The foundation of volleyball
Illustration by Zoe Wren Arntsen
In a game where you cannot grab or catch the ball, your technique becomes your lifeline. The concept of passing in volleyball is all about angles, positioning and discipline — something liberos and defensive specialists know better than anybody else.
If you’ve ever watched a volleyball game and wondered why there’s a player in a different colored jersey, then you’ve spotted the libero. They can replace any back row player — usually middle hitters — and are constantly running on and off the court between plays, so their jersey makes it easier to track them. These players are also not allowed to rotate to the front row. Although there are no limits to how often liberos can come in and out of the game, they must stay out for at least one rally before entering the court.
Additionally, the role of defensive specialists has seen a surge in recent years. Unlike liberos, these players must come into the game through a formal substitution. Typically, they’ll replace the outside hitter or opposite hitter when they rotate to the back row. Having both a libero and a defensive specialist on the court helps strengthen a team’s defense because it allows the team to cover more ground. These two positions hold down the back row so the offense can score the points.
These players are usually the first to the ball when it reaches their side of the court. Here at Chapman, the Panthers only have three players dedicated to the back row — junior business finance major Lia Ono, freshman business administration major Gray McKee and junior economics major Clara Cronin.
“My entire position is built on the grit and aggression to (get) the ball up,” Ono said.
And as with any other sport, volleyball is all about mentality. Especially when you’re tasked with keeping the ball alive.
“I think your mindset has to be, ‘I want every single ball. I want to touch every single ball,’” McKee said.
Even just one moment of hesitation can be the difference between a save and a point. But volleyball is a game made of mistakes. Points can’t be scored unless someone else messes up. That’s why it’s the way these mistakes are handled that matters most.
“I never look back on my mistakes to stay present in the moment,” Ono said. “(I’m not) focusing on the past that can’t be changed.”
Liberos and defensive specialists are responsible for controlling the chaos in an intense rally and set. These players need to read and analyze everything on the court. The shape of a hitter’s hand can reveal if they’ll swing or tip. The direction their shoulders face can indicate where they’re aiming. These are just a few examples of what the defense needs to recognize to read the play correctly.
Although defensive players fulfill a vital role on the court, their efforts are often overshadowed by their offensive counterparts. They aren’t the ones putting down kills or racking up stuff blocks, but they’re the gear that keeps the team operating. And in a game that is built on connection, the first pass is the spark that ignites the match.