Back Row recognition

[chapmaja]

Originally Posted by SCalScoreKeeper

What's the best way to improve back row recognition for example-Back Row Attack,Back Row Block?

This is something I often struggle with. I agree with the other posts that 90 plus percent of the time, the setter will be the issue.

My suggestion, and the one from my association to it's members (where I got it), is to watch the warm-up and make sure you know who the setters are. Even as the R1 you should have time to look at where setter is in the lineup, and more importantly who is opposite of them in the lineup.

Once you know who the setter is, you can usually determine if she is back row or front row fairly easily.

Another thing to key on can be substitutions. Say A6 is the setter (team uses only 1 setter). When she is in the back row, A3 is on the floor. When she is in the front row, S7 comes in for A3. This means that is A3 is on the floor, you have a back row setter, but if S7 is on the floor, you have a front row setter (most of the time).

If a team utilizes a 2 setter system, normally only 1 of them will be on the floor, and the team will have multiple substitions when the setters change. Normally this will be a back row setter only situation.

For example, A6 is the setter to start the set, and when the team rotates so A6 would be front row, they will often substitute someone in for A3 (who would be rotating to the back row), and substitute someone for A6 as they come to the front row. In this situation, where they use two setters you may see A6 as a front row setter though, while A3 serves (they sub in for A3 after she serves).

Watch your substitution patterns, they can often give you big hints as to who the setter is, and if she is front or back row.

For the 10%-20% of cases where the back row fault is not a setter issue, it will normally be a 10 foot line issue on an attack, which normally you should be able to see fairly clearly.