Learning how to volley a soccer ball in the net correctly will give you an edge over other players.
Most players, even advanced players, suck at volleys. They constantly hit the ball over the goal when they volley a bouncing ball and kick it weakly when they do an arial volley.
Luckily for you I can teach you how to strike a volley with accuracy, power, and most importantly, how to keep the ball from flying over the net.
How to Volley a Soccer Ball
1. Prepare for the ball
Stay on your toes with your arms out for balance. Get ready to adjust quickly because it’s hard to determine the location of the ball and the speed.
2. Put your place foot down and your shooting foot up
This should happen in a split second, right before the ball reaches you.
Angle your body so that you face your target.
Volleying correctly is all about timing. If you have perfect timing you can even volley a cross that deflects off another player.
Getting timing right takes practice and focus.
3. Strike the volley
Strike the volley like you would a standard kick (covered in our article, How to Kick a Soccer Ball. Kick the the middle of the ball and follow through.
You can use the inside of your foot or your laces to kick a volley. A laces volley is more powerful while an inside volley is more accurate.
How to Volley a Soccer Ball That’s Bouncing
When you look at most players it seems like volleying a bouncing ball (sometimes referred to as a “half-volley”) is the hardest skill in soccer.
It seems like 90 percent of half-volleys are sent flying over the crossbar.
This bothers me because mastering half-volleys is actually really easy.
I used to volley the ball over the net like everyone else until a coach gave me one simple tip “kick the ball when the ball is bouncing downwards.”
When you do a half-volley wait until the ball starts dropping before you kick. When you follow this simple rule it’s nearly impossible to kick the ball over the goal.
Other than waiting till the ball drops, kick a half-volley like a regular shot.