Rotate 123, the fastest way to generate rotations for your volleyball team.

Rotation Optimization
Overlap Rules
Formation Concepts
4-2
International 4-2
5-1
6-2
Recommended Reading

Rotation Optimization

What is Rotation Optimization?
It is the process of finding the right players for the right roles in the right formation at the right time. Play the slide video to understand the process.

USA Volleyball Magazine Article on Rotation Optimization

Match Ups Against An Opponent
When you have time to scout your opponents, looking at your defense to offense and serve to receive match ups against your opponent become important. See how easy it is to compare your lineup by rotation against your opponent. Test combinations quickly and come up with insights that will help you win. Play the video below.

Learn the Overlap Rules

Overlap Rules

You can move the players on the right to see how the overlap rules work. For example, move the Left Front player to right until the Red Line appears. This indicates an overlap with the Middle Front player.

Here are the basic rules:

The Front Row players must be in the right order from Left to Right. So the Middle Front player (MF) must be to the right of the Left Front player (LF) and to the left of the Right Front player (RF).
The same rule applies to the Back Row players - Middle Back player must be to the right of the Left Back player and to the left of the Right Back player.
The Front Row player must be in front of the respective Back Row player. This means that the Left Front must be in front of the Left Back player. However, the Left Front player can be in back of the Middle Back player.
The position must be correct at the time the ball is contacted by the server. If the players are out of rotation before or after the serve contact, it doesn't matter.

Formation Concepts

Basics

Formation numbers define the number of hitters followed by the number of setters.
Therefore:

4-2 = 4 hitters and 2 setters
5-1 = 5 hitters and 1 setter
6-2 = 6 hitters and 2 setters

How can there be 6 hitters and 2 setters? The setters come from the back row and sets the 3 front row players. When a setter is in the front row, they become a hitter. So two players are in two different roles depending on where they are.

Rotation Numbers

Rotations are numbered by the location of the primary setter - the setter that is designated S1. The location number goes clockwise from right back as follows:

Right Back = Rotation 1
Middle Back = Rotation 2
Left Back = Rotation 3
Left Front = Rotation 4
Middle Front = Rotation 5
Right Front = Rotation 6

Standard 4-2 Receive Formations

Rotation 1	Rotation 2	Rotation 3	Rotation 4	Rotation 5	Rotation 6

Standard 4-2 International Receive Formations

Rotation 1	Rotation 2	Rotation 3	Rotation 4	Rotation 5	Rotation 6

Standard 5-1 Receive Formations

Rotation 1	Rotation 2	Rotation 3	Rotation 4	Rotation 5	Rotation 6

Standard 6-2 Receive Formations

Rotation 1	Rotation 2	Rotation 3	Rotation 4	Rotation 5	Rotation 6

Recommended Reading
Here are some great books that will expand your thinking about coaching vollebyall. One thing to consider if you don't have a Kindle is to load Kindle Software on to your PC, Mac or iPad. This will allow you to immediately download a free sample of the book to see if you like it. After reading about 30 pages, you'll know if you want to continue.
	"Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game" by Michael Lewis. Lewis describes how the Oakland As won games with one of the smallest budgets in Major League Baseball. They used statistics not used by the rest of MLB to acquire players at very low prices. The key message for you is that you can make better decisions in volleyball by using stats. Don't trust your eyes as they can fool you. It's a great read and I'm a strong believer in the lessons from this book.	"Aggressive Volleyball" by Pete Waite. While Waite covers many of the fundamentals described in other volleyball skill books, he takes the extra step of talking about how to build an "aggressive" team. His writing is clear and straightforward and can help you and your team move in the right direction.
	"Bringing Out the Best in People" by Aubrey Daniels. This book is for people managers but applies well to coaching. Using behavior mod techniques, Daniels outlines the keys required to successfully get your team to accomplish its goals.	"Catch Them Being Good: Everything You Need to Know to Successfully Coach Girls" by Tony DiCicco, Charles Salzberg and Colleen Hacker. When your team has gained sufficient ball handling skills, it's time to train the mind. This book provides key steps that will enhance your team's mental game. It contains many team building exercises that are fun and productive.
	"Talent is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else" by Geoff Colvin. Colvin disproves traditional beliefs about "gifted" people and shows how motivation and hard work lead to success. It's an inspiring book and gives credit to coaches and players who dedicate themselves to excellence. You should read this along with "The Talent Code".	"The Talent Code: Greatness Isn't Born. It's Grown. Here's How." by Daniel Coyle. This book is a companion to "Talent is Overrated". Both books share the same premise that hard work is the key to success. Coyle delves into "hot beds" of talent and discovers how they work and the nueroscience of learning.
	"Mindset: The New Psychology of Success" by Carol Dweck. Dweck's research has led to fascinating findings about how our mindset determines our success. While we all have pre-dispositions, much of how we approach life can be changed by understanding some key factors.	"Outliers: The Story of Success" by Malcolm Gladwell. Closely related to "The Talent Code" and "Talent is Overrated", Gladwell adds the notion of time and place as factors to world-class success. If you haven't read his other books, "Blink" and "Tipping Piont", consider this the beginning. You'll find his writing engaging and informative.