What is a Pickleball Volley – Tips to Play it Like a Pro

A volley in Pickleball is a shot that you hit in the air prior to bouncing the ball on the ground. It is an aggressive type of shot and is easy as well. You can use it to keep your opponent’s deep at the back of their court side.

But its tory doesn’t ends here. Instead, there is a lot of important information behind just such as its difference with other shots, technique of hitting it and its rules etc. So, let us shed some light on them to strengthen your volley concept.

What Does Volley Mean in Pickleball?

In Pickleball, “Volley” refers to a specific type of shot where the ball is hit in the air before it bounces on the ground.

It involves striking the ball before it touches the surface of the pickleball court.

Players commonly use volley when they hit the ball high or when players are positioned near the net.

Why is a Volley Important in Pickleball?

Wait!

Were you just thinking that volley is like striking the ball in the air and that is it?

If yes then you are wrong because this Pickleball shot has got you some important points to understand as well.

So, majority of the players like volleying in Pickleball because of its given importance:

• A volley is relatively easy to hit if you have got some experience in Pickleball.
• You can keep the opponent at their toes deep into their court with a strong volley.
• Want speedy matches? If yes then volley is a great option to consider for flying your ball like the speed of light.
• A strong volley provides you an edge of controlling the shots at the net.
• Effective volleys can pressurize your opponents to make Pickleball faults by not giving them enough time to react.

How to Volley in Pickleball?

Do you know a secret sauce to the faster rallies in Pickleball?

If not then why not let me share it with you. You can speed up the rallies by controlling the area around the net.

Yes, you heard it right and it is truly possible with the help of an effective Pickleball volley.

That is why you should learn how to volley in Pickleball. There are no hard and fast rules of doing so as we have kept things simplest for you.

You can master volleying in Pickleball by following the fast pass steps:

• Acquire a Pickleball ready position because volley needs you to take quicker actions. So you should be ready every time for it by keeping your legs shoulder-width apart, knees bent, facing forward, and paddle up at the chest.

• Opponents can ruin things by hitting the shots near the non-volley zone or net if you are far from the net area. So try to be a step behind the non-volley zone line to  control the net.

• Hold your paddle towards 10 or 11 o’clock if you are  a right-handed person. However, keep it towards the 1 or 2 o’clock in case you are a left-handed player. Doing so will help you keep your hands ready and fast for the reactions. Also, you can easily switch between forehands and backhands.

• You should hold the paddle with a hammer grip to keep the paddle in its ready position. You can adjust the pressure on the ball according to your distance from the net and whether you want a soft or a powerful shot. It would be good to use the pinkie, ring and middle finger for stabilizing. However, use the index finger and thumb for an accurate control on your volleys.

•  It would be good to swing from your shoulders and avoid backswing to control the power and grip. Go for a short motion without relying on your wrist to keep the paddle in a good position and avoid hard volleys. 

When Should You Volley in Pickleball?

Here are some effective situations when you should consider a volley in Pickleball:

• When you are at the net and the ball is arriving at your side.
• You want to speed-up the game.
• To displace opponents from their dominant positions.
• You get a really high ball on your side.
• When you need to put your opponents into a guessing position.

Where Should You Hit Your Volleys?

Volleys can prove more fruitful if you pay some attention to its strategic places such as where to hit it.

I practice targeting different places for an effective volley. While doing so, I found the given targets helpful:

• At your opponent’s feet.
• At your opponent’s hip and shoulders.
• Deeply back into the opponent’s court when they are at the back of the court.

Types of Pickleball Volleys

You can try these different types of volleys and choose the best of them according to your preferences:

1. Pickleball Punch Volley

It is an aggressive type of volley.

You can hit this punch volley by hitting the ball through the center of the paddlelike you are punching the ball. Its purpose is to aggressively pass the ball over the net with a slightly faster speed. 

2. Pickleball Roll Volleys (Topspin Volleys)

The roll volley means a volley having a top spin. It is quite difficult for the opponents to return.

You can hit it conveniently by swinging the paddle in the upward motion while you are hitting the ball.

3. Pickleball Drop Volleys (Block Volleys)

Drop volley is a bit slower type of volley. You can hit it easily by just slightly touching the ball in a way that it just clears the net and lands on the opponent’s side.

The purpose of a drop volley in Pickleball is to slow down the speed of the match.

You may also want to know about Pickleball Drop Serve.

4. Pickleball Dink Volleys

When you are close to the net then why not take advantage of this position?

