libero

n. in volleyball, a restricted, roaming back row player. Subjects: Italian, Sports & Recreation

Etymological Note: From Italian adj. libero ‘free,’ a shortened form of battitore libero ‘free beater,’ a similar position in soccer that originated with a Milanese team in the late 1960s.

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Citations: 1996 [Eduardo Silva Ramos] Usenet: rec.sport.volleyball (Feb. 27) “Atuacao do Libero”: Gostaria de saber como sera a atuacao do libero numa equipe de volley diante da possibilidade dessa alteracao na regra. 1996 [John Kessel] Usenet: rec.sport.volleyball (Mar. 20) “Bonus Point Scoring info web site”: The better defence is perhaps true in lower level of playing, where the attack is not so strong. My prognosis is also, that the new “libero” concept, approved recently in FIVB to be tested after Atlanta, will give similar results. 1996 AFP (July 18) “Volleyball is to bring in softer balls”: The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) has decided to reduce the pressure of balls for the men’s game by a quarter to give defences a better chance. The libero system—where a designated player can be sent in and out of court by coaches for backcourt play—will be tested at the Grand Prix series this year. 1998 AFP (Apr. 20) “Championships” (in Tokyo): According to the new rules, each team can register one specialised defensive player “libero,” who is restricted to performing as a back row player, not hitting an attack, serving, blocking or attempting to block. 2004 Dave Campbell News-Sentinel (Fort Wayne, Ind.) (Dec. 15) “Gophers, Gentil geared up for another Final Four”: One of the additions was the libero. It’s an Italian word meaning “free"…can come in at any time in the back row without counting against the team’s substitution limit.

Posted 17 Dec 04 | Permalink | Tell a Friend

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What is the correct punutuation of the volleyball term “libero”

by Duane Frank 29 Oct 06, 0525 GMT