Slow Motion Volley Technique

Description

The volley is often a difficult skill to learn and even harder to teach since even the slightest mistake will send the ball flying in the wrong direction. What I try to do when teaching this skill is explain that a volley uses the same technique as a regular shot except the ball is now a few inches off the ground.  Take a moment to picture this and watch the video again to see what I mean. When Del Piero shoots the ball you can see that it looks just like a regular shot. The knee is over the ball and he makes good contact with his laces. To help teach this technique here are some common mistakes and their solutions:

1. Ball goes off over the goal
The easiest way to get the ball on target is to let the ball drop below your knee before making contact. This allows for your knee to be over the ball and makes it easier to keep it on frame. If you make contact before this, your natural tendancy is to kick up at the ball which makes it go over the goal. I also like to tell my kids to swing easy. It doesn't take much power to make a volley effective. It only takes good contact. Point your toe down and strike the ball with your laces.

2. Ball spins widly left/right
This usually means you have hit the ball off-center which creates spin. A simple way to get the correct placement is plant your non-kicking foot next to where you THINK the ball will land on the ground. This should put you in the right position to strike the ball properly. Just like a regular shot, your plant foot will help you position your body properly so that you can make good contact. If this does not solve the problem then it is the shooting foot that is misaligned. With practice, though, you will be able to get the right contact on the ball. Just make sure you are aligned properly and eventually you will learn the proper foot placement.