This is a basic player positioning when the setter is in zone 2. Now I will explane how the players should be positioned for serve receiving.

Passer (the forward one) goes back to zone 5 for serve receiving.

Opposite hitter goes behind other passer so that he doesn’t have to receive serve. Also he will be closer to a place from where he will perform the attack.

Passer in zone 6 and libero also anticipate in serve reception.

Now take a look at second diagram and see players positions. You will see that there is also an attack plan.

Serve receiving and attack.

After serve receiving, setter goes between zones 2 and 3 for setting.

One outside hitter (left one on the picture), attacks from zone 4.

Middle blocker attacks from zone 3.

Opposite hitter attacks from zone 1.

Other outside hitter attacks from zone 6, while libero goes to zone 5 where he will play defence, if needed later.

Now take a look at first rotation.

This is a basic player positioning when the setter is in zone 3. Now I will explane how the players should be positioned for serve receiving.

Passer (the forward one) goes back to zone 5 for serve receiving.

Opposite hitter moves right, behind other passer so that he doesn’t have to receive serve. Also he will be closer to a place from where he will perform the attack.

Passer in zone 1 and libero (moves to zone 6) also anticipate in serve reception.

Now take a look at second diagram and see players positions. You will see that there is also an attack plan.

Serve receiving and attack.

After serve receiving, setter goes between zones 2 and 3 for setting.

One outside hitter (left one on the picture), attacks from zone 4.

Middle blocker attacks from zone 3.

Opposite hitter attacks from zone 1.

Other outside hitter attacks from zone 6, while libero goes to zone 5 where he will play defence, if needed later.

Now, take a look at sixth rotation.

This is a basic player positioning when the setter is in zone 4. Now I will explane how the players should be positioned for serve receiving.

Passer (the forward one) goes backto zone 5 for serve receiving.

Middle blocker moves to zone 4.

Other passer moves to zone 6, from zone 5.

Libero goes to zone 1 and covers the opposite hitter.

Now take a look at second diagram and see players positions. You will see that there is also an attack plan.

Serve receiving and attack.

After serve receiving, setter goes between zones 2 and 3 for setting.

One outside hitter (the left one on the picture), attacks from zone 4.

Middle blocker attacks from zone 3.

Opposite hitter attacks from zone 1.

Other outside hitter attacks from zone 6, while libero goes to zone 5 where he will play defence, if needed later.

Now, take a look at fifth rotation.

This is a basic player positioning when the setter is in zone 4. Now I will explane how the players should be positioned for serve receiving.

Passer (the forward one) goes back for serve receiving.

Setter goes forward to zone 4 where he will be closer to his position after serve reception.

Opposite hitter goes back to have more space for attack after serve reception.

Passer in zone 6 and libero also anticipate in serve reception.

Now take a look at second diagram and see players positions. You will see that there is also an attack plan.

Serve receiving and attack.

After serve receiving, setter goes between zones 2 and 3 for setting.

One outside hitter (the left one on the picture), attacks from zone 4.

Middle blocker attacks from zone 3.

Opposite hitter attacks from zone 2.

Other outside hitter attacks from zone 6, while libero goes to zone 5 where he will play defence, if needed later.

Now take a look at fourth rotation.

This is a basic player positioning when the setter is in zone 6. Now I will explane how the players should be positioned for serve receiving.

Passer (the forward one) goes back to zone 5 for serve receiving.

Setter moves forward near zone 3.

Passer in zone 1 and libero (moves to zone 6) also anticipate in serve reception.

Now take a look at second diagram and see players positions. You will see that there is also an attack plan.

Serve receiving and attack.

After serve receiving, setter goes between zones 2 and 3 for setting.

One outside hitter (the left one on the picture), attacks from zone 4.

Middle blocker attacks from zone 3.

Opposite hitter attacks from zone 2.

Other outside hitter attacks from zone 6, while libero goes to zone 5 where he will play defence, if needed later.

Now take a look at third rotation.

Basic positions.

This is a basic player positioning when the setter is in zone 1. Now I will explane how the players should be positioned for serve receiving.

Passer (the forward one) goes back for serve receiving and he should cover the setter.

Opposite hitter goes back to have more space for attack after serve reception.

Passer in zone 5 and libero also anticipate in serve reception.

Now take a look at second diagram and see players positions. You will see that there is also an attack plan.

