Libero or no libero?

Question

i remember playing high school volleyball a long time ago but i don't recall them using a libero back then. i just recently got back into volleyball from a looong hiatus and was introduced to the libero. i teach at the local high school and the athletic director asked me to coach frosh the girls v-ball. i was wondering whether or not to run the libero or just concentrate on the basics for now. what do you guys think?

thanks.

Answer 1

It is kind of a new concept.  If you have a very good defensive player who can always give you good passes and digs than you should think about using a libero because they will be able to go in for a person in the back row who has a weakness in the defensive department, but if no one shows that capability you should go without one.  It just depends on your player's capabilities.

I hope that helps!!

Answer 2

i honesty believe having a libero is a great asset to any team. it adds a player to the court that  can play the entire back row (except serve) and it does not count against you for substitutions. so if a player is having difficulty with someone's serve just throw the libero in and get it taken care of.   Best of Luck!

Answer 3

i think its really good to have a libero.

for one, it's really quite difficult for tall players to dig low balls, chase fast balls and receive hard spikes.

another great thing is you get to rest your spikers. the more rest the more energy to hammer the ball.

Answer 4

Libero is best but not bed

Answer 5

Oh man.

I play volleyball for my high school right now.

I think having a libero is a very very good idea.

On my team the substitute for the middle blocker when she goes back row.

So you could have two middle blockers that could focus on perfecting their hits, and a libero that is a pro at passing.

I think that it is a GREAT idea to have a libero.

The only downfall is that the middle blockers lose playing time, but it really helps i think.

Answer 6

Use a libero! I am a libero in high school volleyball, and I believe a libero is key to a game. Not only will it save you from a weak player (maybe they're having a bad game, or just out of it at that time) on your defensive line, but it gives you a good, stable back row. Yes, it is a new concept, but my coach thinks of us liberos as the team's "secret weapons". It gives your team a bit of a boost when they are down on points.

Answer 7

good question, as a coach myself, i always stick to this: " K.I.S.S." - Keep It Simple, Stupid.   (the stupid is more of a self-defecating humor, sometimes...)

  

i strongly suggest you stick to what you know best since you are just returning to the game and is beginning to coach.    but do read up and ask questions on the libero position and how its role in the game.    and if you feel, at some point during the season, your players and team are ready, you may introduce the libero to them.      not sure which sets of rules your region are using.   it's likely either NCAA/PAVO or Federation, so review the rulebook on the Libero position so you will know the protocols for utilizing a libero during game.   good luck.

Answer 8

For the frosh teams at my high school, we do not use a libero, but we do use a DS (Defensive specialist). As a frosh, they will probably want to try out a couple of positions and just putting someone as a libero doesn't give you a good chance to see their full abilities. Also, a lot of freshman teams aren't familiar with all the positions and rotations, etc. Having a libero will confuse them more. However, introducing a DS gives you someone who plays like a libero but is not restricted to just passing. This way the girls will be familiar with someone who just passes for when they go on to play JV and varsity volleyball.

Answer 9

If you have one player that has outstanding defensive abilities and is not very strong at the net, they should be your Libero.  They will play almost the entire game. They only have to sit out one rally and then the Libero can go back in.  The other advantage is that the Libero replaces a player.  It is not a substitution.  If you do a lot of substituting, you could run out of subs in a long game.  With a Libero, the number of replacements are not counted.  As long as the Libero sits out one rally, they can go in for anyone on the back row.  (If the Libero is in the serving position and the player in the middle is not having a good time, you can replace the Libero with the original player.  The Libero sits out one rally and then can replace the player in the middle who is struggling across the back row.  That player can sit for a minute and be coached on the sideline and then replace the Libero for the front row.)  

Usually but not always, the Libero plays back row for the middle blockers.  That is because typically, the middle blockers are not as strong in the back row and because they could use the rest after blocking the entire net.  (Middles, please do not get mad at me.  I said typically.  Not always.  As soon as you make a statement like that, there are 50 examples of the opposite.)  I am going to use #1 and #4 as my 2 players that the Libero replaces.  They are opposite each other.  The numbers are the starting position on the court.  #1 starts in the serving position and they will serve.  After they get done with their term or service, the Libero will enter the game for #1.  When the Libero gets to the spot where they would normally rotate to the front row, you have 2 options,  This year, the high school Libero can serve.  You can have the Libero replace #4 right away and serve.  Or if #4 is a good server, you can have #1 replace the Libero and wait until #4 finishes their serves.  When #4 finishes their term of service, the Libero would replace them.  

I hope this helps.