2018 USA VOLLEYBALL HIGH PERFORMANCE

NATIONAL GIRLS’ TRYOUT PLAN

POSITION GUIDE: LIBERO

GUIDING PRINCIPAL
THE GUIDING PRINCIPA L OF HP IS RESPECT: RESPECT THE USA VOLLEYBALL HIGH PERFORMANCE EVENT AND
EVERYONE AND EVERYTH ING ASSOCIATED WITH IT. CONDUCT YOURSEL F IN A MANNER THAT B RINGS RESPECT TO
YOURSELF, YOUR TEAMM ATES, AND YOUR COUNT RY AND YOU WILL IN TURN BE RESPECTED. AS A MEMBER OF A
HIGH PERFORMANCE EVENT YOU, REPRESENT USA VOLLE YBALL. ACCEPT AND E MBRACE THE PRIVILEGE OF
REPRESENTING YOUR CO UNTRY.

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PHYSICAL TESTING
Physical testing will take place upon arrival immediately following check-in. Testing will consist of 1Height and
Reach measurement, 2Vert testing, and 3Shuttle Run: all are detailed below.

1. Height and Reach

Athletes will stand with their back against the measuring tape and height will be recorded. They will
then turn to either side so that the tape runs up the length of their body. Extend arm against the tape
as high as possible while keeping both feet flat on the ground and the reach will be recorded.

2. Vert
Athletes will be given a Vert sensor for testing and it will be clipped to their waistbands. Each athlete
will have two attempts at a block jump, and an approach jump. The highest vertical recording from
each jump will be recorded.
Block Jump: Beginning at the net in a ready position, the athlete will jump straight up and down as if
blocking. There will be no “rocker” step or swing blocking footwork prior to the jump.
Approach Jump: Athletes will begin off the net with enough room to take their full approach footwork.
They will take a 3-step or 4-step approach to the net as if attacking and jump.

3. Shuttle Run
The shuttle run will consist of 3 marked lines including the 10’ line, the end line, and a line directly
between the two (pictured below). Athletes will begin with their hand on the center line and one foot
on each side. When ready they will sprint to either the end line or 10’ line to begin their series of
touches. A total of 4 touches with their hand to the line between the 10’ line and end line need to be
made before finishing back through the original center line for time. The best of two attempts will be
recorded. NET

START 1
2

3
4 FINISH

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 For LIBEROS (LIB), the tryout will consist of Combined Positional Breakouts, Serve Receive with LIBs only,
Serve Receive with Middle Blockers serving, and different phases of 6on6 play. All drills are explained in the
next pages of the document and the USAV set locations and tempos are explained below.

NET BLOCKER BLOCKER BLOCKER

SETTER A SLIDE
GAP 1

10’ LINE

GO
RED
HUT
5
4 BIC D
PIPE

Left side sets: Go – 2nd step tempo, push 1 – 2 feet inside pin
Hut –1st step tempo, higher OoS set (slightly inside the court, more off the net)
4 – very high out of system set, slightly inside the court and more off the net

Middle sets: Gap – last step tempo, in the gap b/w middle and right-side block bases; fixed
1 – last step tempo, in front of the setter; floating
A – last step tempo, just off the setter’s back; floating
Slide – 2nd step tempo; fixed

Right side sets: Red – 2nd step tempo; fixed

5 – 1st step tempo; fixed

Back row sets: Bic – 2nd step tempo; fixed

Pipe – 1st step tempo; fixed
D – 2nd step tempo to right sideline; fixed
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Combined Positional Breakouts
Liberos will report to assigned courts for check-in and will be broken into groups. Groups will be placed on the
Middle Blocker (MB) attacking court(s) the Outside Hitter (OH) attacking court(s) and a LIB serve and pass
court. Both the MB and OH courts will have their own set of drills and both courts will have SETs and LIBs.

Court coaches will set up each drill and explain what sets you are to be running and where on the court you
are to begin from. It’s important to review the charts below so that as you rotate between the MB, OH and
serve/pass courts, you will already have an idea of what will be asked of you.

