Volleyball Positions

Athleticism and proper coordination between the players are crucial requirements for a successful volleyball team. The step by step process of taking the serve, passing the ball to the setter, the setter setting the ball for an attack, and the attacker smashing the ball into opponents court is only mastered by experience. However, another important aspect of the game which plays a crucial role in formation of various volleyball strategies is the position of players. There are certain specialized volleyball positions which only suit the players with specific requirements.

Volleyball Positions Onfield

The six players on the volleyball court are divided into two groups - the front row and the back row. The front row is housed in the attack zone, i.e. between the net and the 3 meter line, while the back row is housed in the defense zone, i.e. between the 3 meter line and the end line. There are two types of volleyball positions - starting positions and specialized positions.

Starting Position in Volleyball
Starting positions are the ones wherein the players are stationed before the serve is executed. These volleyball positions include:

• Right Front (RF): This is the player who stands in the front row towards the extreme right, when facing the net.
• Middle Front (MF): This is the player who stands in the middle of the front row at the center of the net.
• Left Front (LF): This is the player who stands at the extreme left in the front row, when facing the net.
• Right Back (RB): This is the player who stands on the extreme right of the back row, right behind the right front.
• Middle Back (MB): This is the player who takes the center position, right behind the middle front.
• Left Back (LB): This is the player who stands on the extreme left of the back row, right behind the left front.

These volleyball positions are important during rotation, and if they are not properly executed it calls for a player out of alignment fault according to the basic volleyball rules, which results in a point for the opponents and serve break (if the same team is serving). Once the serve is properly executed, the players can take their respective specialized positions.

Specialized Position in Volleyball
Specialized positions are the ones which players take after the serve. These specialized positions include:

• Outside Hitter: The outside hitter generally places himself to the left side of the court, from where he smashes the ball provided by the setter near the left antenna. This position is played in the front row as well as the back row. These players are also entitled with the responsibility of taking the serve and passing the ball to the setter. These players score the most points in the game, and hence are considered to be quite important for the team.
• Right Side Hitter: The role of the right side hitter is similar to that of the outside hitter. The right side hitter, as the name suggests, is stationed near the right side of the court. Other than attacking and passing, they also play a crucial role in defense by teaming up with the middle blocker and blocking the right side hitter of the opposition team.
• Opposite Hitter: This is yet another high scoring volleyball position. The opposite hitter doesn't indulge in passing. Instead they stand behind passers, and wait for the setter to create opportunities for them. They are important because they have the ability to hit the ball against the block when the ball is set off the net. The opposite hitter invariably becomes a blocker when the opposite hitter from the opposition attempts an attack, and therefore the player playing from this position should also possess the ability of being a good blocker.
• Setter: One of the most important volleyball positions is the setter. The player playing as the setter is basically the game maker as he creates scoring opportunities for the attackers by setting the ball. Other than setting the ball for the attacker, the setter is also responsible for serving and blocking and should be well versed with both of these. Setter/s play in front row as well as back row positions.
• Middle Blocker: The primary responsibility of the middle blocker is to block the attacks from wing hitters and opposite hitter from the opposition by teaming up with other players in the team. The middle blocker can either block the ball from entering the court or create an opportunity for other players to dig.
• Libero: A relatively new concept in volleyball, the libero is a player who dominates the back row and has the privilege of undergoing substitution (entering or exiting the game) without a request for the same. However, there are some moves which are barred for the libero. The player playing from this position cannot attack or serve. (There do exist some leagues in the United States that allow libero to serve once.) The libero wears a different colored jersey for the purpose of identification.

These were the prominent volleyball positions on the court, which included both - the starting positions as well as the specialist positions. Abiding by the starting positions is the basic requirement of volleyball rules and regulations at the higher level of the game. However, inculcating such moves at the amateur levels can help in making the game a lot easier as time progresses.