My Volleying Disasters
Coming from tennis, I thought I knew how to volley. Just punch the ball forward, right?
Wrong. Pickleball volleys are completely different.
The Feet-Hitting Phenomenon
This kept happening. Ball comes at me, I'd swing down at it, and it would ricochet straight into my feet.
Sometimes it would bounce off my shoes and go over the net. Accidental winners that made me look stupider than if I'd just missed.
I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong. Seemed like I was hitting the ball fine.
Tom, this guy I play doubles with, finally said, "Stop swinging down. Hit through the ball."
Simple advice that I completely didn't understand at the time.
The Tennis Muscle Memory Problem
In tennis, you can really attack volleys. Take a big swing, put the ball away.
In pickleball, big swings at the net usually end badly.
I'd see a ball coming and my tennis instincts would kick in. Wind up, swing hard, watch the ball sail over the baseline.
Or into the net. Or into my feet.
Took months to reprogram my muscle memory. Had to consciously think "small swing" every time.
Learning Proper Volley Technique
Finally got help from Janet, who has beautiful volleys. Smooth, controlled, always goes where she wants.
The Paddle Position Revolution
Janet showed me where to hold my paddle when I'm at the net. Way higher than I was holding it.
"Paddle up, ready position," she said. "Like you're holding a shield."
I was letting my paddle drop between shots. Had to bring it up every time, which made me late on fast exchanges.
With the paddle already up, I could react much faster. Just a small movement to make contact.
This one change eliminated most of my timing problems.
The Forward Motion Fix
"Hit through the ball, not down at it," Janet explained. Same thing Tom had said, but she showed me what it meant.
Instead of chopping down, push forward through the ball. Like you're trying to place it gently over the net.
When I started hitting forward instead of down, the balls stopped going into my feet.
Also gave me much better control. I could actually aim instead of just hoping.
The Soft Hands Concept
"Soft hands" was another thing Janet kept saying. Didn't make sense until she demonstrated.
Instead of rigid arms, let the paddle give a little when the ball hits it. Absorbs some of the pace.
Like catching a raw egg. Firm enough to control it, soft enough not to break it.
This was hard to learn. My instinct was to hit harder when the ball came fast.
But soft hands actually give you more control on fast balls. Counter-intuitive but true.
Different Types of Volleys
Once I got the basics down, I learned there are different situations that need different techniques.
Attacking Volleys
When they hit the ball up to you, that's your chance to be aggressive.
But aggressive doesn't mean swing harder. It means hit it earlier and place it better.
I learned to step into these volleys and hit them before they drop too low.
Aim for open court or right at their feet. Forces them into a defensive position.
The key is recognizing when you have an attacking opportunity versus when you need to just keep the ball in play.
Defensive Volleys
When they hit a good shot right at you, you can't always attack back.
Sometimes you just need to get the ball back and reset the point.
These volleys are all about placement. Get it deep, make them work for the next shot.
I used to try to turn every volley into an attack. Led to a lot of errors.
Now I pick my spots. Defend when I need to, attack when I can.
Reaction Volleys
Fast exchanges at the net where you barely have time to think.
These are all instinct and muscle memory. Can't think your way through them.
Just try to get your paddle in front of the ball and redirect it somewhere safe.
The better your ready position, the easier these become.
I practice these by having someone feed me balls rapid-fire. Builds the reflexes.
Common Volleying Mistakes
Now that my volleys are decent, I see other people making the same mistakes I used to make.
Paddle Too Low
Most recreational players keep their paddles too low between shots.
Then they're always lifting up to make contact. Makes them late and inconsistent.
Keep your paddle up in ready position. Saves time and improves consistency.
Too Much Swing
Big swings at the net usually lead to errors.
The ball is already coming fast. You don't need to add much pace.
Small, controlled movements are way more effective.
Let the other team's pace work for you instead of trying to overpower every shot.
Wrong Footwork
Good volleys start with your feet, not your arms.
Step toward the ball when you can. Creates better angles and more stability.
I see players reaching for balls they should step to. Makes the shot much harder than it needs to be.
No Strategy
Volleying isn't just about technique. It's about shot selection.
Where you place your volleys determines what happens next in the point.
Hit to the open court when you can. Hit at their feet when they're too close to the net.
Think one shot ahead instead of just reacting to the current ball.