Volleyball Terminology

Every sport uses terminology, but volleyball uses a lot. In the sport of volleyball there are many terms that are used. There are terms for the back row and for the front row.

For the front row numbers are the primary used terminology. The numbers are for the setter and the hitter. It is so the setter knows what kind of set to give the hitters. For a middle hitter there is a 1 ball, which is a quick set that goes probably a foot above the net and is not very far away from the setter. This is used, so it is fast making it harder for the opponents block to be up and closed. This is ran a lot when there is a short serve, making the entire offense faster because the pass comes quicker tot the setter. It is also used to trick the blockers. Sometimes if the middle is loud calling "1,1,1,1" the blockers will hold with her allowing the setter to set the other two hitters, giving them a hole in the block to hit. For the middle there is a 2 ball. Which is in the same spot of a 1 ball just way higher. This is very slow and you won't be seeing advanced volleyball teams running this play. There is also a set called a 1-out. It is just like a 1 ball just pushed a little further out. This is used when the middle is late to getting closer to the setter and calls this. This is a good play, because the opponents blocker in the middle is a little off and they don't expect it right away, so she is late blocking leaving the middle hitter with no block to hit against. There is a 31 ball. This ball is considered a shoot to three quarters away from the setter. The set is fast and it barely goes above the net. It is just high enough so the hitter can hit it. This is a play you will see more advance teams running, because it means there offense it fast. This also is great, because it leave the outside hitter and the right side hitter with multiple options on what to run. The last option for a middle is a slide. It is a back set to the middle. The middle chases the ball and swings. It is a great play to run making it harder for the opponents defense to dig it up. You can make this play a fast set too.

The outside hitter can run a 5. This ball is pushed all the way out to the pin and is the higher set.This ball is set when the pass was off and it is the teams way out. There is a play called 4. It is just like the 5 just lower and quicker. This one is probably the most common. There is also a 31 just like the middle, but is for the outside. This is usually ran when the middle hitter runs a slide or 1 ball. If the middle hitter runs a 31 or a slide the outside can run a 2 ball, which is awesome, because the blockers and defense aren't ready for it.

The right side hitter runs a 9 ball. This is kind of like the 5 for an outside. It is slower and higher, but pushed out to the back pin. They can also run an 8 being just like the 4 just for a right side instead of an outside. They can run a six ball which is set like a 1 ball for the middle just a six is a quick back set. A right side can also hit a 1 or 2 ball too.

An advanced offense would consider a middle running a 31, the outside running a 2 ball and the right side either running a 1 ball or a six ball. There are multiple plays the front row can run, it just all deals with the first pass the setter receives.

There are more terminology for the back row, but I will talk more about that in a later date.