The Traditional Roles of Offense and Defense Are Reversed in Volleyball
In volleyball, an offensive play can be seen as a form of defense—you are trying to prevent the opponent from scoring a point. Similarly, with defense, we try to score points with a defensive play, most notably with a block. In this sense, a defensive play can be considered an offensive one.
Traditionally, aggressive offense often leads to many unforced errors, causing a team to lose points and be put at a disadvantage. Conversely, a conservative defense that simply waits for the opponent to make a mistake will find it difficult to score. Therefore, a defensive play must be approached with an offensive mindset to create scoring opportunities.
Coaches must understand this reversal of traditional “offensive” and “defensive” roles. They should then integrate these concepts into their practice, training, and tactics, adjusting for the players’ developmental stage.
My Perspective:
“Offense” and “defense” are often seen as opposites, but in modern volleyball, their relationship is not so simple, and the line between them has become increasingly blurred. A block is a defensive play meant to stop an attack, yet it can also be an offensive play, as seen in the term “kill block.” As the level of play gets higher, the block’s offensive nature becomes even more pronounced.
An Imbalance Between Offense and Defense
The FIVB’s rule-making committee has made various changes to narrow the gap between offense and defense. However, the imbalance remains a prominent feature of the sport. It seems that volleyball’s offense has a distinct advantage over its defense compared to almost any other team sport in the world. This glaring advantage can sometimes negate the role reversal that rules were designed to create.
In recent years, the FIVB has made significant rule changes to address this imbalance. The two most notable changes are:
- The double-contact violation on the first ball is no longer enforced.
- The libero system was introduced.
While the offense’s dominance remains prominent, these two rule changes have undoubtedly made the game of volleyball more exciting.
My Perspective:
It’s clear that these two rule changes have improved a team’s defensive capability. And no one would disagree that, as a result, the rallies—which are the true highlight of volleyball—have become even more thrilling.
The first rule change has even altered the nature of the serve, which is an offensive play. In the top leagues, many teams have started using the overhand receive to handle float serves after the rule change. In response to this, it feels like powerful “big serves” have become more prevalent in recent years. If we look at this through the lens of offense and defense, we could argue that the improvement of defense is making the offense even more dominant. If this “cat-and-mouse” game continues, a new rule change might be on the horizon (this is just my guess).
A Team Sport with No Body Contact
In many aspects of volleyball, players can control their own “success” and “failure” during a game, regardless of the opponent’s skill level. Therefore, coaches should train players to achieve a certain level of skill regardless of whether their opponent is strong or weak.
Unlike athletes in other team sports who can vent frustration and manage performance fluctuations through physical contact with an opponent, volleyball players must handle their frustration differently. Coaches must train players to not only compete against opponents but also to compete against and overcome themselves and their own expectations for performance.
My Perspective:
The fact that volleyball is a “net sport” is an essential point when discussing its nature. Because there is a net, players are not directly interfered with by the opponent during a play. In that sense, all responsibility for a play lies with your own team, and you could say it’s a sport heavily focused on “competing against yourself.”
On a side note, perhaps one reason volleyball is so popular among older adults is the lack of intense physical contact, which makes it easier to continue playing as you age. This is another charm of volleyball.
A Sport with No Time Limit
A volleyball match always ends when a team reaches the final point (usually 25, except in a tie-breaker set or when the score is tied at 24-24). This means that coaches must teach players to proactively go for the win, not just wait for the opponent to lose. The flow of a match can change instantly and easily, and a team cannot win a game simply by relying on their opponent’s mistakes. Therefore, players are under constant pressure to actively score points.
My Perspective:
What would happen if volleyball had a time limit? I think the way teams play and the way players think during a match would change significantly. For example, imagine a team leading by a few points late in a game with a time limit. They might choose to conserve energy for the next match because they can’t lose. But under the current rules, where you must score 25 points to win a set, that kind of thinking isn’t an option. I’m certain that adding a time limit would fundamentally alter the essence of volleyball.
Players Have More Influence on the Outcome Than in Other Sports
Coaches cannot have a strong, direct influence on the game while the ball is in play. This means that players bear most of the responsibility for winning or losing a rally. Coaching intervention in volleyball is extremely limited. Therefore, a coach must have most of their work completed before the players even step onto the court. Compared to other traditional sports, coaches have fewer opportunities to make in-game adjustments or communicate with players. This is why coaches must train players to be self-reliant, adjust their tactics, and play according to the situation.
My Perspective:
I have a little experience as both a player and a coach. The content above resonates deeply with me from both perspectives.
As a player, I felt that I barely heard the coach’s instructions during a play, and even if I had instructions before the game, I played based on the situation at the moment.
As a coach, I’ve tried shouting instructions to players during a rally, but it felt meaningless and only served to break their concentration. Of course, communication between players and coaches is important, but a coach’s role during a rally might be to respect the player’s judgment and play above all else.
