Volleyball Positions ~ Back Middle

The back middle player usually play defense by covering the front row position. When the front middle player is up for a hit, or a block, it is the back middles job to cover the space behind that player in case the ball was to be tipped behind the front middle. Also, if the ball is spiked, the back middle's job is to receive the ball and pass it up to the setter.


In competitive volleyball, back middles usually play defense only on one rotation, after their team has served. After losing the rally, a libero usually comes in and replaces the back middle.

Volleyball Positions ~ Front Middle

- Front middle's main responsibility is to stop the opponent's offense.

- The middle blocker builds a block which stops the ball, or allows the team to dig the ball up. 
- The front middle's job is to stop the opponent’s middle hitters or power hitters with the help of one of their teammates (depending on which side the ball is being spiked at).
- Front Middle blockers need to have great blocking, attacking and serving skills.                                                                           

- Front Middle has a similar role as the power does, because they too are also involved with a lot of hitting during the game.

- However, unlike power, whenever someone on the other team goes up for a hit, middle is supposed to block, no matter what side of the net the hit is coming from.

Volleyball Positions ~ Offside Hitters

Right side hitter (also known as offside hitter) has a similar role as the power hitter does. They play front row and back row, attack, block, serve, and play defense. Right side hitters aim to place themselves to the right front playing position. Generally, the offside hitter covers the setter in the front row, while the setter concentrates on setting the ball. They don't get as many opportunities to hit as a power hitter, because the setter would need to back set them in order to hit, and that doesn't happen as often as sets to the power. Blocking is also a big role as a offside hitter because when the power hitter hits from the other side, the offside hitter needs to block the spike so the setter can wait to set the ball.

Volleyball Positions ~ Libero

- The libero is a fairly new position in volleyball. The libero is a player who is only allowed to play in the back court.
- The libero wears a different color shirt than the other members on the team, and is allowed to enter and exit the game without being given permission to be subbed in by the reff.
- The libero can replace any player on the court. Usually they replace middle players who only play in the front row.
- The libero is not allowed to serve the ball.
- Since the libero only plays in the back row, the libero needs to have one of the best passing and defensive skills in the team. The libero also needs to be able to receive serves.

The libero is known as the "digger" on the team, because they are the ones who usually dig for the ball.

Volleyball Positions ~ Setter

 A setter’s responsibility is to run the team’s offense and build up offensive scoring opportunities for the team. The setter plays both front row and back row, therefore they need to be able to block, serve and play defense. When the ball is passed, it is the setter's responsibility to set up the second ball in order for the power, middle, or offside player get a hit. The setter needs to have good blocking skills because in front row position they play against the other teams power hitter, who usually makes a lot of hits during the game. The setter usually always moves to the front right corner of the court. The setter needs to be quick, and fast thinking because not always will the second ball go directly to the setter, but they still need to be able to move to get it. The setter can also call "help" from their teammates if the second ball is too far away for them to get to.

Volleyball Positions ~ Power

- The power hitter is the player who most often scores the most points in the team. 

- The power hitter usually get the most sets in the game, and makes the most hits.

- Power plays front row and back row. They receive hits, attack, block, serve and play defense. 

- Often counter attack sets after the defensive play go to the power hitters. They carry the responsibility of hitting the ball against a solid block when the pass is off the net. 

- Powers also need to have great blocking skills since they play against the power, middle, and offside hitters on the other team. 

- Powers need to have defensive skills because they also play in the back row where they are responsible of hitting 3 meter or 10 feet balls from the right back position (back power).

Every Volleyball Position is important!

I thought that it would be a good idea to do some posts about the different volleyball positions and what each of them do. In my last post, I stated the different positions, but I didn't go into much detail about what they do specifically. I would like to start out by saying, that every position in volleyball is important. Most people who watch volleyball assume that the hitter, or the setter for example is more important, or needed more then say the libero, or offside. Although it may seem that way, if it wasn't for those other positions, the setter would not be able to set and the hitter would not be able to hit. People need to realize that you need someone in every position to make the game work, not just the hitters, or setters. That is why I decided to do a post for each position, so people can see exactly how important each position is.

