Definitive list of set names

[hoosierdraft]

I'm sure the topic of set names has been discussed before but search on the site has not given me what I am looking for. Would appreciate input to develop a complete list of set names for the upcoming HS season. Will be interesting to see the differences by region as well. For each type of set I am looking for:

Set name - Set location - Set height

[Not Me]

there is no definitive list.

Lots of systems use the same name for different sets.

For some, a Red is a right side set. For others, a Red is a left side back row set.

[head31919]

We number the net from 1 - 6 going left right right. With 1, 2, 3, and 6 being "fixed sets" and 4 and 5 being "floating sets."

So 1 is left pin, 3 is the exact middle of the court and 6 is right pin.

2 is halfway between the pin and the middle of the court.

4 is "right in front of the setter", and 5 is "right behind the setter", so those sets move as the setter moves.

We don't have height calls, with the exception of the outside sets. We call a 1-step set (so the hitter is just starting their approach as the setter sets) a "Hut" and a 2nd-step set (so the outside hitter is rolling into their 2nd-step) a "Go."

So if I'm a leftside hitter and my setter gives me a "1" signal (just index finger), I need to see the pass and call "Hut" (if the pass isn't great and I just want it high) or "Go" (if the pass looks good and I can go fast). If I see a "2" (index and middle) or "3" (pinky, ring, middle) call, I know I am going to the spot and I am going to be rolling off the 2nd-step.

For middles, we are mostly going to call "2", "4", "5", or "6" (closed fist). We don't really run "3" to a quick hitter, that is mostly for a pin hitter crossing inside. The height speed of middles is kind of dependent on their connection for the setter, but mostly we are looking for a 3rd-step set there. So just starting their plant to jump as the setter is setting. 5 and 6 are one-leg take-offs. 5 being right behind the setter and 6 being wide to the pin.

For a rightside hitter, basically the same thing as the leftside only we don't have a "hut" or "go" call. The rightside is calling "6" and they are on their second step as the ball is being set.

For backrow we use the typical A-B-pipe-C-D. We are a girl's team who runs libero out of middle back, so we don't really use the pipe. We use A's and D's and mostly just as bailout sets, so we don't really run much tempo out of the backrow.

[wiscvball]

Here's what I've always played with/been coached (there will be differences everywhere):

Left-side Hitter:
4 - high and outside (left side)
Go - quicker tempo outside set to the pin (left side)
Gap or 32 - inside set to the outside (left) hitter attempting to split the middle/outside defensive blockers.
2-ball - set about 3-4 ft above the net in the middle of the net, can be to left-side or middle hitter.

Middle Hitter:
31 or shoot - fast, low set to the middle blocker running in the gap between middle and left-side
1 or A ball - quick middle right off the setters hands.
B - quick set, but the middle approaches to the middle of the net regardless of where the setter is (usually 2-3 ft in front of the setter if the pass is good).
C or Back 1 - quick back set right off the setters hands to the middle.
D or slide - back-set to the pin for the middle.

Right-side Hitter:
Loop - back 2 ball about 1-2 feet behind the setters head, same height as a front 2 ball.
5 - high back set to the pin.
D ball - similar to a slide, but to the right side hitter - just a faster tempo.

Backrow:
Pipe - Middle back attack
Red - Back Right attack
Blue - Back Left attack

Combos:
X - middle runs a quick backset and right-side runs a quick front set crossing right by the setter.
1+1 - middle runs a quick 1 ball, left-side runs a higher 1 ball slightly off the net and hits from just behind and to the left of the middle.
F-U - middle runs a 31 and left-side runs a "low" 2-ball. Idea is to get no blocker on the left-side because the middle bites on the 31.
C/D - middle and rightside both run back quick attacks at different distances behind the setter.

[head31919]

And I think your level depends on your need for calls. At 12s and 13s we don't really have set calls. They just yell out "outside" or "middle" or whatever and the setters are just instructed to "call a name" as they set, which is a habit I want them to carry over as they get older.

At 14s, they learn the calls, but we are pretty much just running 4s and Hut/Go. Rightsides call "6" but the setter is just setting backsets high, no tempo there.

At 15s, we are learning 2s and 4s with the middles. Maybe some stuff off 1-leg behind the setter if we run a 5-1.

At 16s we should be able to run all the middle sets and start setting with tempo to the rightside. Maybe even some crossing plays.

At 17s/18s we should be able to have a pretty full offense and probably going to have 2 calls to the middle when we come out of serve receive: what they are hitting on the first ball in serve receive and what they are hitting in transition.

