Volley Techniques
Volley technique is a difficult soccer skill to master, but volleys have produced many spectacular goals. As well as goal scoring, volleys can be used for passing, and kicking the ball away from danger in your own area. In tight situations, it is often better for a defender to volley the ball away than to try to control the ball at a difficult height. The kicking techniques used for the full volley is different from the half volley, and the side volley pass.
One of the secrets of great volleys is the swivel motion. Start from a square position with both feet a comfortable distance apart. Then, without moving your feet twist your upper body to the right until your left shoulder is facing directly in front of you. Next, twist back to the right until your right shoulder is facing in front of you. This is the swivel motion that can improve your volleying technique, and it can be practised without a ball. Another way of thinking of this twisting motion is as a corkscrew. For a left-footed volley twist first to the right, and then to the left.
Keeping the ball down is one of the worst problems with volleying technique. As with all kicking skills watching the ball, and keeping the head down helps, but it is important to try to keep the knee over the ball.