There are two different types of positions depending on offense or defense.

As a result you must know the difference between the rotational positions and playing positions. The place on the court where a particular player must be located when the other team serves the ball is called the rotational position.

A lineup is created before the game starts and this determines the rotational position at each serve.

During a match lineups are submitted after each game so it is possible to change the rotational position if necessary. The court has rotational positions known as right back or server, right front, middle front, left front, left back, and middle back. Each time the opponent serves and the other team wins the point, or the serve, then the rotational position will change.

Positions are rotated clockwise after each rally win. The server will serve the ball until a rally is lost. The playing position is different than the rotational position. This is the position a player changes to after the ball is served. It is important to have two players playing the same position but at opposition positions on the court. That way during the rotation there is always a setter and spiker up front.

When it comes to playing positions it is important to know what each position entails. One position is the setter. This is similar to the quarterback of a football team because they keep the ball moving. There are three touches allowed once the ball is served to the opposite team. The first hit should be aimed toward the setter who then set the ball up for the spikers. This is the attack and although it does not always occur it is the aim to have the setter set the ball on the second touch. The goal is to "bump, set, spike" in volleyball.

No matter what position the setter is in he/she must move into the playing position in the front middle of the court after the serve. When in rotational position the setter must wait until the serve to see if the ball is coming towards them. If not, the setter runs up to the front of the net to prepare for the set to the spiker. Setters should be fast, consistent, and accurate in their ball placement.

The next playing position is the outside hitter. The strong side hitter always hits from the left front position and blocks hits from the opponents weak side. The outside hitter is also responsible for covering the middle hitter and blocking middle hits. If the serve does not come to the outside hitter first then the player prepares to receive a set. Outside hitters should be able to jump high and swing hard and fast. The strong outside hitter is mirrored by the weak side hitter also known as the off setter. This player is in the right front position and is responsible for blocking and hitting as well as covering the setter. Weak side hitters should be able to adapt easily and be good blockers. The middle hitter is the player located in the middle front position responsible for hitting and blocking from that position. The middle hitter will assist with blocks on both sides and block alone in the middle. These players should be able to move quickly and easily. When it comes to offense there are quite a few the player needs to be aware of. The first is a free ball. A free ball is a ball that is served over the net by the opposing team and it is most often a ball that is bumped over rather than spiked over. Once a free ball is identified the setter moves to position, other players cover his/her rotational position, and the setter is prepared for the second hit. The next ball is a dig. The reason it is called such is because it is frequently played close to the floor. This occurs when a ball is hit very hard, most often by a spike. Players should always be prepared to dig because the ball comes fast. Players should always be located in areas of the court where digs are likely to occur. Serve/Receive is also a play and it is fairly simple. It is the ball that is served from one team and received by the other team. It is important for a team to be able to receive the ball in order to continue playing the game and win points. This is basic and should be practiced extensively. If all else fails a send receive may be returned on the first of three touches if the team is not accustomed to bump, set, spike yet. Generally, the team will set up in a "W" formation to receive the ball. This means that a player is covering all the likely areas and prepared to return the ball or set up a play. All of the players will be utilized in serve receive except the setter who does not want to play the first ball because he/she must play the second touch and the same player can't touch the ball consecutively. Setters usually hang out close to the net or hide behind other players to avoid the first hit and give them time to set up for the set. For the game to be played well everyone must know their position as well as the position as the other players. Once the ball is being received the player who will hit it should "call" the ball so other players know. High balls should not be called because they are either for the back row players or they are out of bounds. If another player calls "out" then the player attempting to receive the ball should just let it go as other players have better perception as to whether the ball is in or out. These are the basics of volleyball and all players should study the rules of the game and understand playing positions versus rotational positions before playing. Of course, practice makes perfect especially in volleyball so start practicing!