Volleyball Positions Explained

A volleyball team fields six players, three in the front row and three in the back, and the positions describe both where a player stands and what they are allowed to do there. The setter runs the offence and is the player the team builds around. The outside hitter attacks from the left side and receives serve. The middle blocker attacks quickly in the centre and is the primary blocker at the net. The opposite hitter, also called the right-side hitter, attacks from the right and is usually the strongest blocker against the opponent's best attacker. The libero is the defensive specialist: they play only in the back row, cannot attack the ball above the net, and wear a jersey in a colour that contrasts with the rest of the team so officials can identify them instantly. A defensive specialist fills a similar role but substitutes like a normal player. Players rotate clockwise after winning the serve, so a player who starts in the front row ends up in the back, which is why squads are described by role rather than by a fixed spot on the court. The rotation rule is also why the libero never rotates into the front row at all.