Durham Attack | Fundamental Skill

Basic Volleying Technique


Move to the Ball First!	Like every fundamental skill it is critical that you move to the ball first, before worrying about other parts of your body. You cannot move quickly with your arms up or out in front of you. From the ready position use your arms to help move to the spot where the ball is coming down. You need to beat the ball to the spot where you need to contact it, so that you have time to stop and set up. If you contact the ball while still moving you will commit more errors. If you are in the right position and looking up at the ball it will hit you in the hairline if you do not volley. You must move to where the ball would hit you in the hairline, in the midline of your body.
Feet	Your feet should be shoulder width apart - not too wide and not too close - but comfortably apart with knees bent slightly. Feet and hips must be square to the target you are volleying to. The accepted position in Canada is to volley with your right foot slightly forward. This gives you a better balanced position when you start setting on the run.
Mid-section	Now, let's move up to the positioning of your body's midsection. Once you have moved to the ball you must bend your knees slightly to squat underneath the ball as it is in the air. Keep you back straight, don't bend over. Then extend your body up out of the squat - simultaneously straightening your legs in order to meet the ball.
Arms	Your arms start at your sides slightly bent at your elbows in a 90 degree angle, hands forward - where you have them after you have moved to the ball. When the ball is above your head bring both arms up in front of you - as your arms come up - bring your hands together. Your elbows should be in a comfortable position angled 45 degrees in front of you, not straight out to your sides. When your hands are just above chest level they should come together so that your index fingers are close together and they form a triangle with the thumbs of both hands.
Hands	The correct hand position for the volley is for the palms of both hands to be turned up to the sky. The palms of both hands are slightly "cupped" or rounded so your hands and fingers wrap around the ball. The forefingers and thumbs of each hand form the shape of a broken triangle. The distance between your forefingers is 3x the distance between your thumbs. This hand position will ensure your arms are bent at a 45 degree angle out in front of you. Think of this triangle as a window through which to see the ball as it comes down to you. Try positioning your hands on a ball on the floor to get the position right.
Square to the Target	One more thing to emphasize before contacting the ball. Once you've determined where you need to be in order to volley, and moved there - you need to square your hips and shoulders to the target you are going to volley to - before you contact the ball. If I'm in the front row setting and the ball I want to set is coming from my back court and I know that I need to set my hitter who is in the front row with me then: 1. I identify where the ball is going to come down; and 2. I quickly move my feet to get underneath the ball; and 3. BEFORE I set the ball I face exactly where I want to volley to so that all my force and energy is concentrated (in a straight line) on getting the ball to my target; then 4. I volley the ball. (No twisting or setting sideways WHILE contacting the ball, or you may get called for directing the ball. Face your target BEFORE contacting the ball!)
Contacting the Ball	Once the ball is within reach of your hands - you will lower your body slightly into a squatted position by bending your knees. Once the ball is in your "triangle" you come out of your squat by straightening your legs and directing the ball straight back up into the air in the direction you are facing. Since you have already squared up and faced your intended target your arms and shoulders should follow through straight up staying in line with your body. When you've finished your set stop and hold your position to make sure that your arms are fully extended above your hairline. Your fingers should finish in the shape of a "broken" triangle. This is your finishing position for every volley you make. Your palms are facing upwards toward the sky with no breaking or flexing of your wrists. Check your finishing position if your volleys aren't going where you want them to go.
Self Check	Here is a simple checklist: Midline - move so that the body is aligned with where the ball is coming down and you are square to the target. It must be in the middle of you body, not to the left or to the right. Hairline - position underneath the ball so it would strike you in the hairline. Elbow line - elbows should be 45 degrees in front, not straight out to the sides. Palm line - after you volley your palms should be flat up to the ceiling. Skyline - push the ball up to the sky.

Practice Drills

Volleying is one technique you can practice on your own. Here is a simple progression of drills to learn the skill.
Hand Position	Kneel with a ball and practice placing your hands in the correct position on a ball on the floor. Do 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
Volley Against the Floor	A bouncing ball is easier to volley because it slows down as it rises is stationary when you volley it. Volley a ball straight cown onto the floor. Move you feet to position properly over the ball.
Volley With a Partner	Practice with a partner, tossing each other balls until you are both proficient enough to keep the ball going. First toss the ball straight to your partner so that your partner can focus on technique without moving. Then make you partner move slightly to the right or left.
Volley Against a Wall	Practice volleying the ball against a wall, first straight forward so that it comes back to you, then to the sides so that you must move into position.
In your Spare Time	While watching TV and around the house, volley the ball straight up, only a foot or two above your finger tips. The more times you touch the ball, the better your hands will become.