The 4-2 Offense

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The 4-2 Offense: Overview

The 4-2 offense is considered to be the easiest offense to learn

In the 4-2 offense, four players are attackers (A) and two are setters (S)

It is called a simple offense because the setter is one of the front row players

Only forwards may spike from in front of the attack line; so if one forward is the setter, only two can serve as attackers

Executing the 4-2 Offense

1. Serve reception is when your team is receiving the serve from the opponents

2. Covering the attacker is the action taken to efficiently cover the court during a spike by your team that may be blocked by the opponents

3. A free ball formation is the position taken by your team to receive a ball that is neither a serve nor a spike

1. Serve Reception

The 4-2 Offense

1.1 Serve Reception: Overview

In any serve reception formation, the setter does not want to receive the serve under any circumstances

Until the ball is contacted on the serve, all players on both teams must be in their correct rotational positions

After the serve is executed, players can assume any position on the court, with the exception that only forwards may attack or block from in front of the attack line

1.2 Serve Reception in the 4-2

In the 4-2 offense, the setter always sets from the middle of the court close to the net

However, the setter must line up to receive the serve in their correct rotational position

So the serve reception formation varies depending on whether the setter must line up at the left (LF), center (CF) or right (RF) forward position…

1.3 Diagram: Setter at LF

SRB

SLF

ARF

ACB

ALB

ACF

Diagram 1.1: 4-2 offense, serve reception,setter in the LF position

1.4 Diagram: Setter at CF

Diagram 1.2: 4-2 offense, serve reception,setter in the CF position

ARB

ALF

ARF

SCB

ALB

SCF

1.5 Diagram: Setter at RF

Diagram 1.3: 4-2 offense, serve reception,setter in the RF position

ARB

ALF

SRF

ACB

SLB

ACF

1.6 Serve Reception: Setter’s Role

Note that in the diagrams, the setter always hides at the net and begins in the correct rotational position

As soon as the serve is contacted, the setter moves to the centre front of the court, giving two options: a forward set or back set

The setter remains in this position directing the attack until the next serve…

1.7 Serve Reception: Switching

In Diagram 1.2, the setter is the center forward (CF) and no switch is necessary

In Diagrams 1.1 and 1.3, the setter must switch from an outside position to the center of the court

In each of these last two cases, the center forward attacker is in position on the same side of the court as the setter and switches to become an outside attacker

1.8 Serve Reception: Alignments

Teams must be aware of the potential for overlaps in these two alignments.

Red lines are drawn in the diagrams to indicate the problem areas of overlap

The center back (CB) must remain behind the forwards, and the setter must be sure to remain closer to the sideline than the centre forward until the ball is served

1.9 Serve Reception: Responsibilities

The player receiving serve must call for the ball before the ball crosses the net

All players must turn and face the player who has called for the ball

No player should receive any serve that is chest high or above (back row players should allow this serve to go out)

Diagram 1.4 indicates the areas of responsibility during serve reception…

1.10 Diagram: Serve Reception Areas

Diagram 1.4: 4-2 offense, serve reception,areas of responsibility

RB

LF

RF

CB

LB

S

1.11 Serve Reception: Rule SummaryAll Players

Decide who will receive the ball as soon as possible after contact by the server

Call for the ball before it crosses the net Turn and face the player receiving the

ball Help call the ball out-of-bounds for

other players on the same line as you

1.12 Serve Reception: Rule SummaryFront Row Players

Allow balls that are higher than chest level to be played by back row players

Do not move back more than one step to play the ball

Call the ball out on the sideline for the back row player on your side of the court

Be ready to move forward quickly on short serves

1.13 Serve Reception: Rule SummaryBack Row Players

Allow a ball that is chest height or higher to go out of bounds

Call the ball out on the sideline for the front row player on your side of the court

Be more aggressive in receiving from the left back position when the serve is between the left and right backs

