The Importance of a Libero

Growing up as a kid, volleyball has always and forever will be my favorite sport. I love volleyball because it is a team sport and you don’t play on your own, so you have to rely on your team. All of the different positions are equally important, but I am going to write about my favorite position: the libero.

The libero is the main defensive player, normally you will see her in a different colored shirt than the other players, that’s because her position is special. A libero will typically play either left back or middle back and act as the anchor to a teams defense. The libero is a free substitution, and based on the rules of the league, this enhances the game. The entry of a libero into the game (and replacement of the player that was substituted for the libero) does not count towards the total sub limit. A libero can also sub in for different players as long as they sit through a half rotation. The libero is an important player as they play defense for the middle blocker in the back row who is usually the tallest and worst at defense. By focusing on the defense and passing with a single role, the libero allows teams to have more specialized attacking players. Liberos are the ones who receive the ball when the opponent serves and should properly receive it to achieve a good first ball. They play an important role when it comes to floor defense. They are the ones who keep the ball alive. Most liberos are averaging 5 flat of height because it’s easier for them to crawl or dive for the ball than those tall players.