There has been more than once in my time covering high school volleyball where I heard the confusion from people of a certain age about how the game is scored or why that girl has on a different jersey than her teammates.
Since around the turn of the century, volleyball at almost all levels made drastic shifts to its rules that have helped make it evolve into the sport it is today.
From 1998-2001 the International Volleyball Federation introduced two key rule shifts. The sport switched to rally scoring and created a new position for back row players, the libero.
Before this, teams could only score if their team was serving the ball in a scoring system called side-out scoring. Sets went up to only 15 points instead of the 25 they are now. Also, matches were played in a best of three format instead of the now best of five format.
Longtime Nocona volleyball Coach Glenna Clay grew up playing and coaching for more than a decade with side-out scoring and has watched how the sport has evolved since then. For better and for worse in her eyes.
“It was an equalizer and was designed to make the game more exciting,” Clay said. “I still prefer the old style with side-out because it was more aggressive. You knew when you went up to slam a spike it might not be a point, but only side out. The game has gotten faster through the years on offense with quick hits and plays, but the traditional high set still is used.”
Other coaches agree the mentality has changed a bit like former Saint Jo Coach Charlie Hamilton.
“I feel changing the scoring changed the thought process of really having to earn your points,” Hamilton said. “Now someone gets a point even without earning it, but on someone else’s mistakes. Having to earn your point mentality changed.”
Along with the scoring changes, the libero created a position where players too short for the front row, but not right for the setter position to could shine.
Wearing a different color than their teammates, they can take the place of any back row player. They are not allowed to block or hit the ball at the net in the front row.
They’re replacement does not count against a team’s substitution limit meaning coaches sometime find a way for them to never leave the court.
A libero is only focused on back row defense like digging balls hit hard by the opposing team’s hitters. Some at higher levels can act as a team’s second setter as well.
These two things combined to up the scoring and make offensive execution more consistent for teams and have sped up the game overall.

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the mid-week edition of the Bowie News.