break down each of these volleyball play positions.

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 NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY,INC
Laoag City, Ilocos Norte

Setter
The setter is the main contributor to the offense of the volleyball team. One of the requirements
of the setter is having a delicate touch to set the ball perfectly for one of the attacking players.
Communication is extremely important for the setter because they need to get the rest of the
players on the same page. Without the setter, there wouldn’t be hard spikes or technical ball
movement.

Outside Hitter
The outside hitter is also known as the left-side hitter and is the lead attacker in the offensive
strategy. To be a successful outsider hitter, you must be able to jump high, be quick on your feet,
and be ready to adapt to different situations. The volleyball won’t always be placed where the
outsider hitter would like, so they need to be prepared for hits from a variety of places.

Opposite Hitter
Also known as the right-side hitter, these players need to be a perfect balance of both offense and
defense. They will also get many opportunities to hit the volleyball, so similar to the outside
hitter, jumping ability is vital. The main difference that sets the opposite hitter apart is their
defensive responsibility. Being able to receive the serve from the opposing team is just one of the
many requirements of this specialized position.

Middle Blocker
The middle blocker, sometimes known as the middle hitter, is the tallest player on the volleyball
team. Their main role for the team is being the first line of defense against the opposing team’s
hits. The middle blocker needs to read the other team’s attackers to quickly raise his or her arms
above the net in a blocking attempt. However, this is not a defense-only position. The middle
blocker will have chances for quick points throughout the set.

Libero
The libero can become confusing for non-volleyball players. They can only play on the back row
of the court, and because of this, are the ideal person to receive a hit from the opposite team.
There are set rules the libero needs to follow, such as not attacking the ball at the net, playing a
set for an attacker from the front, and more. You can always tell a libero apart from the rest of
the team because they wear a different colored jersey. 

Defensive Specialist
The thing that sets the defensive specialist apart from other volleyball positions is their ability to
substitute out any player on the court. This will count against the team’s total of 12 substitutions.
The defensive specialist traditionally focuses on ball control and passing and works well with the
libero.

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 NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY,INC
Laoag City, Ilocos Norte

Volleyball rotation rules

In volleyball, there are six players on the court for each team. Each player starts in a specific
location, but these locations are not to be confused with player positions-(setter, middle blocker,

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 NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY,INC
Laoag City, Ilocos Norte

outside hitter, opposite or libero). Each player, with the exception of the libero, will rotate to
each location in a clockwise manner before each serve.

Front row players stand nearer to the net and are responsible for blocking or hitting, while back
row players are positioned in the middle or back of the court and are responsible for digging or
defence. Back row players (with the exception of the libero) can attack the ball as long as they
jump for the attack before the attack line.

Each time a team wins a point or before they start the serve, the serving team rotates clockwise. 

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 NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY,INC
Laoag City, Ilocos Norte

If players move out of their locations before the ball is served, they will be called for overlapping
or being out of position. A point is then awarded to the other team. If the team at fault was
serving, the ball will be passed to the opposing team for service. Players need to be mindful of
their locations and make sure they are in the right place in relation to their teammates.

Player positions are judged by the placement of their feet. Each front row player must have one
foot on the court closer to the net than the feet of the player directly behind them. Players will
rotate locations each time their team makes a serve, with the player in the RB location typically
the server. If the serving team wins the point, the player who served the ball will do so till they
lose a point.

Terminologies
The terms in volleyball have been defined to make it easy for you to understand. Here
they are.

ATTACK - any method used to return the ball across the net in an attempt to
put the opponents at a disadvantage.
BLOCK - the process of intercepting the ball just before or as it crosses the net. A
block is executed by any front row player.
DIG - an emergency pass, usually used to defend a hard driven attack.
DINK - a soft shot off the fingertips, used to lob the ball over the block.
DRIVE - an attack contacted in the center that attempts to hit the ball off th
blocker’s hands.
FAULT - an infraction of the rules.
FOREARM PASS - a pass made off the forearms.
FRONT COURT - the playing area in which it is legal to block or attack.
KILL - an attack that cannot be returned directly as a result of that attack.
LOB - a soft attack that is contacted in the back bottom quarter of the ball,
causing it to take an upward trajectory.
OVERHEAD PASS - a pass made by contacting the ball above the head with the finger pads.
POINT - a point is scored when the receiving team fails to return the ball legally
to the opponent’s court.

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 NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY,INC
Laoag City, Ilocos Norte

ROTATION - the shifting of the players clockwise upon gaining the ball from the

SET - the placement of the ball near the net to facilitate attacking.
SETTER - the player assigned to set the ball.
SPIKE - a ball hit its tipspin and a strong downward force into the opponets’ court.
SPIKER - the player assigned to attack the ball.
TOPSPIN - imparting of a forward spin to the ball during the serve, spike or spike roll.

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