Tracking the Setter

1. Tracking the Setter Peggy M. Schaefer July 9, 2014

2. What are the players trying to do on the court?

3. 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.

4. Look for the patterns: • Straight lines • Triangles • “Lazy” Ls • Vs

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 4 – 2 OffenseServeSetter moving from left front S CF RF LF LB CB S RB

10. 4-2 OffenseServe receiveSetter moving from left front S CF RF LF CB LB S RB

11. 4-2 OffenseServeSetter moving from center front S LF RF CF S CB LB RB

12. 4-2 OffenseServe receiveSetter moving from center front S CF RF LF LB S CB RB

13. 4-2 OffenseServeSetter moving from right front S CF LF RF S CB LB RB

14. 4-2 OffenseServe receiveSetter moving from right front S RF LF CF RB S CB LB

15. 5-1 OffenseServeSetter moving from right back RF CF LF LB CB S RB

16. 5-1 OffenseServe receiveSetter moving from right back RF S LF RB CF CB LB

17. 5-1 OffenseServeSetter moving from center back CF RF LF S CB LB RB

18. 5-1 OffenseServe receiveSetter moving from center back CF S CB RF LF LB RB

19. 5-1 OffenseServeSetter moving from left back CF LF RF S LB CB RB

20. 5-1 OffenseReceiveSetting moving from left back (also called 3/5 switch) RF LF S LB CF RB CB

21. 5-1 OffenseReceiveSetter moving from left back - called a “left stack” LF RF S LB RB CF CB

22. 5-1 OffenseReceiveSetter moving from left back - called a “3-5 switch”” LF RF S LB RB CF CB