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Libero Volleyball Basics: A Mom's Guide To The Defense Specialist Role

Perfect for moms of young players, this guide helps you learn libero volleyball basics which helps you raise your game IQ and support your childs defensive play

In this mom's guide, I'll demystify the world of liberos, giving you the knowledge about the libero volleyball basics you need to support your young player's defensive journey. (photo Erik Drost)In this mom's guide, I'll demystify the world of liberos, giving you the knowledge about the libero volleyball basics you need to support your young player's defensive journey. (photo Erik Drost)

Now that you're a volleyball mom, learning the libero volleyball basics can help you better support your player, regardless of their age or skill level.

But what exactly are the libero volleyball basics, and why is this position so crucial in high school and club volleyball?

In this mom's guide, I'll demystify the world of liberos, giving you the knowledge about the libero volleyball basics you need to support your young player's defensive journey.



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Libero Volleyball Basics 101: Decoding the Defensive Superstar Role


 Let's start by getting a good  understanding about the libero volleyball position itself.

A libero is a defensive specialist

They're

  • typically the team's best passer and defender
  • playing only in the back row.

A coach might instruct a player to serve a "short serve" or a "deep serve" to target specific areas of the opponent's court or exploit weaknesses in their serve receive formation. 

Ari, my private training client and I are working specifically on serving on jump float cross court serves ...short to Zone 2









There's so much we work on to get to this point where she can contact the ball with

  • the same toss height and same toss location
  • the same armswing speed 
  • the same timing for when her serving hand contacts the ball
  • the middle of the hand contacting the middle of the ball every single time
  • getting use to watching her serving hand contact the ball at the highest point of her jump ...before she starts to land
  • and finally contacting the ball in the precise spot on the ball so it goes where the coach wants the player to put it so in this case ..a short serve in the farthest short right corner on the court also called Zone 2. 


A libero is a defensive specialist who wears a different colored jersey and has to follow a unique set of substitution rules.

They're typically the team's best passer and defender, and can only play in Zone 1, Zone 6 and Zone 5 aka the back row positions before coming out and allowing a front row player come in so they can play across the front row. 




Gregory is my Vegas Volley Boys 18s team libero. 


The libero position was introduced in 1998 in order to

  • improve and allow more focus on defensive play (especially in the men's game) 
  • to make rallies more exciting 
  • make the game more appealing to a television audience



Ari, my private training client is a Tstreet Las Vegas 16s Bree libero who's been training with me for three years and we're working on her aggressively consistent jump float serve to the cross court Zone 5 corner. 


Libero players are

Liberos are also considered the "defensive quarterbacks" of the team responsible for communicating or reminding the backrow players about the team defensive strategy and accepting the leadership role in the backcourt. 


Mom Tip:

Explain these libero volleyball basics to your child using simple terms. It'll help them understand their role better and feel more confident on the court.


Libero Lingo: Essential Defensive Terms in Libero Volleyball Basics


Volleyball Digging Drills: The Hit And Dig Drill We Do In Boot Camps, Practice and Private Sessions is used in warmups to improve hitting technique and digging technique skills. 




To appreciate your child's defensive play, it's helpful to understand some key terminology when they work on improving their libero volleyball basics skills.  


4 Digging Drills For Volleyball Players To Do Like This Hit And Dig Drill With Cross Court Digging



Remember there are two ways to do this drill. 

Your coach can have you dig the ball back to them or they can have you dig the ball back to the setter's spot which builds up muscle memory so this becomes an automatic move when you're digging in a game.  

In this version we set the ball baskets as targets where the setter's would be. There are actually two digger groups working one in the left back Zone 5 position and one with a right back Zone 1 defensive position. 

Hitters alternate at a steady rhythm so the drill moves quickly and diggers have a brief pause to recuperate after each dig. 

- Dig:

The fundamental defensive skill of preventing the ball from hitting the floor after an opponent's attack.

- Up:

A call made by defenders to alert teammates that they've successfully dug the ball.

- Touch:

When a defender makes contact with the ball, even if they don't control it fully.

- Defense:

The overall act of protecting against opponent attacks.


