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Learning the "5-1" Rotations with Coach Alberto
Published Fri 28 Apr 2023
Let's dive in together in one of Volleyball's most used Defence Rotations!
What does "5-1" stand for?
"5-1" means 5 attackers and 1 setter. It is one of the most commonly used rotation techniques in indoor volleyball, and variations can be freely applied, especially based on the skillsets of the defending players. In this article, I will explain each of the 6 rotations one by one.
First thing first: overlap rules
Understanding the volleyball overlap rules is important to ensure players are in legal and valid positions when the ball is served.
Back & Front Overlap (Red arrows)
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If a back-row player is in front of the front-row player in the rotation, they will be called for a fault (and the opposite team will score a point).
Side Overlap (Blue arrows)
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The players on the left side must be between the sideline (on their left) and those on their right.
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The players on the right side must be between the sideline (on their right) and those on their left.
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The players in the middle need to ensure they respect the above two points.
NB: there is no diagonal overlapping!
ROTATION #1
In the first of the Rotations, the Setter starts in Zone 1. The Setter is positioned in the second row and has three attackers in the front row: an Outside Hitter, an Opposite, and a Middle Blocker. The Outside Hitter in the front row defends the ball, allowing the Setter to run and position in the front row. The Libero is responsible for defending the central area of the court, while the two Outside Hitters can also defend short services. The Opposite is ready to attack from zone 4 and then swap with the Outside Hitter. The Middle Blocker is ready to attack from Zone 3.
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ROTATION #2
In the second of the Rotations, the Setter starts in Zone 6. The Setter should move closer to the Opposite and Middle Blocker in the front row, forming a cluster close to the net. This positioning allows the Setter to set, the Opposite to perform their approach and attack from Zone 2, and the Middle Blocker to attack from Zone 3 with ease. Libero and the two Outside Hitters will defend the service, similarly to Rotation #1.
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ROTATION #3
In the third of the Rotations, the Setter starts in Zone 5. The Setter should move closer and behind the Middle Blocker in the front row, and the opposite should move further right. This positioning allows the Setter to easily move towards Zone 2 and set, the Opposite to perform their approach and attack from Zone 2, and the Middle Blocker to attack from Zone 3 with ease. Libero and the two Outside Hitters will defend the service, with the Libero on the right side, covering the shorter services.
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ROTATION #4
In the fourth of the Rotations, the Setter starts in Zone 4. This is the first Rotation where the Setter only has two attackers in the front row. The Setter and Middle Blocker are close to the net, on the left side of the court, allowing the front-row Outside Hitter to move back and defend the service. The Outside Hitter can then easily attack from Zone 4. The Opposite is out of the defence and getting ready to attack from the back row in Zone 1, while, as usual, the two Outside Hitters and the Libero defend the service.
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ROTATION #5
In the fifth of the Rotations, the Setter starts in Zone 3. The Setter and Middle Blocker are close to the net, allowing both to prepare to set and attack easily. The Opposite is out of the defence and getting ready to attack from the back row in Zone 1, while, as usual, the two Outside Hitters and the Libero defend the service.
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ROTATION #6
In the sixth (and last) of the Rotations, the Setter starts in Zone 2. The Setter can start at the best position to set, between Zone 2 and 3. The Middle Blocker needs to move as further left as possible to allow the front row Outside Hitter to defend the service and then attack. The Opposite is out of the defence and getting ready to attack from the back row in Zone 1, while, as usual, the two Outside Hitters and the Libero defend the service.
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