Let’s put it in simple words, volleyball is not an easy sport! It requires being at top physical shape to be able to play at the best of your abilities. However, if you are a beginner, I’ve got some good news for you …
Indeed, there are some relatively easy volleyball positions you can start with to break through the game. The easiest one is the Libero position.
In fact, Libero is not a very demanding position and its learning curve is relatively easy and straightforward. This position does not include excessive jumping and hitting, instead it focuses on defence, positioning and explosiveness.
In this article I breakdown this position, as well as the right approach you should take to be start in this sport properly.
What makes Libero relatively easy?
Volleyball has as you know five different positions in which some players can thrive and other can be sentenced to stagnation. In my humble opinion the easiest volleyball position you can start with is the libero.
Libero is obliged to play defence the whole game, even when the team is playing offence.
He is not allowed near the net and is always on the guard for incoming balls. The hardest thing of a libero is the defence duty, since sometimes the whole team depends on him, and if he does not intercept the ball, everything can be lost!
Recommendation: I highly recommend you checking this volleyball book. You will learn more not only about this position but also about other positions and what it takes to perform at a high level in each one of them.
When compared to other volleyball positions libero is the easiest by far. The hardest is the setter, which requires a lot of skill and is the hardest to master.
Despite being the easiest position that does not mean that there is no skill and practice required. The libero has to be able to intercept balls, set them for the other players and even save some nearly impossible balls.
By the way, if you are also looking for good paydays, keep in mind that the Libero position get paid very good money!
The setter needs to practice months or even years in order to master the perfect set. We said that the team depends upon the libero sometimes, well for the setter this is most of the time, since they are called the brain of the team.
The second easiest position is the middle blocker. Not everyone can play the position of the middle blocker though.
The biggest problem can be the height, since it is required to be able to jump as high as possible in order to stop the opponents form scoring.
Is this position adapted for beginners?
Yes, the position of libero is great for newbies! All you need to have is a sharp mind and some explosiveness …
It is also best if the libero is of lower height, since the explosive part is usually in smaller people. Taller Volleyball Players tend to be more sluggish, and phlegmatic, like the middle setter, but if you are new to volleyball you can, regardless of your height, start as a libero.
Jumping, throwing yourself on the court and occasionally sliding three or four meters is normal for liberos. That depends on the explosive part and on some other things that we will mention later.
The basics of libero are:
- Ball control
- Passing
- Digging
- Setting
… Those are the four main things a libero, besides some other basic things need to have in order to do his job well.
Libero is in my opinion the best position for new players. It gives the advantage of easy learning, observation and first contact with volleyball.
To gain deeper insight into volleyball positions, I encourage you to explore this comprehensive guide on the 6 key positions. You’re sure to learn a great deal!
What does it take to be good as a Libero?
Discipline
Discipline is knowing when to hold your base, to be in the right place in the right time, to do the little thing really well even when it gets boring sometimes!
Alertness
Libero needs to consistently know what is going on the court, what could happen and being able to predict some situations.
Being alert on what is going on around you is crucial, on the other side of the net and even on your side of the net.
The attitude of leadership
Liberoes are more on the court these days, and they are as we have already mentioned required to have eagle eyes.
Liberoes need to talk to teammates, give them hints and warnings, telling them what is going on, and always be on the lookout.
Tenacity
Go for everything, even if it is not your ball, cover the teams back, and be the eyes, do not let anything get past you. Great liberoes go for the ball, they follow it like their life depends on it.
Contact
Great contact with the platform and the ball is basically skill related, but even that can be mastered.
It requires you to get to know where you want the ball to go, and how hard you need to hit.
How fast you can learn it?
The position of libero cannot be learned in a short period of time even if it is considered one of the easiest ones.
By that I mean months or even years depending on how much time and dedication you are giving.
If you are of a lower height than the rest of the team, you’ve got more explosive and agility and then, chances are, you should be able to master this position within couple months.
Liberoes that are shorter than the average volleyball height (They are by the way a great volleyball position for short players), men and women included, are more likely to thrive in that position, than the players who are near or above the average height.
So a precise timespan of the time needed to master the skills that are required to be a good libero does not exist. It depends exclusively on the players own personal sacrifices and the amount of practice, energy and effort that is being put in.
Is this the same for women volleyball?
Women when compared to men, have different average height, which is from 15 to 20cm smaller, even the net is placed lower when volleyball is played by women.
Proportionately speaking a female that is playing libero will be proportionately smaller than her male libero counterpart, but that does not mean she will be less skilled or a worse player.
But that does not mean that volleyball and the position of libero is played any different that the male position, in fact women liberoes are more explosive than the male liberoes.
The female libero is also required to practice hard, give her best and sacrifice as much as possible.
In female players the leadership role is sometimes more present than in males, and that is also a plus and sometimes it can be a huge advantage.
Final Thoughts …
If you were feeling quite intimidated by the sport of volleyball, then I hope this article has given you more confidence to get started as soon as possible …
Libero is a great position to choose, but, if you feel confident about playing in other positions overtime (especially if you are tall enough), then don’t hesitate to experiment and try other positions.