What LEVEL AM I?
Intermediate (B)
- I have a thorough understanding of the rules, i.e. foot faults, net touch, block-out etc.
- I have control of my momentum during spiking and can land safely on my side of the court.
- I sometimes attempt to block when an attack is happening in front of me at the net.
- I get about 75% of serves in play.
- I play pass-middle, where the player in the front-middle of the court is the Setter (i.e. 4-2 system).
- I want to learn how to play with one Setter all around (i.e. 5-1 system) but don’t fully understand the rotation.
- I can pass reasonably well. Many of my passes are near enough to the Setter that they are able to set the ball to another player.
- In Addition: Teams at this level regularly attempt three touches per side per rally, i.e. bump/dig, set, spike.
Upper- Intermediate (BB)
- I know all the technical rules of the game.
- I fully understand how to play with one Setter all around (i.e. 5-1 system) or back-row setting only (i.e. 6-2 system).
- I have a thorough understanding of different types of sets to each hitter.
- I am proficient at blocking, setting, passing, and hitting.
- I pass free balls perfectly to target 90% or more of the time.
- I know what covering a hitter means.
- I know serve receive formations and base defense.
- I know how to communicate during play i.e. calling in/out, mine, tip, free, etc.
- I can accurately serve to a zone regularly with a float or top-spin serve.
- I get 90% of serves, or more, in play.
- I can play multiple positions but I have a preference for a specific role.
- In Addition: Teams play with specific positions for each player. Setters in this level can set outside, middle, and opposite with minimal spin.
Advanced/Competitive (A)
- I have all the knowledge of C, B, and BB players.
- I can attack aggressively with different types of attacks at the same position.
- I pass free balls perfectly 99% of the time.
- I know all the technical rules of volleyball and can referee a game if required.
- I perform all the skills in volleyball extremely well.
- I use complex offensive and defensive strategies with my team during play.
- I know how to play multiple roles very well and can fill in the required position when needed.
EIGHT Fundamental SKILLS
Here is a rundown of six basic skills that we use to determine a players level.
- Free Ball Pass
A free ball means that the ball coming over the net is not an attack, and is instead a bump over the net. The objective is to pass the free ball to the Setter in a controlled manner.
- Dig
A dig is when a player successfully passes a ball that is an attack by the opposing team, i.e. not a free ball.
- Set
A set is an overhand or bump contact of the ball and usually the second contact in a rally, made after a pass or dig. A set is when a ball is pushed in an arc near the net in a position where another player can spike/attack the ball into the opposing teams court.
- Spike/Attack
A spike/attack is an overhand hit of the ball into the opposing teams court.
- Block
A block occurs when a player jumps up in front of the net in time with the opposing teams attacker in order to stop/slow down the attack.
- Serve
A serve is an action taken by a player to begin the rally. The player in server position stands outside the court boundaries and serves the ball over the net using either an underhand or overhand serve.
- Positioning
Positioning is key whether it be on serve receive, base defense, covering, transitioning, blocking, or attacking. Knowing your correct position allows other players to trust you and ensures that your team has minimal confusion during play.
- Communication
Communication on the court is key to being a good volleyball player. Players that communicate well know how to call for the ball, make in/out calls, read and call out different types of attacks (tip/cross/line/free), etc.