Ratings used in volleyball match scouting

In this section you will find all the ratings used in scouting a volleyball match, grouped by skill. Each ball touch is coded with a symbol (such as #, +, !, /, -, =) that represents the outcome of the action.

These codes do not judge whether the technique is correct: they describe its effectiveness in the game, meaning the impact it had on the next action or on the score.

Using these ratings correctly is essential to get objective, comparable data that is useful for analyzing the performance of the team or of a single player.

Serve

ValutazioneSpiegazione
#Service Ace (Point).
+Good serve that allows the opponent only an easy attack (Free-Ball).
!Serve that is received slightly off, allows forced quick attacks.
/Positive serve, the receiver immediately sends it back into the opponents' court.
-Serve received positively by the opponent, allows all attack combinations.
=Service error.

Reception / Pass

ValutazioneSpiegazione
#Perfect reception to the setter's head. Allows all attack combinations.
+Good reception that allows all attack combinations.
!Slightly off reception, allows only forced quick balls.
/Negative reception that goes immediately into the other court.
-Reception far from the setter, allows only an easy attack (Free-Ball).
=Reception error, point for the opponents (Ace).
Receive valuations

Attack

ValutazioneSpiegazione
#Attack point
+Good attack that forces the opponent to return a free ball.
!Attack blocked but kept playable by the attacker.
/Attack that is blocked by a winning block (point to the blocker).
-Poor attack, allows the opponent to counterattack.
=Attack error (point for the opponents)

Block

ValutazioneSpiegazione
#Block point
+(Meaning to be agreed upon with the team)
!(Meaning to be agreed upon with the team)
/(Meaning to be agreed upon with the team)
-(Meaning to be agreed upon with the team)
=Block error (foul or hands out)

Defense

ValutazioneSpiegazione
#Held defense. Allows for effective replay.
+Held defense but only allows for counterattack with an easy ball.
!(Meaning to be agreed upon with the team)
/(Meaning to be agreed upon with the team)
-(Meaning to be agreed upon with the team)
=Defense error (competence not respected, wrong position)

Set

ValutazioneSpiegazione
#Perfect set.
+(Meaning to be agreed upon with the team)
!(Meaning to be agreed upon with the team)
/(Meaning to be agreed upon with the team)
-(Meaning to be agreed upon with the team)
=Setting error.