Setter out! What is your strategy?

Good question.

I also liked to have my setter take the first ball with their hands if they could. They would set the high outside directly. We had to train the outside to be ready right away.

Typically, you have the "normal" way it is done in a 5-1. The RS hitter gets the second ball after your setter calls out their name. They can use the tip and the two hitters.

And as you mentioned, the Libero is getting to be more popular. If the ball is passed outside the 3 meter line, the Libero may use their hands. If the ball brings the Libero on or inside the 3 meter line, they must use the forearm pass to set the ball or the next ball may not be attacked by anyone. (There is a common misconception that a back row player may attack the next ball.)

The middle would be my last option. Although every middle hitter "know" that they are a setter, I would not try to use that option unless the ball is shanked.

I use two different scenarios depending on personnel:

When I run a 5-1, I train my Right Side hitter to have better hands than usual. They are my backup setter and it usually works well as they are just coming down off the block and turning toward the setter when the call is made.

When I run a 6-2, the other setter knows it's their ball and hustles accordingly.

I teach players to yell, "Setter Out" so that, no matter who it goes to, the players are aware that they may need to set the ball. My goal for my team is to have an "In" system play all the time. We are only truly out of system when someone really shanks a ball badly.

Setter Ball

Using the libero as the backup makes great sense. I'd like to implement it on my team soon. If a setter digs a ball, I'm estimating 8/10 times, you know that the set is going to the outside. Blockers can adjust. If the blockers catch it early, and the dig's not perfect, the OH will be greeted with 6 hands in his face. Using the libero almost guarantees that your hitter will never see a triple block because he's got two front row hitters, and a pipe ball he can set.

I've always used the RS as backup, and obviously in pre-libero times. Setting the middle as a setter's backup has been more novel than effective for me. It looks cool, feels good, but I feel like because smart blockers will always begin to shift to their right as soon as the setter gets the first ball, the middle's constantly bunch blocked. It doesn't help when you have a second rate set either. I like to run a quick 'pipe' aka 'bic' off a backup set, or if you really need to, or the dig's more of a shank, then chuck it outside.

I have a "sequence", whoever on top (and available) should go for the second hit, or call "help".

1> primary setter (in 6-2, the back row setter);

2> backup setter (in 5-1, the RS or the OPP);

3> libero;

4> back row hitter;

5> middle hitter;

6> outside hitter.

The key is to keep front row hitters available for hitting the third touch, or in worst scenario at least keep the outside hitter from setting.

My team always plays the ball up to the middle when the setter touches the ball first, unless he calls out the opposite/libero's name. This gives the chance for the middle to set either a hut, red, or bic. Most teams aren't prepared for a faster tempo set from a middle, and since I have pretty good hands it usually works out (I'm the middle). Opponents NEVER expect a middle to back set, so facing the red and setting a hut backwards usually leaves your outside with an easy 1 on 1 or 0 on 1 situation. Just make sure you call out who you're setting it to (preferably by name, since the other team shouldn't know where it's going :D). We run a 5-1 offense btw.

Inversely, whenever the opposing setter takes the first ball, I always call setter out (so the rest of my team knows), and I am almost always prepared for a dump from the front row setter/opposite. Almost every single time against a 6-2 offense the front row setter will dump the ball if the back row setter plays the first ball. Usually it's easy to see coming, and it's an easy block for the outside/middle.