Volleyball Positions ~ The Basics

 Here are the basics of volleyball positions, and how it works when you are 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 the attack line.


• Players are rotating clockwise on the court after winning the rally after the opponent’s serve.

Playing Positions in Volleyball;

• Libero (plays in the back of the court only, does not serve the ball, and can rotate in when ever they choose)
• Power (main attacker) ~ I play this postion!!! :D
• Middle (main blocker)
• Setter (responsible for setting up the ball for the attacker to hit)
• Offside (covers the setter, on the right side of the court)

Teammates ~ Pet Peeves

 Do you ever wish that sometimes you could control what your teammates do when they are on the court? I think this all the time because there are just too many things that my teammates do that make me mad. Not only on the court, but in practices too.

- When the "mvp" is simply handing the other team points and they don't get taken off of the court.
- When someone calls the ball, then doesn't take it.
- When your teammates try to coach you, because they think they are just that good.
- When your teammates expect you to do everything perfectly, when their no where near perfect themselves.
- When someone screws up their serve on game point.
- When your teammates yell, "got it" but they don't go for the ball.
- When you make a perfect serve, and then your teammates screw it up because they can't receive the ball.
- When one of your teammates hits the ball, and they don't move out of your way so you can hit it again.
- When you try and give someone on your team advice, and they get mad at you for it.
- When one of your teammates calls the ball "out", and the ball drops on the line.
- When someone tries their over hand serve during the game, when they know they can't, and the ball doesn't go over!

Setters ~ Pet Peeves

Even though I am not a setter, I have played the position before, and believe me when I say it can be tough. Considering setter is the one that the entire team counts on to set the ball up for the hitter, it can be a lot of work. Just like any other thing a person does that takes a lot of work, there are pet peeves associated with it. Here are a few that I thought of from my experiance of being the setter:

- When someone passes you a crappy ball, and it looks like you can't set.
- When you give your hitter an awesome set, but their timing is off and they screw it up.
- When someone else takes the second hit, even though it is supposed to be, "setters ball".
- Never being able to spike the ball, because you always have to set.
- When you give an amazing set and the hitter spikes it over, but they get all of the credit for it.

Power ~ Pet Peeves

After I posted the volleyball pet peeves I had in general, I started to think about pet peeves associtated with the different volleyball positions. I thought about my postion for example, which is power. There are so many things that I thought of that drive me absolutly insane when I am on the court in my position. Here are a few examples of the ones that bother me the most.

- When you go to try outs and you have a crappy setter, so it makes it look like you can't hit (this happened to me at my try outs last year, believe me it's horrible!).
- When your setter won't square up, and their sets repeatedly go to the attack line.
- When you go up for a spike and your footwork is perfect, but you miss the ball.
- When your spike gets blocked....
- When you can never get a good set, so all of your hits suck!
- When you make a really hard hit but it goes out of bounds.
- When during a game all of your hits go into the net.

Volleyball Pet Peeves (in general)

From playing volleyball for over four years now, I have come to realize that I have a lot of pet peeves about volleyball. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love the sport and that will never change. But there are a lot of things about volleyball that I for one cannot stand. Here are few pet peeves in general that I have.




- When you accidently put on your volleyball shoes, before you put on your knee pads (this is probably my worst pet peeve, considering I do it ALL THE TIME!).

- When two people call the ball and nobody goes for it.

- When someone in front of you calls the ball, then last minute says, "Over", and then it looks like you screwed it up.

- When people call volleyball a "girly sport", as if their implying it’s too easy for them (I think it's funny how most of the people who think this, suck at volleyball!).

- When someone messes up the rotation and the other team gets the point.

- When you feel like you suck because you never get on the court.