Mom Tip:

Create a "Libero Lingo" board at home where you and your player can add new libero volleyball basics terms as you learn them.


Conquer the Fundamentals: Core Skills in Libero Volleyball Basics

The ability for a player to anticipate where the ball will go or where a player will send the ball or how a player will react to a ball based on what they see the opposing player doThe ability for a player to anticipate where the ball will go or where a player will send the ball or how a player will react to a ball based on what they see the opposing player do


While all volleyball players need solid defensive skills, liberos specialize in these libero volleyball basics:

- Ball Control:

The ability to accurately control the ball while passing, setting, digging or serving the ball to an intended target during a rally

Many practice hours are spent on each skill learning how to get in position and use the correct technique in order to best control the ball 

The team on the left is the serving team on defense while the team on the right is in serve receive.

Once they "receive the serve" they will run their offense in an attempt to score a point against the defensive team. 


- Serve Receive:

A crucial skill for liberos and backrow players who "receive the serve" from the opposing team's server involving passing the ball to their setter 


- Footwork:

Quick, efficient foot steps that generate movement forward, backward or side to side that a player makes to get in position to get to a ball to dig it or pass it




In my original Boot Camp classes here in Las Vegas my strength and conditioning Coach D works on shuffle step footwork which passers, liberos and defensive specialists use when passing the ball and playing defense. 

Fun fact: the player second from the left is Stanford starting senior setter Kami Miner, three year private training client, three year Voice Voice Boot Camp class and Breakfast Club member and three year and the youngest starting setter on my Volleycats Elite VBC teams


- Reading the Game:

The ability for a player to

  • anticipate where the ball will go or
  • where a player will send the ball or
  • how a player will react to a ball based on what they see the opposing player do or how they interpret where they think the opposing player plans to move


Libero Volleyball Basics: Understanding the Unique Position Rules

Libero Volleyball Basics: Liberos play by a special set of rules, which set them apart from what the other player rules need to follow. (photo of libero passing erik drost)Libero Volleyball Basics: Liberos play by a special set of rules, which set them apart from what the other player rules need to follow. (photo of libero passing erik drost)


Liberos play by a special set of rules, which set them apart from what the other player rules need to follow. Check out these libero volleyball basics:

- Libero Tracking:

The process of monitoring libero substitutions to ensure rules are followed.

- Libero Line:

The attack line that liberos cannot cross to set the ball to a front-row attacker.

- Substitutions:

Liberos can replace any back-row player without their entries/exits counting against the team's substitution limit

-Liberos can enter and exit the court from behind the ten foot line while other substitutions with other player positions are made in front of the ten foot line

- Attacking Restrictions:

Liberos cannot jump take a spike approach and attack the ball above the height of the net.



Supporting Your Young Libero: Applying Libero Volleyball Basics as a Mom

The Volleyball Mom Shirt: Celebrate Who you Are, Surround Yourself With positive People Who Lift You UpThe Volleyball Mom Shirt: Celebrate Who you Are, Surround Yourself With positive People Who Lift You Up


As a volleyball mom, your support in reinforcing libero volleyball basics is crucial.

Here are some ways to encourage your budding libero:

1. Use libero volleyball basics terms regularly when discussing the game with your child.

2. Encourage proper form for basic defensive moves, using simple libero jargon from the volleyball basics glossary of terms.

3. Watch volleyball matches together and point out when the libero is applying these basics in action so you two can discuss.

4. Create flashcards with libero volleyball basics terms and their definitions for fun family learning.

5. Celebrate effort and improvement in mastering these basics, not just successful plays.


Conclusion:



Armed with this knowledge about  libero volleyball basics, you're now ready to be your child's biggest supporter on their volleyball journey.

Remember, the goal isn't to become a coach, or to replace your child's coach, but to create a supportive environment where understanding of libero volleyball basics is valued and shared.

So the next time your young libero comes home excited about a perfect dig or frustrated by a missed play, you'll be ready with understanding, encouragement, and maybe even a few tips based on these libero volleyball basics.

Now go forth and support your libero with confidence!


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