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.  

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.

Volleyball Positions on the Court 

If you're In the back row here's where you go on offense and/or defense if you're an

• outside hitter 
• opposite hitter
• middle blocker
• setter

Volleyball Positions on the Court - for Zone 1

If you're In volleyball rotational Position 1/Zone 1 here's where you go on defense and/or offense if you're an

• outside hitter 
• opposite hitter
• 6 position middle blocker
• libero
• setter

If you are a left side hitter/blocker

• if serving - after completing your serve you run into the court to get into base defensive position in Rotational position 5, (left back, LB, Zone 5) If you win the rally, your team earns a point and you go back to serve again. 
• in serve receive, depending on your coach and the offense you run, most likely when your team is served, as the libero you'd pass from RB (Position 1, P1, Zone 1) and when the ball goes over the net you'd switch to Position 5 to continue the rally digging, playing defense and possibly hitting from backrow* until the rally is completed.
• *many teams, depending on their offensive strategies will place left side hitter in the MB position (P6) so they can dig and hit backrow

Positions on the Volleyball Court: If you're a libero in serve receive, depending on the offense you run when your team is served, you'd pass from RB (Volleyball Rotation 1, P1)

If you are a libero/middle hitter/blocker

• if serving - after completing your serve you run into the court to get into base defensive position in Rotational Position 6, (middle back, MB, Zone 6) If you win the rally, your team earns a point and you go back to serve again. 
• in serve receive, depending on your coach and the offense you run, most likely as the libero, when your team is served, you'd pass from RB (Position 1, P1, Zone 1) taking as much court responsibility as possible and when the ball goes over the net you'd switch to Position 6 to continue the rally digging, playing defense from backrow* until the rally is completed.
• *many teams, depending on their offensive strategies will place liberos in the LB position (P5) so they can dig the cross court attacks and set when necessary from the backrow. 

If you are a setter or right side hitter/blocker

• if serving - after completing your serve you run into the court to get into base defensive position in Rotational position 1, (right back, RB, Zone 1) If you win the rally, your team earns a point and you go back to serve again. 
• In serve receive, depending on your coach and the offense you run, most likely when your team is served, as the setter you'd stand behind the right front player who is passing. Once the ball is served you sprint to go to the net to Position 2/3 to be the setter target your passers pass the ball to. Once you run the offense and set one of your hitters and the ball goes over the net you return backrow to your base position to play defense.
• in serve receive, depending on your coach and the offense you run, most likely as the right side hitter, when your team is served, you'd pass from RB (Position 1, P1, Zone 1) taking as much court responsibility as possible alongside the libero in P6 and the left side hitter in P5/P4 and when the ball goes over the net you'd stay in Position 1 to continue the rally, digging, playing defense from backrow* until the rally is completed.

Positions on the Volleyball Court: If you're a libero in volleyball rotation P6: in serve receive, depending on the offense you run when your team is served, you'd pass from MB

Volleyball Positions on the Court - for Zone 6

If you're In volleyball rotational Position 6/Zone 6 here's where you go on defense and/or offense if you're an

• outside hitter 
• opposite hitter
• 6 position middle blocker
• libero
• setter

If You're In Volleyball Rotation Position 6/Zone 6 where do you go on offense or defense?

If you are a left side hitter/blocker

• on defense - you start in Rotational Position 6 and after your team serves, you switch going to your base defensive position in Rotational position 5, (left back, LB, Zone 5) to continue the rally digging, playing defense and possibly hitting from backrow* until the rally is completed.
• in serve receive, depending on your coach and the offense you run, most likely when your team is served, you'd pass from MB (Position 6, P6, Zone 6) and when the ball goes over the net you'd switch to Position 5 to continue the rally digging, playing defense and possibly hitting from backrow* until the rally is completed.
• *many teams, depending on their offensive strategies will place left side hitter in the MB position (P6) so they can dig and hit backrow

If you are a libero/middle hitter/blocker

• on defense - you start in your base defensive position in Rotational Position 6 and stay there after your team serves, to continue the rally, digging, playing defense until the rally is completed.
• in serve receive, depending on your coach and the offense you run, most likely as the libero, when your team is served, you'd pass from MB (Position 6, P6, Zone 6) taking as much court responsibility as possible and when the ball goes over the net you'd stay in Position 6 to continue the rally digging, playing defense from backrow* until the rally is completed.
• *many teams, depending on their offensive strategies will place liberos in the LB position (P5) so they can dig the cross court attacks and set when necessary from the backrow. 

