Why Only Advanced Players? Competition Reasons.

Competitive volleyball requires that players know the game well. They must know all of the positions on the court. While it is not necessary for all players to play all positions well, players must be able to play both offense and defense well. Everyone on the team doesn’t need to be a capable setter, but they must be a good hitter or play exceptional defense if their setting is not adequate. Since all players rotate to the back line, they must be able to play defense at least adequately. Having a strong serve is also a plus. What happens in a game when even one player is not at the same level as other players? To put it in plain words, the game deteriorates to a lower level of play. If one player cannot cover their area on defense, it becomes a hole that the opposing team can exploit. When serving, the opposing team can target the lower level player, which results in poor passes that the setter cannot reach. When the lower level player rotates to the front line, the team’s offense suffers. If the lower level player cannot hit well, a sideout occurs, with a ball hit into the net or out of bounds. If the lower level player does manage to keep the ball in play, the ball can be easily passed by the opposing team, setting up a successful offensive play for them. This can be somewhat mitigated if the setter can consistently avoid setting to the lower level player. But that limits the team’s offense, making it easier for the opposing team to play defense. If the lower level player insists on setting, it is even worse for their team. The play is essentially over on the 2nd hit no matter how well the ball is passed or how well the hitters can spike. This is why advanced players prefer to actually play with fewer players than have a lower level player on the team. It is much easier to cover more area that to compensate for lower skilled players.

All sports divide up players according to skill level, as does the Volleyball Advanced Club. Tennis and pickleball have ranking system that use numbers to specify relative skill levels. Volleyball tournaments and leagues use a letter system (AA, A BB, B, etc). Other sports use other systems, but the point is, people want to play against and with people of similar skill levels because it is more fun for everyone involved.