In baseball there is a designated hitter, a player whose sole job is to generate offense for his team. NCAA volleyball now has a position that serves the same purpose–kind of.
The libero position was introduced into women’s volleyball before the start of the 2002 season. It is a player whose sole job is to generate defense for her team, rather than offense. The libero is a defensive player who doesn’t have to serve in a game, and cannot attack the other side of the net. She is strictly a defensive player.
“A libero has to be a defensive specialist,” says Bulldog head coach Brenda Bowlin. “They have to have great court sense, and they have to be very consistent.”
There are many upsides for teams who are able to use the libero correctly. One is they are able to move in and out of the lineup with out charging the team with a substitution. In collegiate volleyball, teams are only allowed 12 substitutions a game, so being able to use the libero without losing a substitution can be a very effective coaching tool.
“They really help with ball-control,” says Bowlin. “It’s good to be able to have one person designated to play defense.”
Bowlin said that the libero’s jersey being opposite from the rest of the team raises questions in fans who have not been to a match since the addition of the position.
“People who have been away from the game for a few years see that and they wonder, ‘Why does she have on a different jersey?’ or ‘Did that girl forget her jersey?’ It’s just different.”
On this year’s Bulldog squad, two players split time at the libero position, co-captain Tanika Taylor and fellow senior Lauren Bounds. Taylor, also an outside hitter for the Bulldogs, says that she likes playing the libero position.
“I wouldn’t say it’s really easier, but it is a lot less to think about. You’re able to just focus on defense and nothing else, so you can be more aggressive.”
Bounds says the job of the libero is very simple.
“The libero is just supposed to be the best defensive player and passer on the floor. They’re just supposed to go for everything.”
Since the position is so new, teams are still in the learning stages of using the position. However, Bowlin says that she is a big fan of the change.
“It’s kind of like the three point arc was in basketball. You don’t really know what to think of it because you don’t know how to use it. But I think, as a coach, that it has added an extra dimension to the game of basketball.”