Serve receiving and attack.

After serve receiving, setter goes between zones 2 and 3 for setting.

One outside hitter (right one on the picture), attacks from zone 2.

Middle blocker attacks from zone 3.

Opposite hitter attacks from zone 4.

Other outside hitter attacks from zone 6, while libero goes to zone 5 where he will play defence, if needed later.

Now take a look at second rotation.

Scoring
The winning team in a volleyball game is the first to reach 25 points with a winning margin of at least two points. In match play, the victors have to win three out of five games to win the match. The serving team gets the point if the defensive teams hits the ball out of bounds or incurs a violation. The defensive team gets a point if the server cannot get the ball over the net or the offensive team hits the ball out of bounds.

Player Management
Indoor volleyball teams can field up to six players for a match with substitutions possible after each serve. Beach volleyball leagues pit two pairs of players against each other, creating more space on the playing surface. In indoor volleyball, each team rotates clockwise every serve after the opening serve. The minimum number of players a team can field before forfeiting a match is four.

Serving the Ball
The serving player must start behind the end line when sending the ball over the net. Servers can hit the ball overhanded for greater power or underhanded for a longer hang time. The defensive team has to allow the serve an opportunity to get over the net, which means that defenders cannot block or spike the serve.

Hitting the Ball
Every volleyball player knows the adage “bump, set, spike” when it comes to returning the ball to the serving team. Coaches use this adage not only to encourage the best way to get a point but to keep players from hitting the ball more than three times. An individual player cannot hit the ball twice in a row, requiring teams to hit to each other before returning the serve. Volleyball referees count simultaneous contact of the ball between two players as one touch.

Volleyball Violations
Volleyball players need to be careful how they approach the ball and the net to avoid losing points. A volleyball player has to make contact with a flat palm to avoid carrying or throwing the ball while spiking. Players cannot touch the net as the ball is in play to avoid altering the net’s height. Front-line players cannot reach under the net to distract players or make contact with the ball.

For those  who want to know more about  volleyball rules, I recomend this rules:

FIVB Official Volleyball Rules

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 hitter
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.

Attack: Any hit into the opposing team’s court, other than a serve or block, such as a spike, tip, or dump.

Bump: Pass using the forearms, with the hands clasped together and arms locked at the elbows to direct the ball to the setter or attacker. Also known as the forearm or underhand pass.

Decoy: Deception strategy in which a player that is not going to hit the ball jumps at the same time as a player actually receiving the set.
Dig: Difficult defensive hit that keeps a kill attempt in play.

Dump: A surprise hit, usually by the setter on the second shot, pushed over the net when the opponent would normally expect the ball to be set.

Floater: A serve with no spin on the ball, which causes the ball to float over the net instead of dropping directly into the opposing team’s court.

Jump serve: Serve in which the server throws the ball in the air, then runs, jumps before the end line, hits the ball in the air, and lands on either side of the end line.

Kill: An attack, usually a spike, that the opposing team cannot return.

Lifting: Illegal hit, usually during a set or overhead pass, in which the player’s hands remains in contact with the ball too long.

Net ball: A playable ball that hits the net and goes over to the opponent’s side.

Overhead pass: Hit similar to a set, except used to send the ball over the net or to a teammate who doesn’t spike it.

Pass: Any hit to a teammate including a bump, overhead pass, set, and dig.

Red card: A card given to a player or coach by a referee for behaving in an unsportsmanlike manner. A red card also gives a point to the opposing team.

Rally: The length of play that begins with the serve and ends when a team scores a point.

Rally scoring: Modern scoring method in which a point is scored on every rally.

Roof: A block that grounds the ball on the opponent’s court and results in a point.

Serve: Hit used to start every rally. Serves can be either underhand or overhand, and the serve can hit the net as long as it lands on the opponent’s side.

Set: Controlled pass using the fingertips to pass the ball to an attacking teammate, who usually spikes the ball.

Sideout scoring: Old scoring system in which only the team that serves can score a point.

Spike: An aggressive, one-handed hit meant to ground the ball in the opponent’s court. A player is usually in midair during a spike.

Stuff: When a blocked ball is hit back at the player who originally spiked it.

Switch: Once the ball is in motion from a serve, players return from their designated rotational spots to the optimal spots for their positions.

