Two years ago, rally scoring was introduced to high school volleyball in Pennsylvania.

This year, the PIAA added another twist to the way the game is played, and most area coaches are downright giddy about it.

Starting this season, coaches will be able to utilize a libero, which is a back row defensive specialist.

"It's just an awesome position," said Mars coach Karen Martini. "These little girls they say can't play - wanna bet?"

The libero, which is pronounced LEE-beh-roh, might as well be pronounced "liberating" for high school coaches.

The position is perfectly suited for the scrappy, smaller players who wouldn't fare well mingling among the trees in front of the net.

What she can do is clean things up in the back row, where many points are won and lost.

"If you have someone who is a little hustler and a real hard worker, it will be great for your team," Seneca Valley coach Heather Haff said.

The libero, though, is limited in what she can do. She can't serve and she can't block or attack a ball above the net.

But that's a small drawback for a powerful position.

The biggest benefit to a coach, though, is flexibility.

When the libero is put into or taken out of the game, it doesn't count as a substitution.

High school volleyball coaches only are allowed 18 subs per match.

The PIAA was debating whether to lower the limit to 12, the number used in college, but they balked at that idea and kept it at 18.

"That is huge," Martini said. "I read that rule book from top to bottom. For teams that have a lot of depth like I do, it's going to be huge."

Martini has a player perfectly suited to play the position in senior Lacey Beitler.

The libero has been used in college and in junior Olympic and club volleyball for several years and Beitler has played it for the past two seasons with her club team.

Other teams also have girls with skills that fit the requirements of the position.

Freeport coach Tom Phillips had an inkling the libero would be added to the high school landscape this season and began preparing for it early.

He is fortunate enough to have a good one in junior Anna Foust.

"This position is tailor-made for her," Phillips said.

Adding the position didn't become official until July. That sent some coaches scurrying.

The libero must wear a different color of jersey from the rest of her teammates.

Schools also must have a coach or statistician assigned to keep track of the position.

Moniteau coach Alea Kennedy has a unique familiarity with the position: She played it at Gannon University.

"That libero can win or lose games for you," Kennedy said. "The back row is where games are won and lost."

But Kennedy said she probably wouldn't use it extensively this season.

"It's nice, but it depends on how you look at it," Kennedy said. "If you have a person strong in defense and one who hungers for the ball, this position will be great.

"If you don't have someone like that, you probably won't use it. You may not want to use it because then you pigeonhole a girl in the libero and she doesn't develop her offensive skills."

Another concern is that coaches won't substitute as much as they would without the position because there will be no need to.

"The only drawback that I see is that it may take away some playing time from some girls who would normally be subbed in and out," Phillips said. "(The libero) eliminates the need to play some of these girls."

Union coach Barry Divins said that the libero also would have implications off the court.

He said it could create scholarship opportunities for more girls.

"It's a way for the smaller girls to get noticed by college coaches," Divins said.

Phillips said the recent rule changes have done nothing but help the high school sport. The libero is just the latest enhancement to a high school sport growing in stature and popularity.

"It's a faster game," Phillips said. "You can't make errors. Every error costs you a point. The libero is a tremendous tool to have."

EXPLAINING THE POSITION

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High school volleyball coaches will have a new position to utilize this season: the libero. Following is a breakdown of what the libero can and cannot do on the court:

Restricted to performing as a back row player and is not allowed to complete an attack from anywhere on or off the court if, at the moment of contact, the ball is entirely above the height of the net.

May not block or attempt to block.

Prohibited from serving.

Must wear a uniform top that is immediately recognizable from all angles as being in clear contrast to and distinct from the other members of the team.

.Replacements are not counted as substitutions and are unlimited

(Source: PIAA.org)