What Is the Most Important Skill in Volleyball?

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Some people may become overwhelmed by the number of important skills to learn in volleyball. Therefore, if you are new to this sport, you may wonder, “What is the most important skill in volleyball?”

What Is the Most Important Skill in Volleyball?

Setting and passing are considered to be the most important skills in volleyball. These moves allow players to effectively distribute the ball to attack. On top of that, it is also useful to save it from hitting the ground.

Although it is debatable, it is considered to be more important than spiking and defending. After all, hitters wouldn’t be able to attack without a pass or a set. For example, if a good hitter receives a bad set, they wouldn’t be able to spike the ball.

On the other hand, if a decent hitter receives a great set, they will be able to hit it and try to score a point. Therefore, since volleyball matches require winning points, setters and passers have a crucial role inside the court.

Setting and Passing

As explained previously, setters must pass to the striker so that they can attack. This may appear simple, yet numerous details can make this position more difficult than it appears. Setters, for example, should always deliver accurate balls for their team to score.

The striker’s hit will be affected if these players accidentally set the volleyball inaccurately. Passers experience the same thing. This position must make a good pass to the setter so that they can set the ball. If not, the set may be affected.

Lastly, they must be mindful of not carrying the ball. This occurs when players grab or throw the ball, one of the most common mistakes in volleyball. Setters and passers are likelier to commit this error because they touch the ball every play.

Why Are Setting and Passing Considered the Most Important Skill?

It is important to remember that most skills in volleyball are crucial inside of the court; however, setting and passing play an essential role. Here you can see why they are considered the most important skill.

  • Sets and passes organize the team’s attack. These two skills determine when and how the team will execute the attack.
  • Without good setters and passers, hitters would be unable to execute their attacks. In other words, the team will have a lot of difficulty scoring points.
  • If a bad setter was playing alongside a great hitter, the hitter would be unable to score many points.
  • A great setter alongside a bad spiker allows the team to perform better attacks despite the hitter’s poor performance.

Spiking

Spiking is one of the most offensive plays in volleyball. Its primary goal is to go toward the opposing side of the court and score a point. Because of this, it is considered the second most important skill to master in volleyball. After all, an badly executed spike will just go out of bound.

Defending

The primary goal of the defense is to stop the opponent’s attacks by performing a block. However, defenders can also try to reflect the volleyball into the opposing side of the court, scoring a point. Because of this, this skill is also very crucial in volleyball.

On top of that, this skill allows players to focus on the best opposing strikers. If the opponent has a powerful striker, for example, the defender’s job will be to anticipate his moves and never allow him to shoot the ball securely.

An image of players playing volleyball

Libero

Liberos are part of the defensive roles in volleyball. However, they are not allowed to perform attacks. This is due to the numerous rules that restrict this role. Regardless, liberos are very important in digging, keeping the ball alive, and receiving the serve.

Serving

Since a great serve can affect the opponent, this is an important skill inside the court. After all, a good service can turn into an ace, scoring a point directly from the server. Therefore, this skill can be highly advantageous if mastered.

Related Questions

Here are some related questions about volleyball skills.

What Is the Hardest Skill in Volleyball?

Although it varies by player, the setting is widely regarded as the hardest skill in volleyball. This is because of all of the elements that influence this movement. After all, this skill must be precise and quick while avoiding errors like lifting.

What Is the Easiest Skill in Volleyball?

Many volleyball players believe that serving is the easiest technique to learn.  After all, it is one of the most basic movements in volleyball, and it is also the first technique that novice players learn.

Conclusion

Even though there are several types of skills, each has distinct and complex qualities. In this case, setting and passing are essential for a volleyball match, so players must master them.

Alfonso Andrade is an avid sportsman, growing up playing soccer and volleyball. He is a coach and sports analyst, studying the game to analyze performance and help create improvement.