Tracking the SetterPeggy M. Schaefer

July 9, 2014

What are the players trying to do on the court?

Helpful Tracking Hints • Memorize the setter(s) – Observe during warm-ups

– Numbers– Physical characteristics

• Memorize the setter’s opposite• Before each serve, look quickly and determine if the primary setter is front

or back row.• As the setter moves to set, identify if she is front or back row.• Generally if you see the setter in the back right position when playing

defense, she is probably a back row player.• Try these tips on just one side of the court and then move to both sides.• It is easier to focus on this skill while R2.• Look for the “patterns” on the court.• After the match, right down the numbers and think through what they were

doing.

Look for the patterns:

• Straight lines

• Triangles

• “Lazy” Ls

• Vs

FORMATION STRATEGIES

Many High Schools and middle schools play a “4-2” offense, which means there are 4 hitters on the court and 2 setters. The setters are usually opposite of each other and they normally set when they are in the front row. So the setter in the back court plays defense. This means that they only have two hitters they can set in the front row.

FORMATION STRATEGIES

Many colleges and more “advanced” HS and USAV Jrs’ teams play a “5-1” offense, which means there are 5 hitters on the court and only 1 setter. The setter usually plays next to a middle hitter. So when the setter is in the back court, she plays defense in the right back position. When she is on the front row, she plays the right side blocker. When she is in the back court, she has three attack opportunities each time the ball is on her side of the court. When she is in the front row, she usually sets outside left or middle. This is where you might also see the “right side slide” play, when the middle swings behind the setter with a short back set spike.

FORMATION STRATEGIES

Others play a “6-2” offense, which means there are 6 hitters on the court and 2 setters. The setters are usually opposite of each other and they normally set when they are in the BACK row. So the setter in the back court sets when she is in the back and hits when she is in the front row or is subbed out for a hitter and the other setter is subbed in. During play, there are ALWAYS 3 hitters. The drawback is that hitters have difficulty trying to be consistent with 2 setters on the court.

Serve and Serve Receive STRATEGIES

The coaches’ goal is to have the setters getting to the ideal setting position on the court as quickly as possible. So they try to position her on serve receive so she can get to the right middle front position to receive the second contact.

They also want their best passers to receive serve. This is why they work hard on getting the right players in the right positions to pass the ball.

The following are some of the most common serve and serve receive patterns.

4 – 2 OffenseServe

Setter moving from left front

SLF

LB CB

SRB

CF RF

4-2 OffenseServe receive

Setter moving from left front

RF

CF

SLF

LB

CB

SRB

4-2 OffenseServe

Setter moving from center front

RFCFLF

LBCB

RB

S

S

4-2 OffenseServe receive

Setter moving from center front

RFCF

LF

LB

CB

RB

SS

4-2 OffenseServe

Setter moving from right front

RFCFLF

LBCB

RB

S

S

4-2 OffenseServe receive

Setter moving from right front

RF

CFLF

LBCB

RB

S

S

5-1 OffenseServe

Setter moving from right back

RFCFLF

LB

CB

SRB

5-1 OffenseServe receive

Setter moving from right back

RF

CFLF

LB CB

SRB

5-1 OffenseServe

Setter moving from center back

RFCFLF

LB

CB

RB

S

5-1 OffenseServe receive

Setter moving from center back

RF

CF

LF

LB

CB

RB

S

5-1 OffenseServe

Setter moving from left back

RFCFLF

LB

CB

RB

S

5-1 OffenseReceive

Setting moving from left back (also called 3/5 switch)

RF

CF

LF

LB

CB

RB

S

5-1 OffenseReceive

Setter moving from left back - called a “left stack”

RF

CF

LF

SLB

CB

RB

5-1 OffenseReceive

Setter moving from left back - called a “3-5 switch””

RF

CF

LF

SLB

CB

RB