15 club volleyball tryout tips from a Tennessee Hall of Fame inductee and elite club coach who's helped hundreds of athletes navigate tryouts successfully.

Volleyball Positions and Rotations
3 Front Row Positions in Volleyball

Learn the descriptions and what the different volleyball positions and rotations work for each of these front row player positions.

Volleyball Positions and Rotations: When a team, usually composed of at least one setter, two hitters, middle blockers and a libero wins a rally, they rotate clockwise one position on the court.

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Volleyball Positions and Rotations - for Zone 4

If you're In volleyball rotational Position 4/Zone 4 here's where you go on offense and/or defense if you're an

outside hitter
opposite hitter
middle blocker
setter

Front Row Volleyball Positions and Rotations For
Offense and Defense

If you are a left side hitter/blocker on offense - you'd stay and pass/hit from LF on defense - after the serve you'd stay and block and play defense in LF (Ralph Arvesen)

If you are a left side hitter/blocker

on offense - you'd stay and pass/hit from LF
on defense - after the serve you'd stay and block and play defense in LF

If you are a middle hitter/blocker

on offense - you'd slide over to MF and spike approach from the ten foot line and hit from Position 3
on defense - after your team serves you'd switch to MF to block in volleyball rotation Position 3/Zone 3

If you are a setter or right side hitter/blocker

on offense - as a right side hitter depending on your coach and the offense you run, most likely when your team is served, you'd pass/hit from LF and when the ball goes over the net you'd switch to Position 2 to continue the rally blocking, defending and hitting from P2 until the rally is completed.
on offense - as a setter depending on your coach and the offense you run, most likely when your team is served you start at the net and slide over to be the target in Position 2/3 that your passers need to pass to
on defense - after your team serves you'd switch to RF to block and play defense in Rotational Position 2/Zone 2

If You're In Rotational Position 4 ... If you are a left side hitter thenon offense - you'd stay and pass/hit from LF on defense - after the serve you'd stay and block and play defense in LF

If You're In Volleyball Rotation 4 ... If you are a left side hitter then on offense - you'd stay and pass/hit from LF on defense - after the serve you'd stay and block and play defense in LF

Volleyball Positions and Rotations - for Zone 3

If you're In volleyball rotational Position 3/Zone 3 here's where you go on offense and/or defense if you're an

outside hitter
opposite hitter
middle blocker
setter

If you are a left side hitter/blocker

on offense - you'd slide over and pass and hit from LF
on defense - after the serve you'd switch and block and play defense in LF

If you are a middle hitter/blocker

on offense - *you'd stay MF and pass any short balls, spike approach from the ten foot line and hit from Position 3
on defense - after your team serves you'd stay MF to block in Rotational Position 3/Zone 3

If you are a setter or right side hitter/blocker

on offense - you'd pass/hit from RF, Position 2 and/or set from Position 2/3
on defense - after your team serves you'd switch to RF to block and play defense in Rotational Position 2/Zone 2

*depending on the offense your setter calls you'd move to the net so your teammates would pass and then you'd slide back to the ten foot line during the pass to run the offensive play that your setter called.

Volleyball Positions and Rotations: If you are a setter or right side hitter/blocker on offense - you'd stay in RF and pass/hit from Position 2 and/or set from Position 2/3

Volleyball Positions and Rotations - for Zone 2

If you're In volleyball rotational Position 2/Zone 2 here's where you go on offense and/or defense if you're an

outside hitter
opposite hitter
middle blocker
setter

If you are a left side hitter/blocker

on offense - you'd slide over to pass and hit from LF or depending on your coach and the offense you run, when your team is served, you'd pass/hit the first serve from RF and when the ball goes over the net you'd switch to Position 4 to continue the rally blocking, defending and hitting from P4 until the rally is completed.
on defense - after the serve you'd switch and block and play defense in LF

If you are a middle hitter/blocker

on offense - you'd switch/slide over to MF and spike approach from the ten foot line and hit from Position 3
on defense - after your team serves you'd switch to MF to block in Rotational Position 3/Zone 3

If you are a setter or right side hitter/blocker on offense - you'd stay in RF and pass/hit from Position 2 and/or set from Position 2/3 (Tennessee Journalist)

If you are a setter or right side hitter/blocker

on offense - you'd stay in RF and pass/hit from Position 2 and/or set from Position 2/3
on defense - after your team serves you'd stay RF to block and play defense in Rotational Position 2/Zone 2

If you are a setter or right side hitter/blocker on offense - you'd stay in RF and pass/hit from Position 2 and/or set from Position 2/3 (Gallery Three)

Volleyball Positions and Rotations:
Where Do You Go From Here?

