Editing Volleyball (section)

=== Player specialization ===
There are five positions filled on every volleyball team at the elite level: setter, outside hitter (left-side hitter), middle hitter (middle blocker), opposite hitter (right-side hitter) and libero / defensive specialist. Each of the positions plays a specific, key role in winning a volleyball match.
* '''Setters''' have the task for orchestrating the offence of the team. They aim for the second touch and their main responsibility is to place the ball in the air where the attackers can place the ball into the opponents' court for a point. They have to be able to operate with the hitters, manage the tempo of their side of the court and choose the right attackers to set. Setters need to have a swift and skillful appraisal and tactical accuracy and must be quick at moving around the court. At elite level, setters used to usually be the shortest players of a team (before liberos were introduced), not being typically required to perform jump hits, but that would imply need for short-term replacement by taller bench players when critical points required more effective blocks; in the 1990s taller setters (e.g. [[Fabio Vullo]], [[Peter Blangé]]) began being deployed, in order to improve blocks.
* '''Liberos''' are defensive players who are responsible for receiving the attack or serve. They are usually the players on the court with the quickest reaction time and best passing skills. ''Libero'' means 'free' in [[Italian language|Italian]]—they receive this name as they have the ability to substitute for any other player on the court during each play (usually the middle blocker). Liberos are not permitted to block or perform attacks, meaning they never play at the net, which allows shorter players with strong passing and defensive skills to excel in the position and play an important role in the team's success. A player designated as a libero for a match may not play other roles during that match. Liberos wear a different colour jersey than their teammates.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chesaux |first=Samuel |title=FIVB Official Volleyball Rules 2015-2016 |url=https://www.volleyball.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/FIVB-Volleyball-Rules-2015-2016-EN-V3-20150205.pdf |access-date=January 28, 2023 |archive-date=January 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230129004323/https://www.volleyball.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/FIVB-Volleyball-Rules-2015-2016-EN-V3-20150205.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
* '''Middle hitters''', or '''middle blockers''', are players that can perform very fast attacks that usually take place near the setter. They are specialized in blocking since they must attempt to stop equally fast plays from their opponents and then quickly set up a double block at the sides of the court. In non-beginners play, every team will have two middle hitters. At elite levels, middle hitters are usually the tallest players, whose limited agility is countered by their height enabling more effective blocks.
* '''Outside hitters''', or '''left-side hitters''', attack from near the left antenna. The outside hitter is usually the most consistent hitter on the team and gets the most sets. Inaccurate first passes usually result in a set to the outside hitter rather than middle or opposite. Since most sets to the outside are high, the outside hitter may take a longer approach, always starting from outside the court sideline. In non-beginners play, there are again two outside hitters on every team in every match. At elite level, outside hitters are slightly shorter than middle hitters and opposite hitters, but have the best defensive skills, therefore always re-placing to the middle while in the back row.
* '''Opposite hitters''', or '''right-side hitters''', carry the defensive workload for a volleyball team in the front row. Their primary responsibilities are to put up a well-formed block against the opponents' ''Outside hitters'' and serve as a backup setter. Sets to the opposite usually go to the right side of the antennae. Therefore, they are usually the most technical hitters since balls lifted to the right side are quicker and more difficult to handle (the setters having to place the ball while slightly off-set to the right, and with their back to the attacker), and also having to jump from the back row when the setter is on the front row. At elite level, until the 1990s several opposite hitters used to be able to also play as middle hitters (e.g. [[Andrea Zorzi]], [[Andrea Giani]]), before high specialization curtailed this flexibility in the role.<ref>{{cite web |title=Volleyball Information: History, Facts & Volleyball Rules 2023 |date=31 December 2022 |url=https://sportycious.com/volleyball-information-91251/ |access-date=2023-09-02 |publisher=Sportycious |archive-date=September 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230904123715/https://sportycious.com/volleyball-information-91251/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

At some levels where substitutions are unlimited, teams will make use of a '''defensive specialist''' in place of or in addition to a libero. This position does not have unique rules like the libero position, instead, these players are used to substitute out a poor back row defender using regular substitution rules. A defensive specialist is often used if you have a particularly poor back court defender in right side or left side, but your team is already using a libero to take out your middles. Most often, the situation involves a team using a right-side player with a big block who must be subbed out in the back row because they are not able to effectively play backcourt defence. Similarly, teams might use a serving specialist to sub out a poor server.