Latest suggestion for tracking back row

[BlitzkriegBob]

Yeah, what Andy and Jan said! After I have the setter and her opposite, I try to find another pair of opposites that I can remember easily, such as 28 and 8. Amazingly, there is usually another pair of opposites on each team that have numbers making it easier to remember. A quick glance to find the setter for both teams, plus any big hitter who has rotated to the back row as Andy stated, as I scan the court prior to serve and I'm finding myself good to go more and more easily. It's only taken me seven years!

[TimTaylor]

Agree with the others here. It just takes time and lots of practice, and you have to use what works best for you.

I started out with the setter, added the opposite, then one adjacent. Now the setters are automatic - I identify the setter(s) for both teams during warmups, and by comparing that information with the submitted lineups, can make a pretty good guess what type of offense they are running (5-1, 6-2, etc.). In the 1 second scan of the court before beckoning for serve, I mentally confirm all 6 back row players. By half way through the first set, I've usually got the order & current position in the rotation for all six players for both teams mentally fixed.

One thing that really helped me early on is working as many weekend tournaments as I could get assigned to. When you see the same teams over and over again, the pattens become quickly recognizable. Another is on a night you're not working, go watch a match - sit a few rows up behind the table at mid court and track what is going on.