[Deleted]

I agree with Not Me, everyone uses a different nomenclature for their offense. Depending on the precision of the ball control of your team your naming will vary. If you have a high level team with amazing ball control then you can go with something precise, first number location, second number tempo regardless of who is hitting the ball, and number the location on the net accordingly some people number the location 1-9 starting on the left side and working to the right side. Some people do it in reverse. Other systems call their offense based on the hitter, pin hitters use numbers, and quick sets use letters. Back Row variations also exist, sometimes the zones are divided into three (red, white, blue or a,pipe,c) and I've seen some divided into five (a,b,pipe,c,d). The variations are enough to drive the casual observer nutty, but they do serve a purpose for each team. Hand signals are just as different, although the slide set ( hang loose, or ASL for "y") seems to be common in the states.

I think people make them as complicated or as simple based on why they have learned and what their team is capable of. On my college team we run a handful of set plays. The plays are easy to remember because the way our sets are named. New players should be able to learn them after the first two days of preseason. For my 12s and primary school kids we play it simple, three front row sets and pipe.

Someone mentioned the "hut" set. At various camps and clinics I've heard it used to describe several different sets. High outside (think moonball), a second or third tempo ball to the left side pin, and first tempo ball just behind the setter. The variation always keeps me on my toes as I travel to different camps.

[hoosierdraft]

Hut is the one that I also heard the most variation on. Any west variations or anybody from Hawaii have input on the subject?

[nakedcrayon]

Mick Haley once said in a seminar that most HS programs dont need the 9 zones across the net and that typically 5 will suffice. Now better programs with setters who can pinpoint to those zones could use 7 or even 9 but with 9 that is typically a 3 ft window of space.

We use horizontally 1-5 with 3 being a higher middle usually in tandem with a middle quick. This set is usually called by many at younger ages a"2". The quick attacks use letters with A and B infront of and behind the setter and as indicated by previous poster is based upon ball control and where the setter is on the court not a specific area of the court. "C" is a slide and D is a 31 with E a go to the pin hitter on the outside.

Back row I differ from many people by labeling the zones X Y and Z across the back because we use a color system for specific playsets. For example "BLACK" may be a 1 for outside and A for middle with RS running a 3...GREEN could be 2 for the outside with Middle running a C with RS running a 4 after the middle has run her lane.

Everyone is different and I have a friend that has 20 different serving zones numbered similar to out 1-5 horizontally but then the first number is depth of set so a 45 serve would be deep deep zone 5 for most of us

[texasex01]

And this is why I love VolleyTalk!

[pogoball]

Selinger's power volleyball was sort of the original bible of the zones. IIRC, it numbered the zones from 1 to 9 from left to right. It also numbered the height from 1 (just above the net) to 3 (very high set). All sets were a combination of those two numbers, so a 13 would be a high outside. I'm not sure anyone uses that system as is, but it's a nice reference. I'm going off of memory, so someone please correct me if I got it wrong.

Sports Performance at one point had a system where the outsides and right sides ran sets based off of a numbered system and the middles ran sets based off of a letter system.

[baywatcher]

I learned from Selinger's book and what I learned was 1-3 in height, but 1-5 or 6 going to the OH, and ABC going out to the Opposite, so a moonball set to the antenna for the Opposite would be C-3, while a aley special to the OH at the antenna would be 6-3. I could have got that nomenclature from somewhere else, however.

[psuvbfan10]

Dec 27, 2011 12:19:18 GMT -5 Not Me said:

there is no definitive list.

Lots of systems use the same name for different sets.

For some, a Red is a right side set. For others, a Red is a left side back row set.

I wish all coaches would at least use the Red as the 'D" set in honor of Timmons!

[pogoball]

Dec 28, 2011 0:34:27 GMT -5 baywatcher said:

I learned from Selinger's book and what I learned was 1-3 in height, but 1-5 or 6 going to the OH, and ABC going out to the Opposite, so a moonball set to the antenna for the Opposite would be C-3, while a aley special to the OH at the antenna would be 6-3. I could have got that nomenclature from somewhere else, however.

That sounds right. I'd correct my post, but I gotta go...

[sonofdogman]

Dec 28, 2011 0:39:48 GMT -5 psuvbfan10 said:

Dec 27, 2011 12:19:18 GMT -5 Not Me said:

there is no definitive list.

Lots of systems use the same name for different sets.

For some, a Red is a right side set. For others, a Red is a left side back row set.

I wish all coaches would at least use the Red as the 'D" set in honor of Timmons!

+1

First came to love VB during '84 games and Timmons was my favorite player. I see above someone said a Red is a left-side back-row set. I have used Red, White, Blue as my back-row zones but always had the Red on the Right. Redsand anyone...?

[rogero1]

Dec 28, 2011 21:31:15 GMT -5 sonofdogman said:

Dec 28, 2011 0:39:48 GMT -5 psuvbfan10 said:

I wish all coaches would at least use the Red as the 'D" set in honor of Timmons!

+1

First came to love VB during '84 games and Timmons was my favorite player. I see above someone said a Red is a left-side back-row set. I have used Red, White, Blue as my back-row zones but always had the Red on the Right. Redsand anyone...?

+1

Loved my Redsand shorts!