As you watch a high-level volleyball game, it’s exciting to see the massive swings and the incredible saves that turn into winning points. But who is calling the shots to execute these plays? The setter.
The setter on the volleyball team is the player who touches the second ball and decides who to set the ball to based on where the blockers are on the other side of the net and where the first pass is coming from.
The setter must be calm, smart and able to make split-second decisions on the court all match long.
Now that we’ve set up the rest of the article…let’s dig into the volleyball setter position.
History of Setter Position in Volleyball
The game of volleyball was created in 1895 in Holyoke, Massachusetts, U.S. by William G. Morgan, a YMCA physical education director.
The sport really evolved in 1916 when the set and spike was introduced in the Philippines and then four years later, a “three hits” rule was established. After this, the setter position was created to account for that second touch and setup for the hitter.
What does the setter do in volleyball?
The setter is one of the strongest cognitive forces on the court. They are always looking at where the opposing blockers are in relation to their own team and then setting up high quality attacks by distributing the ball to his or her spikers / hitters.
Most of the time, the setter will play the second ball. The only times that they will not touch the second ball are if they make a play on the first touch or the passer shanks a ball and the setter cannot physically get there.
While setters might not be as flashy as spikers, they usually possess the best ball technique and heightened court awareness. After all, the hitters can’t make a soul-crushing spike without the setter’s split-second decisions on where to send the ball.
Rules of the setter position
The setter can either take the ball with their hands or with their forearms. Most of the time they will set using their fingers because it gives them more control, but if they can’t quite get in position, then they will use their forearms to send a high ball to one of their hitters.
When using their fingers, setters may be called for a double hit, meaning the ball hit each of their hands at different times, causing the ball to rotate sideways. The tell of a really good set is the ball looks…