Volleyball Basics - Outside Hitters

Outside hitters are all around players. They pass in serve receive, hit and block on the wings (primarily in zone 4) in the front row, and hit and play defense in the back row. Outside hitters are often the outlet, or last resort option on offense. One of the teams outside hitters often gets the most sets of all hitters.

Outside hitters hit and block in zone 4 on the front row. They usually hit and play defense in zone 6 on the back row. Playing defense in zone 6 puts the outside hitter in a good position to transition from playing defense to hitting. When the libero is in zone 6 and the outside is in zone 5, this transition is a little more difficult. Not only does the outside hitter have to move into the proper position laterally to make an approach in the middle of the court, but the base defense position in zone 5 is often closer to the attack line. That will hinder the outside hitter's ability to make a full approach when attempting a back row attack. a further complication is that the libero and outside hitter could cross each others' path during transition and come in contact with each other.

Like the libero, passing in serve receive and in defense are primary skills. Outside hitters frequently will receive the serve and the set as well in the same rally. Some outsides tend to hit at a higher efficiency when they received the serve. Others do not. 

Also important is hitting ability. Outsides often get the most sets of all front row hitters. Especially when the setter is out of position and has few or only one setting option, the outside hitter will see a lot of situations hitting against a double block. The outside hitter should be able to hit reasonably well when the set is coming from all over the court. The ability to see the block and hit a variety of shots is desirable.

When blocking the outside hitter will block the opposing opposite and setter. This gets tricky with front row setters who like to attack on the second touch and opposites who hit from zone 1. In this situation the outside hitter is covering two potential attackers and has to be able to make a quick decision as to who is the blocking priority.

See also:

Zones of the Court

Volleyball Basics are intended to present some of the fundamental volleyball knowledge that everyone serious about the sport should know.