The edges of the volleyball court are home to outsider hitters and opposites – players who are reliable, consistent and able to put the ball down on the other side of the net.
The outside and opposite hitters are an essential component to any volleyball team. The outside hitter is sometimes referred to as the “Ace” because of their dependability to get the ball over the net and score. The opposite has the important job of blocking the outside hitter on the other team. They need to be able to read the hitter and shut them down.
Without strong wing hitters, a volleyball team may be in trouble. So when did these wing hitters come into play and what’s the difference between the hitter on the left and the hitter on the right? We have some answers for you below.
History of Hitter Positions in Volleyball
Like the middle hitter, the wing hitters probably entered into the sport around the same time the set and spike was introduced in the Philippines in 1916. Opposite hitters, or right-side hitters, became more popular when different rotations like the 5-1 and 6-2 were created because it allowed for more offensive players in addition to the setter.
Outside Hitter vs. Opposite Hitter: What’s the difference?
Besides the obvious difference of the outside hitter hitting from the left side of the court and the opposite hitter hitting from the right side of the court, there are some other differences to point out.
Outsides are usually very strong and dependable hitters because the majority of the sets are coming to them. If you watch a volleyball game, you’ll see that if a setter is given a pass off the net or way inside, they will give it to their outside hitter because it’s the easiest set to make. This doesn’t mean the outside hitter has to have huge spikes every time they touch the ball, but they should have great technique and control when they make contact with it.
Opposite hitters, though they need to be an offensive force as well, are more focused on blocking because they are usually put up against the opposing team’s outside hitter. They need to be able to read the ball well and put up a strong block. They also may have to step in as backup setter if the setter takes the first ball, though that happens more at the younger level because older players will typically use the libero as the backup setter.
In any case, both wing spikers have to…