Middle Blocker Attacking Court (pictured)

Liberos will be split into two positions on the MB court. One group will be in left-back on the same side as the
attacking MBs and passing to the SET at target. The second group will be playing defense in all three back row
positions across from the attacking MBs. There will be four drills on the MB court. Drill 1 and 2 have the same
LIB locations and set locations. Drill 3 and 4 have the same LIB positions and set locations.

Libero Serve and Pass Court (not pictured)

This court will be used for serve-receive statting. LIBs will rotate from serving, to passing, to target and
shagging.

Outside Hitter Attacking Court (pictured)

Liberos will again be split into two groups on the OH court. One group will be in left-back on the same side as
the attacking MB and passing to the SET at target or setting the out of system ball should the SET dig. The
second group will be playing defense in all three back row positions across from the attacking OHs. There will
be four drills on the MB court.

Diagram Key
Libero Start Position = LIB Middle Block = MB

Location of sets being made = Outside Hitter = OH

Direction of ball – from coach and from passer = Libero = LIB

Coach position and entry point of first ball = Setter = SET

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Combined Positional Breakouts – Middle Blocker Court
1. & 2. 3. & 4.

LIB LIB
MB
MB

SET SET

LIB LIB LIB LIB

LIB LIB

Serve and Pass – Liberos only Court

LIB

LIB LIB

LIB

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LIB LIB LIB – Serving
Combined Positional Breakouts- Outside Hitter Court
1. 2.
OH
LIB LIB
LIB
OH OH

OH
SET SET

LIB LIB

LIB LIB LIB LIB - shagging

LIB

3. 4.
OH
SET OH OH OH
OH
SET
OH LIB Setting out of system if
setter digs
OH

LIB LIB LIB LIB

LIB LIB
OH OH OH – Serving Group
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Deep Court and 6v6 Phases
After the water break, Liberos will report back to their evaluators to be divided again into groups for Serve
Receive with the LIBs. Middles will be on designated courts and serving to LIBs for their serve receive statting.
OHs and SETs will be on separate courts running back row deep court.

The last stage of the tryout will be Situational 6v6 with three phases of specific setting scenarios. Coaches will
break all positions into groups for various courts during this time and they will rotate athlete positions as
needed. This includes movement from court to court mid-drill and athletes should be prepared to execute and
jump in immediately.

Serve Receive with Three

Middles will be serving on courts with LIBs passing and shagging their own balls at target. Libero groups will
rotate through all MB serving courts every few minutes to see a variety of serve situations.

Situational 6v6
During play, there will be a SIDE A and a SIDE B. There will be a total of 5 balls (1 serve and 4 alternating coach-
initiated balls) or a “ROUND” before a side will rotate. SIDE A will be the serving side and will rotate every
ROUND – 5 balls. SIDE B will rotate off and a new 6 will rotate on every 3 ROUNDS or every 15 balls.

1. SET begins in right front and must force MB on the first ball of each new rally; not every ball. OH will be
serving the first ball of SIDE A.
2. SET begins in right back and must force a right side set on the first ball of each new rally; not every ball.
SET on SIDE A will first serve and then step into right back for the rally and remaining 4 balls.
3. SET begins in right front and must force back row on the first ball of each new rally; not every ball. MB
will be serving the first ball of SIDE A.

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Serve Receive w/ Middles and 6v6 Phases
SERVE RECEIVE W/ MIDDLES 1. OH - Serving

SIDE A
LIB
LIB LIB

OH LIB
X2
MB OH
SET
LIB

OH SET
X2 MB

LIB
OH

OH SIDE B

MB MB MB – serving group

2. SET – Serving 3. MB - Serving

SIDE A OH SIDE A
OH

LIB OH LIB
X2 X2
OH MB OH
MB OH
SET

OH MB SET
OH MB
X2 X2

LIB OH
LIB OH
OH SET
OH
SIDE B SIDE B
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