Always position yourself between the front row players

1.14 Serve Reception: Rule SummarySetters

Never receive the serve under any circumstances

Call short serves Call for the pass and extend the hand

closer to the net high as a target for the passer

Face the left sideline with your right foot forward in the stride position

2. Covering the Attacker

The 4-2 Offense

2.1 Covering the Attacker: Overview

Once your team has received the serve and has passed to the setter, you attempt to complete an offensive attack

Meanwhile, the opposing team is attempting to prevent your team from completing a successful attack

Your team must be ready and cover the court regardless of the result of your attack…

2.2 Possible Attack Outcomes

There are five possible outcomes of every attack. The results that end in a dead ball are:

The attacker spikes the ball to the floor for a point

The attacker spikes the ball out-of-bounds or makes an error

A blocker blocks the ball out-of-bounds or makes an error

2.3 Possible Attack Outcomes, cont.

In the fourth and fifth attack outcomes, the ball remains in play:

Either the defensive team digs the ball and prepares for a counter-attack, or

The blocker(s) successfully block the ball and it remains on your side of the court

If the opposing block is successful, the ball usually falls quickly to the floor in an area directly behind the attacker…

2.4 Covering the Blocked Attack

Therefore, the area directly behind the attacker is the critical area for your team to cover when an attack is successfully blocked by an opponent

Two of your players must make a tight arc behind the attacker, while the remaining three players position themselves in the spaces between them (see Diagrams 2.1 and 2.2)…

2.5 Diagram: Attack By Your LF

Diagram 2.1: Spike coverage when your LF is attacking

RB

LF

RF

CB

LB

S

2.6 Diagram: Attack By Your RF

Diagram 2.2: Spike coverage when your RF is attacking

RB

LF

RF

CB

LB

S

2.7 Covering the Attacker: Frontcourt

The person closest to the sideline is always the centre back

The player closest to the net is always the setter, who sets the attack and follows the set by moving to the coverage position

Both players must be in a low defensive position to have as much time as possible to react to the ball

2.8 Covering the Attacker: Backcourt

The two offensive players towards the sideline opposite the attacker’s side shift toward the attack side to cover blocked balls that drop deeper into the court

The back row player on the same side as the attacker shifts closer to the sideline and calls the ball out-of bounds if the block rebounds over the sideline

If the ball goes past or is deflected by the block and is dug by the defense, your team must quickly assume the base defensive formation

3. Free Ball

The 4-2 Offense

3.1 Free Ball: Overview

Any time the opposing team is playing the ball and attempting to set an attack, your team’s blockers are at the net anticipating their next action to be a block

When it becomes obvious that the opposing team does not have enough control to complete their attack, your team must prepare to receive a free ball…

3.2 Free Ball: Seeing Lack of Control

Lack of control is often indicated when: The first pass does not go toward the net A player other than the setter must handle

the second ball The set is made to a distance of more than 10

feet off the net, or The attacker is out of position

3.3 Free Ball: Formation

The free ball formation is very similar to the W-formation used to receive serve

The only difference is the setter is already in position at the centre front of the court

The setter usually calls “free ball” to communicate with the team that no block is necessary

Your team should immediately move to the free ball formation…

3.4 Free Ball: Moving to the Formation

The setter remains at the netThe two attackers move straight back to

the attack lineThe centre back moves close to the

attack line at the centre of the courtThe remaining two backs fill in the

spaces in between the forwards

3.5 Free Ball: Attackers’ Roles

The attackers’ first priority is to receive the free ball; their second priority is to attack

As soon as they are sure that they will not have to receive the ball, they move to the sidelines and prepare to receive the set

It is critical that the attackers do not ‘wing out’ like this (see Diagram 3.1) until they are positive that the free ball will be passed by a teammate

3.6 Diagram: Moving to Free Ball

Diagram 3.1: Movement from base defense to free ball

RB

LF

RF

CB

LB

CF(S)

1

1

2

2

3.7 Free Ball: Attackers’ Roles, cont.

The number 1 on the diagram indicates the direction of the attackers’ first movement straight back to the attack line

The number 2 is the ‘wing out’, or second movement to a position outside the sidelines in preparation for an attack

Once the free ball is received, your team sets its own attack and proceeds with appropriate coverage

The End

The 4-2 Offense