It is the main objective of this drink volley. It helps you land the ball softly in the opponent’s kitchen.

Related: Pickleball Dink Serve

5. Pickleball Backhand Volley

It is an essential shot that requires skill and precision.

You can perform it when the ball comes towards your backhand side. While playing it, you must react quickly to hit it.

Also Read: Pickleball Backhand Serve

Rules For Volleying In Pickleball

These volleying rules in Pickleball are essential to understand for keeping the play fair:

• You are not allowed to volley inside the non-volley zone.
• It is prohibited to step on the kitchen line or inside this zone.
• It is a fault if your momentum causes you to enter the non-volley zone after you have hit the volley.
• You can enter into the non-volley zone anytime when you are not volleying.

What Happens if you Enter the Non-Volleyball Zone (NVZ) When Volleying?

As we discussed earlier to stay outside the non-volley zone during volleying, try to not enter here. Otherwise, you will earn a fault and ultimately lose a score or a serve.

You have to ensure anything you wear or carry doesn’t touch the non-volley zone line or enter into it. Similarly, don’t touch a partner who has just made the non-volley zone fault. Its reason is that you will lose scores as a result of it.

Can You Serve and Volley in Pickleball?

No. You are not allowed to serve and volley simultaneously in Pickleball. Its reason is that a serve needs to be bounced and that it should touch the ground according to the double bounce rule.

Accordingly, you have to let the ball bounce and touch the ground once on your side and once on the receiver side before hitting it. But a volley is hitting the ball without letting the ball bounce.

So there are differences among them and that is why you can’t do both at one time. Otherwise, you can hit a volley after a served ball has bounced.

Wait for One Bounce Per side

You have to follow a double bounce rule in Pickleball.

It clearly states that first you (the server) should let the ball bounce on his/her side. Then the opposing receiving team should let the ball bounce at least once on their court’s side before hitting it.

These two bounces sum up to be 2 and the rule is collectively called the double bounce rule.

Don’t Volley Out of the Court

You are not allowed to hit a volley out of the court premises or the court boundaries. Otherwise, you know very well what will happen to you as a result of violating the Pickleball rules.

You will be at fault and then lose the score or the serve. If you lose the serving opportunity then the condition would be called a sideout in Pickleball.

5 Tips to Improve Pickleball Volleys

Here are five helpful tips to improve Pickleball volleys:

• Always be in a ready position. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart with your knees slightly bent.
• Decide before the volley arrives where to hit the ball. Otherwise you may miss hitting it as volleys are really fast eliminating your thinking time.
• Practice drills as much as possible. We can’t iterate much on the importance of the positivity that a good practice can bring to the table.
• Try to keep your paddle up at least at your chest level. Doing so will keep you prepared for any type of incoming shots. This way, you don’t have to waste time in achieving a paddle ready position and then hitting the shot.
• An average grip is good for an effective volley. Its reason is that if you hold the paddle too tightly then you will lose the flexibility. Similarly holding it loosely will result in less control on your shots.

How to Improve Your Volley Reflexes and Reactions?

I generally follow the given practical tips to improve my volley reflexes and reactions. You can achieve the same practicing these:

• Switch your continental grip with other ones according to the timely needs.

• Don’t step unnecessarily whenever the ball is arriving at your side. Otherwise, you will end up with nothing.

• Analyze what type of shots your opponents are hitting to your partner. But try to not completely rotate your head towards them because they will get suspicious and ultimately aware of your strategy.

• Keep your legs at a shoulder-width apart most of the time when your opponent is just returning the ball to your side.

• Tilt the paddle slightly towards 11 o’clock. It is the best position to hit powerful volleys.

How to Volley Like a Pro in Pickleball?

You need to practice the given things if you want to volley like a pro in Pickleball:

• Swing from your shoulders with a small steady motion.
• Keep your arm extended.
• Prevent using your wrist or pulling back your paddle.

FAQs: Volleying in Pickleball

1. How do you volley in Pickleball for beginners?

Beginners can conveniently hit the volley in Pickleball by staying near the net. Then hitting the ball before letting it bounce using a controlled swing.

2. What is a half volley in Pickleball?

A half volley in Pickleball means a volley which you hit a bit lower to the ground after the ball bounces.

Final Thoughts on Pickleball Volley

Now, you know clearly what is volley in Pickleball, how to hit it, and how to hit a drop shot. But remember not to leave practice drilling as it is the major fundamental of creating a strong Pickleball portfolio.