Volleyball Strategies Volleyball Tactics for Successful Setting

Volleyball Strategies for Effective Ball Handling

The following are things to consider when learning how to set.

Quick hands or slow hands? How quickly the ball comes out of your hands has a lot to do with your wrists. You may use a setting technique of bending your wrists as you set the ball and allowing it to spring out of your hands.

Some players try bending their elbows to help catch the ball more when they set. This usually causes inconsistent timing in setting the ball. The best volleyball strategies for setting involving using your legs and wrists, with not much bending of your arms.

Bigger hand setters
Players with bigger hands have more hand to get on the ball which help control the ball. Although bigger hands allow you to grab more of the ball and set cleaner, when you do double contact with your fingers it’s usually more obvious.

Smaller hand setters
Setters with smaller hands have more trouble setting the ball cleanly. Because their hands are smaller, setters are forced to get the ball out of their hands faster. Even though it may be tougher to set perfectly clean, they are less likely to be called for an obvious double contact.

The placement of your arms when setting (wide arm stance or more narrow) is up to you.

Volleyball strategies for setting should involve developing consistency both with ball handling and with the placement of sets for attackers.

Consistency allows for…
Developing a motor learning pattern
By setting the same way every time, your body learns to move in a consistent pattern. With repetition, you will develop consistent sets.

Making your attackers better
The more consistent your sets are, the more comfortable your attackers will be approaching and hitting.

Setting your attackers consistently to the same spot will allow them to hit without having to adjust their approach or armswing. Good setters make their attackers better with good sets.

Volleyball Strategies for Successful Setting

Tips to successful setting…

Know your opponents blocking
Know your opponents front row players and what they can do. If your oppositions setter is blocking right front, and she’s only 5 feet tall, it may be a good attacking strategy to get the ball to attackers on her side of the court.

Setter should come from the right side
If a setter is back row, it is best to have them line up in serve receive near the right side of the court.

Having the setter come from the right side of the court allows them to face the direction that is optimal for setting.

If a setter comes from a different area (example, left front) it will be more difficult footwork and harder to adjust to chase a bad pass. Also, there isn’t as good a rhythm and flow when moving to set.

Know from where and how you are most comfortable setting
Most setters are most comfortable setting when they are moving. Most of the time in a match the setter is coming from the right back position to set.

However, some setters like to be waiting at the target position for the pass. Decide which method you are most comfortable with and apply it often.


Know your setting options
Know your attackers and their abilities attacking. Some hitters like the ball tight, some like the ball off the net.

Some like the ball set high, others like it low. By knowing what kind of set your attackers are comfortable hitting, you will have more success.

Know what you legally can and can’t do as a setter
Everyone on the court needs to know the rules, especially the setter.

Setters need to know the difference between legal and illegal back row attacks, legal and illegal back row blocks. Knowing what you can and can’t do as a front row and back row player may make a significant different in the outcome of match.

Know the rotations
Know which of your teammates you can and can’t overlap with on the court. A team should line up in serve receive to not only execute an effective passing strategy, but also to give their setter an advantage by being in better position to move to set.

The better starting position a setter has at serve receive, the easier it is to move to the target.

Referees will less likely consider calling your hands
If your setting technique is consistent, referees will get comfortable seeing you set and will be less likely to call your hands.

Although being creative is good, using a different technique other than what a referee is used to seeing from you may not be a good idea. If your set comes off looking funny or awkward, it is more likely to get called.

It’s usually best to use a consistent setting technique so that the referee hardly notices your sets and has little doubt about whether to make the call.

Develop consistent outside sets
High outside sets need to be more accurate because the blockers have more time to get in position to block.

Also, the most common set is high outside, so develop volleyball strategies for good outside sets.