Volleyball rotation sheet and lineup sheet
Type your six starters by position I to VI and your libero, pick the sets, and print. You get a lineup slip for every set plus a bench chart that shows who stands where, and who serves, in all six rotations.
Lineup sheet maker
Lineup slips
Rotation chart for the bench
Net at the top. The player in zone 1 serves. The libero is not shown: mark which back-row players they replace.
How to use the volleyball lineup sheet maker
- Enter your team name, the opponent and the date or court. They print on every slip.
- Type the jersey number of each starter in positions I to VI. Position I serves first, II starts at right front, III at middle front, IV at left front, V at left back and VI at middle back. Names are optional and help younger players read the bench chart.
- Add the libero (and a second libero if you use one) in the libero boxes.
- Tick the sets you need. Pick Same lineup on every slip if you keep the order all match, or Only the first slip filled to get blank slips you complete by hand between sets.
- Press Print. The printout has the lineup slips and the six-rotation chart only, without the rest of the page. Your entries stay saved in this browser for next time.
How to fill in a volleyball lineup sheet
A volleyball lineup sheet tells the officials where your six starters stand and in what order they serve. The numbers in the boxes are not playing roles; they are rotation positions. Whoever is in box I stands in zone 1 (right back) and serves first. Box II is the player in zone 2, and so on around the court in the order the team rotates.
The order of the boxes is also the serving order for the whole set. When your team wins the serve back, everyone moves one zone clockwise, so the player from box II serves next, then III, and so on. That is why a mistake on the slip follows you for the entire set.
- Write only jersey numbers in the position boxes, clearly, one per box. Check each number against the player’s shirt.
- List the libero in the libero space, not in boxes I to VI.
- Hand in a new slip before every set, usually to the scorer or second referee, by the time the officials ask for it. The coach signs it where a signature is required.
- Once the slip is handed in, the lineup is fixed. Changes then normally need a regular substitution.
How the scorer checks rotation order
Before the set, the second referee compares the players on the court with the lineup slip. The scorer copies the six numbers into the scoresheet in the same order, and from then on keeps track of which position should serve next. Each time your team wins the serve back, the scorer moves to the next number. If the wrong player is about to serve, or serves, it is a rotation fault.
A rotation fault costs the rally: the opponent gets a point and the serve, and your team must go back to the correct order. Under FIVB-based rules, points your team won while out of order can also be cancelled if the scorer can tell exactly when the error began. Other rule books handle this differently, so check your league’s rules. The simplest protection is a printed volleyball rotation sheet on the bench, so the coach can see who should serve before the whistle.
Worked example
Press Load example. The Eagles 14U start with #7 in position I, #12 in II, #3 in III, #9 in IV, #15 in V and #4 in VI. In rotation 1, #7 serves from zone 1 and the front row from left to right is #9, #3, #12. After the first side-out everyone moves one spot: #12 goes to zone 1 and serves, #7 moves to zone 6 and #9 slides to middle front. By rotation 6, #4 is serving and #7 has worked round to right front. The bench chart shows all six with the server outlined.
Tips for match day
- Print two copies of the chart: one for the coach, one taped near the bench for substitutes.
- Plan each set’s start. Use the 5-1, 6-2 or 4-2 rotation diagrams to decide which rotation you want to start in, then put that player in position I.
- Fill blank slips early. If you print blank slips for later sets, decide the next lineup while the current set is still going, so you are not rushed in the break.
How we tested
The bench chart uses the same rotation code as our rotation diagrams, and we ran its automated Node tests; all 372 checks passed. For this page the relevant cases are: with six players entered as I to VI, the servers in rotations 1 to 6 are I, II, III, IV, V and VI in that order; player I moves through zones 1, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2; after each rotation the player in zone 2 moves to zone 1, 1 to 6, 6 to 5, 5 to 4, 4 to 3 and 3 to 2; and six rotations bring everyone back to the starting lineup.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use this instead of the official lineup sheet?
That depends on the event. Many leagues and tournaments hand out their own lineup slips or use an electronic scoresheet, and their form is the one that counts. Use these slips where the organizer accepts any clear written lineup, and use the bench chart either way.
Do I list the libero in position I to VI?
No. The six positions are for the six starters. The libero goes in the separate libero box. If you want the libero on the court for the first serve receive, they replace a back-row player after the second referee has checked the starting lineup.
Can I change the lineup for the next set?
Yes. Each set gets a new lineup, and you can change the order completely. Choose “Only the first slip filled” to print blank slips for the later sets and write them by hand during the break.
What if a player in my lineup is injured before the set?
Rules differ, but in general once the lineup is handed in, changes are made with a normal substitution. Tell the second referee or scorer as soon as possible and follow your league’s rules.
Why does my lineup start with position I and not the setter?
Position I is simply whoever serves first. You can put any player there. If you run a 5-1 and want to start with the setter serving, put the setter in position I; the bench chart then shows the setter’s path through all six zones.
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