Control on the 1/2 Volley With Inside of Foot

Teaching Points:
  • Tuck the knee in over top of the ball ("Cover the ball with your knee"),
  • Use the inside of the foot, not the sole of the foot,
  • Hop (take off and land on the same foot) as they control the ball ('be in the air on the touch'). In general the player will be on the way down when they make contact or just making contact with the ground...although they are not always in the air on their touch when controlling with the half volley, they remain balanced and fully in control of the controlling foot. The player should be able to land and still be standing on the foot that they hopped on - this is the balance that they need to develop. This hop takes the momentum from the ball and transfers it into the player's body if they are still in the air; HOWEVER, the key is to remain on one foot while they have complete freedom to manipulate the ball with the other foot without having to worry about landing on the controlling leg,
  • Ball should land in the same spot every time if they do the footwork early .... 'between your toes' (not too far to the side or in front of the player),
  • Keep toe up and ankle locked,
  • Stay relaxed on contact ... do not kick down on the ball (in other words do not kick-start the ball back into the ground).




Progressions: 
  1. Player tosses the ball in the air only about face height ... control on the first bounce with the turn,
  2. Player tosses the ball in the air over head height ... control on the first bounce with the turn,
  3. Player tosses the ball out in front over head height ... control on the second bounce with the turn (forces players to be patient ... "wait for the bounce"),
  4. Player tosses the ball in behind over head height ... control on the second bounce with the turn (forces players to be patient and to work their feet to get close to the ball and balanced.
 Remember When Controlling the Ball From the Air

  1. Get behind the flight of the ball,
  2. The player may be able to get themselves slightly off of the ground in order to take momentum away from the ball,
  3. Relax on contact,
  4. If the first touch is not a 1/2 volley then attempt to make the second touch a ½ volley.