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The Setter Volleyball Position
Five Traits Good Setters Always Have

Learn the essential traits and responsibilities of the volleyball setter position. I'll share proven strategies I use to develop successful setters in my 30+ years of coaching.

As a player in the setter volleyball position you have to hustle to go after every ball, whether its been passed right to you or if you have to chase it down its your responsibility to set every second ball in a rally to an eligible hitter on your team.(photo by Dan Morgan)

The setter volleyball position is often called the quarterback of volleyball, and for good reason.

This player touches the ball more than anyone else on the court, makes split-second decisions that impact every play, and shoulders the responsibility of running the team's entire offense.

What makes the setter position unique is that you're involved in nearly every offensive play.

While other players might get a break between contacts, setters must be ready to handle the second contact of every rally, turning less-than-perfect passes into hittable balls that give their attackers the best chance to score.

Whether the pass is perfect or off-target (also called "out-of-system"), it's the setter's job to chase down every second ball and create scoring opportunities for their team.

As someone who's coached setters for over three decades, I can tell you that successful setters combine athletic ability, technical skills, and mental toughness.

They're leaders who can read the game, communicate effectively with their teammates, and maintain composure under pressure - all while delivering consistent, accurate sets that keep their offense running smoothly.

Setter Volleyball Position:
Physical Requirements That Make Great Setters

The player in the setter volleyball position gets to every second ball in a rally to set that ball to a hitter who attacks it for a point or sideout. My Vegas Volley 18s setter Mai in a gorgeous photo by Shots by Shanty is less than five feet tall.

I'm often asked if setters need to be tall to be successful.

The truth is, while height can be an advantage, I've coached successful setters of all sizes. What matters most is having the right combination of physical skills that allow you to run an effective offense.

Here's what I look for in my setters:

The Setter Volleyball Position:
How Important Are Quick Feet and Agility?

The best setters I've coached aren't always the tallest, but they're always the quickest to read where the ball is going to land after its passed and to anticipate how fast to get their feet to where the ball is going to be...before the ball gets there.

You need to be able to:

Sprint to balls that are off-target
Change direction if necessary to quickly position yourself underneath the ball passed to you
Move efficiently to get to all six zones of the court
Maintain body control while moving at high speeds

Four foot something, Vegas Volley 18s setter Mai demonstrates the explosive movement and quick footwork needed to get to an off-target pass which landed behind the ten foot line during one of our December 2024 practices. (Photo Shots by Shanty)

The Setter Volleyball Position:
Athletic Ability Matters More Than Height

While being tall helps with blocking in the front row, I've found that athletic ability is far more important.

My most successful setters have:

Strong leg power for jumping
Core strength for body control
Upper body strength for longer sets
Overall endurance to maintain performance
Above average volleyball IQ to take advantage of dumping options

The Setter Volleyball Position:
Hand-Eye Coordination Is Critical

Setting requires exceptional hand-eye coordination.

You need to:

Track the ball while you're moving to get to it
Make split-second adjustments if the ball floats to or away from you
Control ball placement precisely and consistently

Remember, these physical traits can all be developed with proper training.

I've seen and helped setters dramatically improve their speed, agility and coordination through dedicated practice and the right drills.

Setter Volleyball Position:
Technical Skills Every Setter Must Master

After coaching setters for over three decades, I can tell you that mastering technical skills is what separates good setters from great ones.

Let me share the exact techniques I teach my Vegas Volley setters, clients and college players home for the summer.

Setter Volleyball Position:
Footwork Patterns That Get You To The Ball

The best setters use specific footwork patterns that I call "quick to square." This means: Using a left-right step sequence to use as the last two steps you use to propel yourself to the ball so you're positioned directly underneath the ball. Kiara setting, notice right foot slightly forward, demonstrates great footwork positioning, showing how she's squared her body to her target while maintaining a strong, balanced platform during our December 2024 practice. (Shots by Shanty)

The best setters use specific footwork patterns that I call "quick to square."

This means:

Using a left-right step sequence to use as the last two steps you use to propel yourself to the ball so you're positioned directly underneath the ball
Making a quarter turn from watching the passer pass you the ball to turning your body in order to square your hips and shoulders to Zone 4 before contacting the ball
Keeping your upper and lower body parts balanced especially when jump setting when contacting the ball in the air
Being ready to move again after the initial setting contact

Setter Volleyball Position:
Setting Hands That Create Perfect Ball Control

Watch starting Vegas Volley 18s setter Kiara as she keeps her upper and lower body parts balanced when jump setting while contacting the ball in the air (Shots by Shanty)

If you're a setter then your hands are your tools.

Here's exactly what I teach:

Create a ball-shaped window above your forehead
Keep fingers relaxed but strong
Position thumbs pointing back toward your eyes
Maintain a consistent contact point every time

Setter Volleyball Position:
Jump Setting: When and How

Watch as this varsity setter holds the opposing middle blocker with her, while she is jump setting, which makes the middle blocker late to try and block whoever she (the setter) ends up setting. This is how a setter gives their hitter an advantage in possibly scoring a point since the hitter now gets to hit against one outside blocker instead of two blockers. The setter's job is to help the hitter gain an advantage and a point against opposing blockers which is easier to get if they have to hit against one blocker instead of two. (Photo by Ralph Aversen)

Jump setting isn't just for show.

