Written by Tom Black, Head Volleyball Coach, University of Georgia
My urge is to keep setting as simple as possible, so I’ll stay consistent with that here.
Contact on your midline
We want to take the ball in the same spot (midline of your body, above your forehead) not just for the purposes of deception but most importantly to control the location
Extend
Just like you finish a front set, you’re going to extend and finish a back set. The finish is going to be more of a 45-degree angle because of your head and relationship to the right-side hitter
Follow it with your eyes
This gets your head out of the way. This isn’t as big a key with some mens setters who take the ball at a very high point, but for most (every) women setter I’ve seen, they have to create some space between their release point and head in order to allow the set to travel flat and fast to the right-side hitter.
Following the backset with your eyes causes your head to tilt and creates a little space to allow the set to flatten. I’ve said many times “setting seems to be the one skill that is taught 5,000 different ways (maybe that’s why there is so much conversation about it at our clinics),” so if someone has a better way or method of teaching it I am all ears.
Hope this helps.