Watching professional volleyball might give you the idea— okay, all these players are gigantic; how am I supposed to hold a candle to them with my height? If you love a sport and want to play it, nothing should be in between to stop you.
So, do you need to be tall to play volleyball? Well, having an above-average height does give you some advantages, but it doesn’t really dictate whether you can achieve success in the sport or not, let alone play the game.
If you are really invested in volleyball, then whether you’re tall or short shouldn’t matter. What will matter is how dedicated you are to the game.
The Debate: Does Height Matter?
If anyone tells you that height doesn’t matter at all in volleyball, then they are probably lying to you. I’m not trying to dishearten anyone reading this, but I don’t want to be dishonest at the same time.
It’s true and also a fact that having a tall figure helps you enormously. And it’s not just for volleyball but also for other sports such as basketball, rugby, and so on.
However, does this mean you can’t play or pursue your dream to become a professional volleyball player if you are short? NOT AT ALL!
Having an average height or below-average height does put you at a disadvantage but it doesn’t, in any way, mean that you can’t play the game or be a top-tier professional in the field.
You might go through some criticism and might not even get selected in some teams but you shouldn’t lose your motivation because of it. If you can prove your worth as a player, then coaches will line up to take you in their teams.
Starting the journey is the most difficult part as a short volleyball player; thus, you should find or play in communities that are more liberal and friendly.
Although it’s impossible to determine how tall a person would be when they are young, it’s still better to remain in an open-minded volleyball community.
So, don’t let your dreams be dreams—Just do it!
3 Perfect Positions for Short Volleyball Players
Mother nature has a way of balancing things out. See, having an above-average height is useful in many sports but in games like limbo being short makes things much easier.
However, it doesn’t, in any way, imply that tall guys or girls can’t play limbo. Similarly, even short players can participate in a game of volleyball.
As volleyball is a sport with different positions, it’s better to know which position is best suited for short players. So, here are the roles you should opt for if you have a below-average height but want to maximize your performance in the game.
Setter
The primary role of a setter is to set the ball for the hitters to smash. So, it’s a position where height isn’t everything. As a setter, you need to be more aware of the court and look to create more opportunities for other players on the court.
The most important skills of a setter are decision-making and technical and leadership abilities. One of the best setters of all time, Yoshie Takeshita, was only 5.25 feet tall. Despite her short figure, she managed to become a legendary setter of her age.
If you have excellent leadership skills, yet lack the height to be a front-line hitter, then choosing to become a setter might be a decision for you. However, as a setter, you’ll still need to find a way to block the outside hitter with your height.
Nonetheless, you can always tip the scale to your advantage with the best volleyball kicks for setters. If you think you’re not reaching high enough with your jumps, it is probably because you have the wrong shoes.
Libero
I believe the most appropriate position for short volleyball players might be the libero. Why, you ask? Take a minute to think. Libero is the only player who plays in the defensive lines without committing to offensive strategies at all.
They even have a different colored jersey for liberos so they can stand out from the rest of the team. Liberos don’t block or play attacking shots. Their job is more like back-row specialists.
Having a significant height might prove to be advantageous for a libero as it can help them to reach for balls falling into the gaps. However, height is just an added benefit for this position. What liberos need are speed, quick-reflexes, ball-handling and other defensive skills.
Liberos don’t play near the net, so you won’t have to worry about net-to-net blocking where height is highly beneficial. So, if you’re worried about how tall you are, then the libero might be the ultimate position for you.
There are shoes specially made for liberos. You can try one to see the difference it brings to the court.
Outside Hitter
There is a long-lasting debate about whether a short volleyball player can play as a hitter or not. Let me clear the air out really quickly. It won’t be wise to play as the main hitter if you have a below-average height; however, you can still do wonders as an outside hitter or OH.
It’s evident that height is pretty useful when you’re playing as an OH, but with enough skill you can overcome the height difference. The OH position needs a well-rounded player that can block, defend, attack and pass.
Sometimes passing or defending as a short player can be beneficial. Attacking from the OH position is different from striking as the main hitter.
You will have more time to approach the ball, so you can reduce the height gap with a higher jump. Try on the best kicks for hitters, if you have difficulty in jumping high.
Blocking, on the other hand, is a nightmare for short players. However, you can try moves like the swing block to even the odds.
Noteworthy Strategies for Short Volleyball Players
Playing with a disadvantage does not necessarily have to be a bad thing. It means you just have to work harder to overcome your weakness. So, if you lack height, there are other skills that you can work on to get an edge over your opponents.
- Positioning and Quick Movement:
Positioning yourself is one of the most valuable skills in any sport. The better you can position yourself, the better you can return a shot. So, learn how to anticipate the moves of your opponents and which positions would be the most ideal in that scenario.
