Our serve, and everyone else in order
Volleyball · Formation · 6 of your players
The setter serves from behind our end line, the front three wait a metre and a half off the net ready to block, and the back two stand in front of the server, each player in their rotation order.
Opens on a volleyball pitch with the shape already drawn. Free, no signup.
The picture at the whistle
Serving team set-up shows the rotation where the setter is in zone 1 and serves. Players are numbered by zone. The setter (1) is on our end line, 7.65 m from the left sideline, about to serve from behind it. The front row waits 1.5 m off the net: the outside hitter (2) on the right, 7.6 m across, the middle blocker (3) in the middle and the opposite (4) on the left, 1.4 m in. The back-row outside hitter (5) stands 1.8 m in from the left sideline and 6.5 m from the net, and the libero (6) is in the middle of the back court, 6.8 m back, in for the middle blocker who is in the back row.
The server is exempt, nobody else is
The overlap rule applies to the serving team too. At the moment of serve the front three must be in order left to right (4, 3, 2), the back two must be left to right as well (5 before 6), and each front-row player must be nearer the net than the player behind them. The only exception is the server, who is behind the end line and is not compared with anybody. That is why the server can stand anywhere along the service zone while the other five keep their places.
The libero and the serve
Under FIVB rules the libero may not serve (rule 19.3.1.2), so when the libero's middle blocker rotates into zone 1 on our serve, the middle comes back on to serve. Some youth, school and college rule books let the libero serve in one rotation; check your own federation's rules before you plan it.
Coaching it
- Base after the serve. Once the ball is struck everyone may move. Draw each player's run to their base position and animate it, so the team sees the switch from rotation order to roles.
- Front row blocks. The three at the net turn to read the other team's setter as soon as the serve crosses.
The volleyball rotation maker shows who serves in each of the six rotations, and the volleyball play designer draws the switch to base.
Also known as
- serving
- base positions
- overlap rule
- rotation order
- six a side
Shapes to look at next
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Our outside hitter attacks from the left against a double block, and the other five close in behind them in a cup: the middle and libero tight, the back-row hitter deep, so a ball blocked straight down is still ours.
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Perimeter defence
Volleyball · Defence · 9 players
A two-player block on their outside hitter, the left-front player off the net for the sharp angle, and the back row on the edges of the court: right back on the line, left back cross-court and the middle back deep.
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Rotation defence
Volleyball · Defence · 9 players
The same double block on their outside hitter, but the back row rotates towards the attack: the right back comes up behind the block for the tip, the middle back slides to the line and the left back covers the deep cross-court ball.
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Serve receive, setter in 1
Volleyball · Set piece · 7 players
Three-passer serve receive with the setter in zone 1: both outside hitters and the libero share the court, the setter tucks in behind the right-side passer, and the opposite and middle wait at the net. Legal under the overlap rule at the moment of serve.
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Serve receive, setter in 4
Volleyball · Set piece · 7 players
The setter starts front left at the net and slides right to set, while the outside hitters and libero take the serve and the opposite hides deep behind the right-side passer. Legal under the overlap rule at the moment of serve.
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3-5-2
Soccer · Formation · 11 players
Three centre backs, wing backs pushed high and wide onto the touchlines, a midfield three inside them and a front two. Overloads the middle and asks the wing backs to cover the whole flank.
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Put the Serving team set-up on a pitch
It opens with the shape already drawn. Move the players your team does differently, drag the runs, and send your squad a link that animates.
Open in PlaymakerPage updated · Volleyball play designer · All templates