Many consider the setter to be the most vital player on the court because he/she is jointly responsible for about 90% of the plays throughout the game. If you think about it, they probably touch the ball about 2 times more often than any other player in the match. For any new comers to volleyball, or simply for those that want to learn a little bit more about how to set, feel free to keep reading through the rest of this article for more information.
The Ready Position – Probably the most important advice for any setter is to always be ready for the ball. As a setter myself, I can tell you that (unless your on an amazing team) the majority of the passes won’t go where you want them to go. Throughout the game you’ll yourself running back and forth cross court trying to make the best out of each play as possible. Now that you have that down, never try to meet the ball as its landing, always get to the spot as quick as possible and wait for it to land in your hands. At this point, your arms should be straight above your head and slightly bent with your hand in ready position. This would be classified as making a diamond with your pointer fingers and thumbs to make an exact spot for the ball to land in to.
Setting – Now that you have the position down and you’re waiting for the ball to make contact with your fingers, you have to know how to set the ball up for your hitter. The first piece of information is that even though you are focusing on your thumbs and index fingers, never use these limbs independently. Setting is a full body function, first off as it contacts with your fingers, make sure you slightly cradle the ball as if you had extremely soft hands. For example, if any of you play hockey, in order to receive a pass you can’t just put your stick out there, you have to accept the puck and absorb the shock. Now that the ball is in your hands, it’s important that almost all of your fingers are involved in the set (pinky excluded). Also, whenever extra power or distance is needed, always drive the strength from the legs. Trying to simply “push harder” on the ball will cause very inconsistent sets that will in the end greatly hinder your performance. Lastly, try to always face the target of your set (except for one circumstance). This would be if you are setting your right side front row and simply perform a back set to throw off the opposing team. Other than that however, it’s important to face your target for the most accuracy and precision.
Conclusion – Other than that, everything will come with practice. You can read up and learn about how to set all you want, but come game day, the player who worked the hardest in practice will prevail. I hope you learned a lot about what it takes to become a setter and remember to always Have Fun!
