Volleyball Positions Explained: Libero
Posted on: 12/27/24
Last Updated: 12/27/24
Author: Thalia A. U.
The Libero Position Explained: Libero 101
Volleyball is a sport that includes a lot of technicalities which aids in the confusion new players/coaches/parents experience when first learning the sport.
In this blog post series, I will explore each volleyball position in depth. This post is all about the Libero position!
(Setter Position is already posted:
In this post we will go over:
1) What is the Libero position + What are they responsible for?
2) What sets apart a great Libero from a phenomenal Libero?
3) Coach T’s Libero’s to watch
I’m excited to dolphin dive right into this post! (See what i did there? Hahaha… I know coach jokes are painful)
1) WHAT IS THE Libero POSITION & WHAT DO THEY DO?
The Libero position in Volleyball is arguably one of the toughest positions on the court as they are responsible for most of the defensive responsibilities. The Libero is the most noticeable player on the court as they wear a different color jersey than the rest of their team. Much like a Goalie in Soccer (or football depending on where you’re from) the Libero is responsible for stopping their opponent from scoring on them during serve-receive, attacking, etc.
The different color jersey aids in quicker substitutions done without waiting for a referee and the scorestable to confirm. This creates an easy way to put a stronger passer in the back-row, like the Libero subbing for a middle once they reach the back-row.
The Libero is our leader on defense, much like our setter is our leader for offense. So the Libero position is responsible for not only being a leader, but also consistently producing good passes from serve-receive, digs, etc. They get most of the “heat” during a match since serve-receive and digging are the brunt of Volleyball’s fast speed pace.
Many people interested in volleyball assume you can only play if you’re tall, but the Libero position proves this point wrong. A libero is a leader and only plays in the back-row which means you can have an important role without even seeing the front-row. However, there are many tall liberos who excel at this position, so let the libero position prove anyone can join!
2) WHAT SETS APART A GREAT Libero, FROM A PHENOMENAL Libero?
A phenomenal Libero typically has these attributes:
Agility
Consistent passing performance (forearm, then overhand)
Ability to be a leader
Strong communication skills
Scrappy
Quick reaction time/Ability to read a play
Agility is a no-brainer when it comes to athletics, but as a Libero, you need to be quick/light on your feet. A slow reaction time completely changes your passes effectiveness, and how much your team-mates trust you to get that ball up and playable. Much like athleticism is given for traits of a great athlete, agility is a must when you are a Libero.
Consistent passing performance is a must as a Libero should be the most efficient, and consistent passer on the team. As states, Liberos receive hard serves and hits from their opponents so it’s vital to have a strong base of passing abilities for this position.
The ability to lead is important because as we mentioned earlier, a Libero is responsible for the effectiveness of their team’s defense. A phenomenal Libero can lead with confidence, and grace while having that fire in their eye to win each point!
Being loud + communicative is essential because you are a leader in the back-row. Think of this role as being the person in front of a tug-of-rope line with many people behind them listening for instructions/guidance. Defense starts each play, so how you start it could be how you also end the point (good or bad).
Scrappy is a way to describe those players who are willing to dive, and throw their bodies around the court to keep a ball off of the ground. This is the ultimate key to “Defying Gravity” with this mindset! Just keep in mind scrappiness should not override your fundamental skills learned.
Quick reaction time is what sets apart a great libero from a phenomenal libero as they likely know where a serve/attack/etc is going, communicate that to their teammates, and adjust their body accordingly.
3) COACH T’s Libero’s TO WATCH
The best way to get better at volleyball can be done not only by getting repetitions yourself but also by watching the sport. Here are the Libero’s that I currently watch and learn from:
Lexi Rodriguez: Nebraska volleyball alumni, LOVB Omaha athlete
Elena Scott: Libero playing at the University of Louisville volleyball
Erik Shoji: Mens USA volleyball Olympic Libero (3x Olympic medalist)
IN CONCLUSION…
There is a lot that goes into volleyball, but learning the positions is a great place to start when looking for improve your knowledge of the game.
If you are looking to become a Libero, I strongly suggest you do your “homework” by watching the Liberos I mentioned or finding your personal favorite Liberos to learn from. This will help you go from a great libero to a phenomenal Libero when combining this with consistent repetitions weekly.
Hope to see you in a future blog post!
-Coach T