by Lisa Oates

Created on: August 17, 2009

There are six players on a volleyball court during an indoor volleyball match. The libero, pronounced li-bare-oh or lee-ber-oh, is one of the most important players on the court. The libero is the defensive pro, the queen of the back row, and usually the quickest person on the team. Liberos are feisty, aggressive, and can anticipate where the ball is going at all times.

What role does the libero play in a match?

Liberos wear a unique jersey one that is of opposite color of the rest of the team, and can be completely different in terms of style and fit as well. The libero has a separate set of rules for substituting in and out of games, and in USA Volleyball, the libero cannot serve. (In high school, the libero can, and often does, serve.) The libero cannot be a part of the starting six players, either. She normally sits on the sidelines until the game begins, and then substitutes in for a back row player.

Typically, the libero will rotate into the back row for a slower middle blocker. This gives the team a better chance at defense because taking out a front row specialist, like a middle blocker, and replacing her with a defensive specialist, like the libero, will give the team a much better strategy.

The libero can play across the whole back row, rotating like a usual back row player does, but when she would rotate to the front row a no-no for liberos she is replaced by the middle blocker she came in for before. The libero then sits out for at least one rotation, and then can replace another player, as long as that player is rotating to a back row position. These substitutions are not marked on the score sheet, so they do not count toward the running total of substitutions for that team. In other words, liberos have a special set of substitution rules and can only play in the back row.

Liberos usually play in the middle back position on the volleyball court at any given time, because that is where most of the defensive action occurs. She can move around the court easily from the middle back position and cover any blocks and attacks. The libero's stat sheet is usually full of digs, passes, and the occasional back row attack.

Without defense and great passing, a volleyball team will not win many games. The libero is the key to providing a team with excellent defense. Great defense usually allows for a fantastic offense. When the libero does her job well, the setter can run a great offense, which allows the front row players to smash the ball and win points.

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