[Back In The Saddle]

Originally Posted by MCBear

What reasoning did your friend give for the proposal?? It can't have come from a volleyball person's point of view.

No, he's new to volleyball as well. However, the idea struck me as so revolutionary that I figured he may well have heard it from a "volleyball person."

Originally Posted by MCBear

You are dead wrong in saying that overlaps and rotation don't have an affect on the game. Eliminating having to be in proper alignment would give an advantage to the team that would utilize it. The back-row setter could be camped in the middle of the front zone waiting for the passer to give her the ball so that she can set the dominating hitter without having to attempt to get into proper position to set the ball.

I would think it would give the same advantage to both teams. Which is to say that it would not become an advantage to either team.

Are rotations and overlaps really that central to the game itself? Or are they mostly historical artifacts? What would really be lost if those concepts were done away with? What might be gained? From Andy's response, it's obviously an idea that's been around for quite a while. And it appeared to work in the league he talks about. Also, they don't seem to worry about it in beach volleyball.

However, I can see that you'd want rotation in recreational volleyball, to ensure everybody got a fair chance to play front and back.

Originally Posted by MCBear

Plus, there are teams who have a hard time remembering who is serving next and allowing them to go anywhere that they want to without being in serving order is creating even more chaos out of an already chaotic situation.

This argument I just don't buy. If alignments, rotations, overlaps were eliminated, there would be far less chaos. All that would remain is remembering serving order. That would be easier for players and officials. At most it would be no more difficult to remember than it is now.

For the record, I'm not recommending the changes. I just wondered what responses such a radical idea would generate. And, in fact, I hope to learn more about the game by talking about it. So please don't think I'm walking in off the street and pooing on your game, or trying to change it to suit my ideas.