Volleyball Offense for 8th Grade

Question
Hi Mr. Houser,

I will have a small 8th grade team of 8 girls next season.  For 7th grade, we ran a 4-2 offense.  This worked well and we placed 2nd in our league.  I have 3 good setters.  Two of them are also very good hitters.  In fact, they are my best serve return hitters.  These two took turns with my other setter and also took turns as libero with each other.  I have 2 good attackers.  My question is  what offense would you recommend for 8th grade?

Thank you for your time and expertise!

Tammy

Answer
Good evening, and welcome to www.allexperts.com.
I read your email today before I left my high school.  Been teaching math all day.  :)  Now I'm home, and have some ideas.  
It appears that you have 2 girls who can do everything!  :)
Before I go on: What I'm telling you is assuming that (a) you want to win, (b) your girls want to win, and (c) your administration will allow you to coach to win.  If this isn't the case, if it's a bump-and-giggle league, if there's some equal playing time rule, then I guess just do what you've been doing, and skip all my ideas below.  

* Do these girls understand how to run a 6-2?
* If so, then have you considered letting these two girls set when in the back row, then play OH when in the front row?  Yep, this is an unusual offense; but I saw this back in 1994 when a team from Rustburg won the state championship here in Virginia. I most recently saw it at the K-2 Elite Tournament in Sevierville, TN in January.  A team from Cincinnati was there, and they had two BEASTS!  In fact, a college coach said, "That team could have won that tournament with those 2 girls and four 5th-graders."  Sounds like you may have the same luxury.  
* A little easier:  a 6-2 offense, with those 2 setters playing right side when they're in the front row.  This will allow you to have 2 girls who play right only, 2 who play left only, and 2 who play middle only.  
* Another option:  Run a 5-1 with the 3rd setter (who is not one of the very good hitters), and let the other 2 be primary serve receives in all rotations + they will always be available to your setter.

Running a 4-2 again this season doesn't appear to be the best use of your people, unless the options above are too sophisticated for your players (no disrespect intended.... it's just that about 90% of 8th graders I see would need weeks to learn a 6-2 or a 5-1, and that's time that their teams/coaches don't have.)  

If you have more thoughts/questions, please contact me here or at my email address, [email protected]. And will you do one favor for me?  Please visit my team, my staff and me at www.coachhouser.com.  This coming summer, we already have ELEVEN site camps scheduled.  It's going to be an amazing summer!  And we have room for more.  Please contact me if you have any questions.