Good times! Here's where you need to go now? Here are three options:

Learn more about volleyball positions and rotations and in the Related Links below.
Follow the suggested reading on our Sitemap page Learning How To Play (Sitemap)
Or visit the pages in the Positions section in the drop down menu at the top of the page.

Learn more about volleyball positions and rotations on the pages below!

Libero Volleyball Player Responsibilities, Roles, Qualities and Rules
The libero volleyball player has specific qualities and specialized responsibilities in their defensive roles along with special rules created just for them.
The Opposite Hitter In Volleyball: Right-Side Skills Strategies Tips
What you should know about the opposite hitter in volleyball position from blocking to attacking strategies to help you understand this versatile position.
Playing The Opposite Position in Volleyball: Tips, Skills and Strategy
Everything you need to know about playing the opposite position in volleyball discover essential tips, skills, and strategies for mastering this crucial role.
The Volleyball Opposite Hitter: Learn Essential Skills and Strategies
Discover what makes volleyball opposite hitters unique. Learn key skills, essential responsibilities, and training tips for excelling in this dynamic position
Setter Position in Volleyball: My Expert Guide & Setting Training Tips
Learn the setter position in volleyball from an expert coach. Master essential techniques, court positioning, and winning strategies to become a great setter.
The Setter Volleyball Position Five Traits Good Setters Always Have
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.
A Setter in Volleyball: A Step-by-Step Guide to Proper Technique
Be a setter in volleyball who knows how to run an effective offensive attack with two or three front row hitters to beat the block and opposing defense.
Left Side Hitter Volleyball Mastery Of The Outside Hitting Position
Discover what makes the left side hitter volleyball position essential with responsibilities, training tips and strategies for mastering this dynamic position.
Right Side Hitter Volleyball Stuff The Strength Of The Opposite Side
Discover what makes the right side hitter volleyball position essential with responsibilities, training tips and strategies for mastering this dynamic position.
Setters Volleyball Player Roles, Rules and Responsibilities Explained
Setters volleyball player responsibilities are to run her team's offense and they call the plays hitters run against blockers like a quarterback in football.
The Middle Blocker Volleyball Position Offensive and Defensive Duties
A middle blocker is the team's primary defensive presence at the net, responsible for blocking opponent attacks and running fast and quick offensive plays.
Being A Left Handed Volleyball Setter in the Front Row Has Advantages
For a left handed volleyball setter who receives a good pass, the ball will get to your dominant hand first, which means that you can dump the ball faster.
Volleyball Setter Position: What Makes A Good Setter And Team Leader?
Like quarterbacks in football, the volleyball setter position requires the setter to run the offense by deciding the volleyball plays her offense will run.
Volleyball Positions on the Court: Backrow Rotations in Volleyball
Learn the descriptions and the different backrow volleyball positions on the court and how the rotation in volleyball works in the backrow player positions.

If your athlete struggles with consistent serve receive, gets subbed out, or is overlooked for playing time—this is the fix you’ve been looking for.

Struggling with passing consistency?

Download my eBook for $7.99 and start building the passing confidence that keeps you on the court—and gets you seen by college coaches.

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.

utkaprilcollegepiconneylandstadiumvideoboard

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

katepriorallwestcoastconferencebyufreshmanformercoachaprilchappleprivateclient3years

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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

Tennessee Athletics Honors April Chapple at Champions Weekend for Legendary Volleyball Achievements

From Lady Vol to Legend: Coach April Produces Powerful Passionate Players...is that you?

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Congratulations to my seven Boys-18s Vegas Volley club players who played in two state championship finals yesterday, the 3A and 5A State champinship finals at Sunrise Mountain High School.

TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS!

A-1 Vegas Volley VBC

In It To Win It Tournament

May 2 - 4, 2025 Tournament

Gold Medalists

18s Premier Division

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Making A-1 Vegas Volleyball history as the very first TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS! In the In It To Win It Tournament, May 2-4, 2025 Tournament, A-1 Vegas Volleyball Club Gold Medalists, 18s Premier Division