In order to fully utilize it, you will need to be agile. So, make sure to work on your agility, lateral movements and quickness to move with haste in the court.
- Passing and Defense:
Improve your defensive skills and passing. You might not know this, but short players excel at defense and passing because of their lower center of gravity.
So, you should work on digging techniques and forearm passing for the best results.
- High-Value Jump Serve:
A well-timed and perfectly executed serve can throw your opponents off balance. A proper serve has more power and precision, making it harder for the opposing team to take advantage of the ball.
Develop float serves and topspin to make it harder for the receivers to return, pass, or receive the ball.
- Setting and Tipping:
Short players usually don’t excel at blocking, so they have to rely on other skills such as passing, setting or tipping. If you want to run an effective offense, then learning how to set the ball precisely is something you need to master.
If you are looking to score points as a short player, then try to improve your dink shots and tipping skills. A well-placed dink shot can throw your opponents off guard, breaking their defense and momentum.
- Court Awareness and Communication:
If you lack the regular skills, then try working on your leadership and communication skills. More often than not, a captain, despite having poor mechanical skills, can take his/her team to victory with effective communication.
You should also develop your court awareness, as it is the most crucial skill for a leader.
- Free or Chance Ball:
Learn how to identify a chance ball. If you can recognize a free ball, then you will be able to utilize the most out of it in game.
There are many ways to deal with a chance ball, so learn and practice how to deal with these mistakes properly.
The Benefits of Being a Tall Volleyball Player
The average height for men is 5 ft 9 inches or 176cm and the average height for women is 5 ft 4 inches or 164cm. This is to give you an idea whether you are below, near or above average.
Anyways, on average, professional female volleyball players range from 5 feet 7 inches (173cm) to 6 feet 5 inches (198cm). On the other hand, male players range from 6 ft 1 inches (185cm) to 6 ft 10 ½ inches (210cm).
As you can see, most professional volleyball players, male and female, are above average in height. Therefore, they have some neat advantages on the court. Here are some benefits tall volleyball players enjoy:
Hitting
Having an above-average height brings about significant benefits to a hitter. A tall player, being vertically long, has a higher point of contact. It means they can dump or smash the ball from a high position.
It also gives them more angles, more room to use different striking techniques and they have to worry less about their oppositions blocking the ball.
Blocking
It’s kind of obvious that blocking can be done best if you have a significant height advantage. Okay, let me break it down for you.
Tall players, on average, will have a further reach because of their height. Therefore, they will be able to block more space than a short player.
Additionally, a below average person might need to jump very high to block a dump but a tall player might be able to do it with minimum effort or without even jumping.
If they don’t have to jump high to block, then they can position themselves faster for the counter attack. So, you’ll see that most blocker or players who stay near the net are absurdly tall compared to the rest of the team.
Reach
As I said, a tall player would have a further reach than a short competitor. The more the reach the easier it becomes to strike, dump, block and even defend. Due to the longer limbs, a tall player can reach or dig for balls, which usually will be hard for normal defenders.
Volleyball is a very fast-paced game, and even an inch can sometimes make a significant difference in defending.
Even Short Volleyball Players Can Make it to the Top!
Many short volleyball players have reached the top of the ladder despite having a significant disadvantage on the court. It’s probably because they had the best volleyball kicks, but it can also be because they were determined and willing to put their bodies through years of training.
Here is a list of players of below-average height whose names have been written down in history.
Deborah Green-Vargas: 162 cm (5’4″)
Debbie, a 1984 Olympic silver medalist, is widely known for her skills as a setter. She is below average in height, so in most matches, she used to be the shortest player.
Yoshie Takeshita: 159 cm (5’2.5″)
Takeshita played over 100 games in the Japanese V-League. She retired decades ago, but she is still famous for securing the bronze medal at the 2012 Olympics and for her numerous victories throughout her career.
Jorella (Ella) Marie de Jesus: 152cm (4’11.8″)
Despite being less than 5 feet tall, Ella plays as a libero for the Creamline Cool Smashers, a Filipino team that just won the 2023 PVL invitational conference. Her height hasn’t stopped her from competing and winning, so it shouldn’t stop you as well.
Conclusion: Height Isn’t Everything
Some say most sports are tall players’ games, but I don’t believe so. You need more than just height to become a professional and the best of the best.
Volleyball is a sport where you will find many players who are above average in height, but do you need to be tall to play volleyball? Is it everything in the sport? No, it’s not.
If you have knowledge of the game and learn how to use your skills to make up for the lack of height, then there is nothing that can stop you from playing volleyball and achieving success in the field. Good Luck!