- When the the ball is really close to the net, and you try to tip it, but it doesn't go over.

The Best Volleyball Coach

Back in grade 7, before we got stuck with the worst volleyball coach, my team was lucky enough to experience a year with who I think is the best volleyball coach. We called him Johnny, and he was one of my best friend’s dads. I wouldn't say that he didn't work us hard, because he did; I mean how else could we of become such good volleyball players. But he had his own way of coaching, and making us work hard, which was different from everyone else. He was the type of guy, to constantly make jokes, have sarcastic comments, and he was always really mean. Not mean in a way that made you hate him, but in a way that made you fall on the floor laughing kind of mean. he always made us feel good about ourselves in our games when we messed up, by calling a time out and making a quick joke about the other team. Although his sportsmanship sucked, he always knew how to make his team do better, and with his coaching we were able to win the banner!

Grade 9 Volleyball Try Outs

  It was that time of the year again, and volleyball was starting, but this year was going to be different. It wasn't like it was back in middle level when you wrote your name on a piece of paper and you are automatically on the team. This time, I was in high school and you actually had to try out for the team. I was really nervous because I didn't know if I would make it or not because I had never seen any of the other girls play before. So on the night of junior varsity try outs, varsity try outs were going on as well on the other side of the gym. For the first fifteen minutes of jv try outs, we just did basic drills. Then I heard my name called to go to the other side of the court, which was where the varsity try outs were taking place. I wasn't sure what was going on, so I just went to the other side to see what they wanted. The varsity coaches told me that they wanted me to try out for their varsity team and play for them. I wasn't sure what to do, and it took me a long time to choose, but I decided to go for varsity, and I made the team as a power hitter, and one of the team captains.

You don't have to move in volleyball?

Have you ever heard somebody say, and I'm sure most people have, that you don't have to move in volleyball? For example, in gym class when your friend suggest you play volleyball, because you don't have to move that much. Or when someone chooses to play on the volleyball team because it is an easy sport. Well, for all of those people out there who think this, you are wrong!!!!! People don't realize it, but during a volleyball game, YOU ARE ALWAYS MOVING!!! You should never be standing there in the middle of the court doing nothing. It's hard to believe, but intense volleyball players can actually move up to a few miles in distance during a game.

Grade 8 Volleyball Year

 Before I knew it, it was that time of year again, and volleyball season was starting. I was so excited, and I couldn't wait to start! When the first practice finally came, I was really disappointed to see that not only did we not have our favorite coach from last year, but instead we got stuck with the last person who I would want to coach. It was the beginning of the season, and I already was starting to hate it. Thankfully, I was choose as captain again which made me feel a little bit better. Practices weren't much fun, but we did awesome in our games. Unfortunately, we only placed second in district finals, but it was still a pretty good season.

Grade 7 ~ Second Year of Volleyball

I have to say that grade 6 volleyball was pretty good, but grade 7 was even better. We had one of the best coaches that you could ever get. He was so funny, and he showed us the skills we needed to be an awesome team! I was picked as one of the team captains, and I was so excited! I was a little nervous at first and afraid that I wouldn't make a good captain. but it didn't take long for me to start to really enjoy it. Not only that, but during games when we were on the court, we were actually all really good. We ended the season winning 1st place in district finals, it was the perfect end to the season !

Grade 6 ~ First year of volleyball !

We were all really excited because we were finally old enough to play volleyball. It was the beginning of March, and the sign up sheet was up. I had seen girls older then me play at games, and I thought it looked pretty fun. I convinced a few of my friends to play, and together we signed up. I was a little nervous, because I never actually played volleyball before. I mean sure, I've hit the ball around a few times, but I didn't actually know the rules of the game. On the first day of practice I didn't think I was that good, but the coaches and my teammates encouraged me to keep playing. Before I knew it, I was on the court at my first game. I was actually doing really well, and my team won the game! By the end of the season, we didn't make it to distrect finals, but our team did pretty well.