Tip: A soft hit from a front-row player that goes over the opposing blockers and lands in an open area of the court. The front-row player usually jumps and fakes a spike, then lightly hits the ball over any of the three blockers.

Yellow card: A card issued by a referee for minor violations.

Wipe: When the attacker deliberately hits the ball so that it bounces off the blocker’s hand and goes out of bounds.

Today, volleyball has spread to 211 countries around the world, and is recognized as a truly international, widely played, popular sport.

In 1895, William G. Morgan, an instructor at the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) in Holyoke, Mass. Morgan created the game of volleyball, at that time called mintonette.

In 1896, the first official game of Volleyball was played at Springfield College.

In 1900, a special ball was designed for the sport.

Five years later, Volleyball also spread to Cuba. This international signified the start of the Volleyball era.

In 1907, Volleyball was presented at the Playground of America convention as one of the most popular sports. This was the first credit the sport received, and helped to further the sport recognition.

Over the next five years volleyball spread to Central American countries.

In 1913, volleyball was held in the Far Eastern Games. This was the first official volleyball competition.

In 1916, volleyball had arrived in YMCA Brazil and South America. The set and spike was first executed in the Philippines. This offensive system altered how the game was played. For the first time the ball was set in a high trajectory and then spiked by a teammate. The Filipinos created the kill, known in United States as bomba. The bomba was named after the attacker called the bomberino.

In 1920s, there are unconfirmed whispers of men’s teams playing on the beach in Hawaii, but most accounts place the sport’s origin in Santa Monica, California where the first Volleyball courts are put up on the beach at the Playground. Families play 6 vs. 6…

In 1920,  three hits per side and back row attack rules were instituted.

In 1922, the first YMCA national championships were held in Brookliyn, NY. 27 teams from 11 states were represented.

Since 1928, the USVBA, now known as USA Volleyball (USAV), has put on national men’s and senior men’s (age 35 and older) volleyball championships every year except during 1944 and 1945.

In 1930s, the first two-man beach volleyball game is played in Santa Monica, California..

In 1934, the approval and recognition of national volleyball referees.

In 1937, at the AAU convention in Boston, action was taken to recognize the U.S. Volleyball Association as the official National Governing Body (NGB) in the U.S.

In the late 1940s, some European national federations began discussing the need for creating an international governing body for the sport of volleyball.

The FIVB was founded in Paris, France in 1947. Initial discussions eventually lead to the installation of a Constitutive Congress in 1947. Fourteen national federations representing five different continents attended meetings where the organization was officially formed.

One of the main goals of the 1947 Congress was achieved two years later with the establishment of the first international major volleyball event, the World Championship.

In 1952, a women played in FIVB tournaments for the first time in volleyball history.

For the first time in the history of volleyball, volleyball was played in the Pan American Games in 1955.

In 1957, volleyball was designated as an Olympic team sport by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

In 1959, the International University Sports Federation (FISU) had volleyball be one of the eight competitions held in first University Games in Turin, Italy.

In 1960, seven midwestern institutions formed the Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA).

In the 1960′s, new volleyball techniques were developed. Off-speed hits, open hand tips, forearm passing, blocking at the net, and defensive plays such as diving and sprawling become a big part of the game.

In 1964, volleyball was first played in the Olympics in Tokyo. Volleyball became a part of the Olympic Games, which allowed it to grow even more.

In 1974, Japan telecasted a major volleyball event in Mexico, the World Championships.

In 1983, the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) was founded by Leonard Armato. The organization started its own beach volleyball tour in the United States in 1984.

In 1986, the Women’s Professional Volleyball Association (WPVA) was formed to administer, govern, and protect the integrity of Women’s Professional Beach Volleyball.

In 1987, the FIVB added a Beach Volleyball World Championship Series 1989 – The FIVB Sports Aid Program was created In 1990, a men’s volleyball competition called the World League was created.

In 1995, the sport of Volleyball turned 100 years old.

In 1996, for the first time in the history of volleyball, beach doubles volleyball is included in the Olympic Games.

Major events in the 90’s took place including the establishment of annual competitions for men’s and women’s volleyball (the World League, in 1990, and the Grand Prix, in 1993), the indication of Beach volleyball as an Olympic event (1996). These events and many rule changes in the game were made the purpose of enhancing the popularity and public visibility of the sport.