Latest suggestion for tracking back row
 

Ok, here's what I was told at my match on Monday. My partner said that the only person that you really NEED to know is front or back row is the setter. The reason is that the setter is always going to be in front of the attack line, even if s/he starts in the back row. So that's the person that you HAVE to know is either front or back.

Does this make any sense?

Its a good start.....

Tracking your setter is key to keeping rotations straight. But you still need to know where all of the players on the court, whether front row or back row.

Some teams have a dominant hitter that they will set wherever she is, so you need to know when she is in the back row and subject to the back row restrictions.

What your partner says makes sense, but you can't just stop there.

Scrapper, as Andy says...it is a good start. Know your setters on both teams and the team captains on the court (sometimes they are the same person. Then learn who is OPPosite the setter. Remember either who leads or follows the setter and you're almost home. Try those suggestions and see how it goes.

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!

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.