Here's when and how to use it effectively:

Jump set to hold the opposing middle blocker in the middle of the net until the last minute in order to disguise the direction you intend to set the ball
Time your jump to contact, set and release the ball at highest point of your jump
Keep your body controlled in the air
Land ready to cover your hitter and/or play defense

Setter Volleyball Position:
Emergency Setting Skills That Save Points

Not every pass will be perfect, so I teach my setters these emergency techniques: One-handed setting tips Back-row rescue set options Out-of-system solutions Setting while moving backward Watch as I coach Vegas Volley 18s starting left handed setter, Kiara, use her right hand for a one handed dump. (Shots by Shanty)

Not every pass will be perfect, so I teach my setters these emergency techniques:

One-handed setting tips
Back-row rescue set options
Out-of-system solutions
Setting while moving backward

Remember, these skills take time to develop. I always tell my setters: "Perfect practice makes perfect sets." Focus on proper technique during every rep, especially during warm-ups.

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Private or semiprivate volleyball indoor/sand lessons are an excellent way for young Las Vegas high school volleyball players to quickly improve their individual skills through a private or semi-private coaching experience. These lessons are conducted by former pro volleyball player, former USA Volleyball High Performance instructor and Evaluator and Tstreet Vegas 18s head Coach April Chapple on a weekly basis. Sign up now!

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I share alot of individual, partner and easy-to-do volleyball serving drills we do in class with my followers.

Many of these volleyball practice drills you can do at home by yourself or try at your next practice with your teammates.

If you're a B team or JV player trying to make varsity next year...your goal should be to complete 1000 reps a day of at least three of the basic skills on your own...volleyball passing, serving and setting should be at the top of the list.

Setter Volleyball Position:
Where Should You Go From Here?

Good times! Where do you need to go now? Here are three options:

Learn more about the Volleyball Setter by exploring the Related Links below.
Follow the suggested reading on our Sitemap page Learning How To Play (Sitemap)
Or visit the pages in the Volleyball Positions section in the drop down menu at the top of the page.
Reintroduce yourself to Miss Ricci the Raccoon, #5 , the setter and team captain for the All Beast VolleyBragSwag All Star Team.

Reintroduce yourself to Miss Ricci the Raccoon, #5 , the setter and team captain for the All Beast VolleyBragSwag All Star Team.

From Lady Vol to Legend: Coach April Honored At UTK Champions Weekend

Lady Vol volleyball legend and record holder Coach April Chapple a University of Tennessee, Knoxville Hall of Fame Inductee, 3-time All American, 3-time SEC Champion, SEC Tournament MVP, 2-time All SEC Team is celebrated with her 1984 SEC champion teammates at Neyland Stadium during Champions Weekend on November 1-2, 2024.

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Tennessee Hall of Fame inductee, Coach April Chapple is

the first First Round Draft Pick for the first American pro indoor women's league
named to the first First Team All-Pro team for Major League Volleyball in USA volleyball history
former USA National team member
one of the few American women players named as an Italian Pro League D-I Championship Finalist, Italian Cup Finalist and Cup of Cups Tournament Finalist

April Chapple The first First round Draft Pick For Major League Volleyball the first American Women's Pro League Honored At Athlete Unlimited Pro Volleyball Match

Coach April's 2025 Private and Semi private Volleyball Training

Pre-Registration now open for 2025 Private and Semiprivate Training Sessions with Coach April . Get prepared for club tryouts or train with me during club season!

Email now for information on semiprivate or private indoor skills, individual or small group training volleyball classes and my Breakfast Club for College Players training for 2025.

Invest in your improvement while preepping for your next level and college goals while working hard and training smart.

Email me right now to register or for more information.

info@improveyourvolley.com

Serving slang is not just about individual techniques; it also relates to overall game strategy. A coach might instruct a player to serve a "short serve" or a "deep serve" to target specific areas of the opponent's court or exploit weaknesses in their serve receive formation.

Ari, my private training client and I are working specifically on serving on jump float cross court serves ...short to Zone 2

There's so much we work on to get to this point where she can contact the ball with

the same toss height and same toss location
the same armswing speed
the same timing for when her serving hand contacts the ball
the middle of the hand contacting the middle of the ball every single time
getting use to watching her serving hand contact the ball at the highest point of her jump ...before she starts to land
and finally contacting the ball in the precise spot on the ball so it goes where the coach wants the player to put it so in this case ..a short serve in the farthest short right corner on the court also called Zone 2.

kamiminerpac12setteroftheyearformercoachaprilchappleprivateclient3years

Tommi Stockham All Big West Conference sophomore former Coach April Chapple private client 3 years

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Dear Vegas Parent

Read my open letter to Las Vegas Jr high/high school volleyball parents about my predictions on individual and small group volleyball training trends for 2019/2021