In this article, I’ll examine the “free position system,” a special rule in Japanese elementary school volleyball.
What is the Free Position System?
After doing some research, I can summarize the system as follows:
- It’s a special rule that removes the need for rotation, meaning there is no front row or back row.
- It’s a special rule applied only to elementary school volleyball in Japan.
- It was first officially adopted in 1992.
- Before 1992, a special rule called the “fixed back-center system” was in place, where only one position was fixed.
The Goal Behind the Free Position System
The free position system was proposed by Yasutaka Matsudaira, who coached Japan’s men’s team to a gold medal at the Munich Olympics. But what was the goal behind this system?
First, let’s look at the “fixed back-center system.” I can imagine the intention was to create a position for shorter players to excel. It could be considered a precursor to the libero position.
As for the free position system, it may also have been created to accommodate shorter players. However, it completely eliminates the concept of rotation, which is arguably the fundamental rule of 6-on-6 volleyball. This rule is what gives birth to many of the strategies and tactics that make volleyball so interesting.
I’ve searched online extensively, but I couldn’t find any official information about the specific goals or intentions behind the free position system.
The Harm of the Free Position System
Here, I’d like to share my personal opinion on the free position system.
I want to start with a quote from an article:
“Why Has No One Emerged to Take Saori Kimura‘s Place? The Women’s Volleyball World Awaits a New Heroine | VICTORY”
“She was a tall attacker who could also receive serves, but as a child, she wasn’t that tall and focused on receive. She’s a unique case who only grew tall during her growth spurt.”
I couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease after reading this. The sentence implies two things:
- Tall players in elementary school don’t practice receive.
- Players who remain tall throughout their careers end up with poor receive skills.
I believe this is a direct result of the free position system.
Most elementary school teams I’ve seen play with a complete division of labor. Because the free position system eliminates the need for rotation, it promotes this style of play as the most optimal way to win. It is logical to fix positions and pursue victory with a complete division of labor, especially given the limited practice time available.
I believe the free position system is the very mechanism that accelerates the adoption of this “complete division of labor” in the elementary school category.
We Shouldn’t Turn Saori Kimura into a Legend
Saori Kimura was a player with great volleyball sense who was shorter in elementary school and worked hard on her receive. Then, she had a growth spurt in middle and high school and became an all-around player who could also spike.
Yuki Ishikawa, now considered the greatest talent in the history of Japanese men’s volleyball, also wasn’t a tall player in elementary school and grew quickly in middle and high school.
So, will we continue to consider these all-around players a “rare existence” and turn them into “legends”? Or will we seriously think about and rebuild an environment and system that can naturally produce such players?
How we act now will be a major turning point for Japanese volleyball.
What if the Free Position System Was Abolished?
If the free position system disappeared, players who stick to the net might have more opportunities to practice receive. Small players who have never practiced spiking or even learned the steps might get a chance to do so.
If the free position system were eliminated and rotation became a requirement, these changes would naturally occur. Coaches would quickly realize that to win, their players need to be able to do everything. This, in turn, would change the coaching philosophy and how practices are structured.
We Need to Discuss the Free Position System
Because the free position system has been in place for so long, it’s a topic that is rarely discussed.
I hope this article can spark a discussion about this system once again.