Positions on the Volleyball Court: In serve receive, depending on the offense you run, as libero, when your team is served, you'd pass from MB (Position 6) taking as much court as possible

If you are a setter or right side hitter/blocker

• on defense - you start in Rotational Position 6 and after your team serves, you switch going to your base defensive position in Rotational position 1, (right back, RB, Zone 1) to continue the rally digging, playing defense and possibly until the rally is completed.
• In serve receive, depending on your coach and the offense you run, most likely when your team is served, as the setter you'd stand behind the middle front player who may or may not be passing. Once the ball is served you sprint to go to the net to Position 2/3 to be the setter target your passers pass the ball to. Once you run the offense and set one of your hitters and the ball goes over the net you return backrow to your base position (P1)  to play defense.
• in serve receive, depending on your coach and the offense you run, most likely as the right side hitter, when your team is served, you'd pass from MB  (Position 6, P6, Zone 6)  and when the ball goes over the net you'd switch to your base defensive position in Position 1 to continue the rally, digging, playing defense from backrow* on the right side of the court until the rally is completed.

Volleyball Positions on the Court: II you're a libero in rotational position 5 in serve receive, depending on the offense you run, when your team is served, you'd pass from LB.

Volleyball Positions on the Court - for Zone 5

If you're In volleyball rotational Position 5/Zone 5 here's where you go on defense and/or offense if you're an

• outside hitter 
• opposite hitter
• 6 position middle blocker
• libero
• setter

If you are a left side hitter/blocker

• on defense - you start in Rotational Position 5 and after your team serves, you stay in your base defensive position in Rotational position 5, (left back, LB, Zone 5) to continue the rally digging, playing defense and possibly hitting from backrow* until the rally is completed.

• in serve receive, depending on your coach and the offense you run, most likely when your team is served, you'd pass from LB (Position 5, P5, Zone 5) and when the ball goes over the net you'd stay in Position 5 to continue the rally digging, playing defense and possibly hitting from backrow* until the rally is completed.

• *many teams, depending on their offensive strategies will place left side hitter in the MB position (P6) so they can dig and hit backrow

If you are a libero/middle hitter/blocker

• on defense - you start in Rotational Position 5 and after your team serves, you switch going to your base defensive position in Rotational position 6, (middle back, MB, Zone 6) to continue the rally digging, playing defense and possibly hitting from backrow* until the rally is completed.

• in serve receive, depending on your coach and the offense you run, most likely as the libero, when your team is served, you'd pass from LB (Position 5, P5, Zone 5) taking as much court responsibility as possible and when the ball goes over the net you'd switch back to your base defensive position in Rotational Position 6 to continue the rally digging, playing defense from backrow* until the rally is completed.

If you are a libero/middle hitter/blocker on defense you start in Rotational Position 5 and after your team serves, you switch going to your base defensive position in Rotational position 6

• *many teams, depending on their offensive strategies will place liberos in the LB position (P5) so they can dig the cross court attacks and set when necessary from the backrow. 

If you are a setter or right side hitter/blocker

• on defense - you start in Rotational Position 5 and after your team serves, you switch going to your base defensive position in Rotational position 1, (right back, RB, Zone 1) to continue the rally digging, playing defense and possibly until the rally is completed.

• In serve receive, depending on your coach and the offense you run, most likely when your team is served, as the setter you'd stand behind and to the left of the left front player who may or may not be passing. Once the ball is served you sprint to go to the net to Position 2/3 to be the setter target your passers pass the ball to. Once you run the offense and set one of your hitters and the ball goes over the net you return backrow to your base position (P1)  to play defense.

• in serve receive, depending on your coach and the offense you run, most likely as the right side hitter, when your team is served, you'd pass from LB  (Position 5, P5, Zone 5)  and when the ball goes over the net you'd switch to your base defensive position in Position 1 to continue the rally, digging, playing defense from backrow* on the right side of the court until the rally is completed.

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

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

1. Improve Your Volleyball Performance with Vegas VB Coach April Chapple
 ›
2. Volleyball Positions: What Are The Six Volleyball Roles On The Court?
 ›
3. Volleyball Positions on the Court: Backrow Rotations in Volleyball

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