Volley
Forehand volley
A compact forehand volley to block, place or accelerate the ball without losing position.
Technique
Use a high, compact ready position.
Turn your shoulders briefly and contact in front.
Recover immediately to the middle.
Common errors
Preparing as if hitting a baseline drive.
Dropping the paddle before contact.
Reaching too far across and leaving the middle open.
Tactics
Block when you receive more pace than you can create.
Aim at the gap before seeking power.
Keep your pair connected after the volley.
Progression
Cooperative volleys.
Two directions with targets.
Random blocks and accelerations.
Drills
Take it onto court
Paddle in front
Reduce preparation
Volley from a short distance without taking the paddle behind the line of your body.
Block or press
Choose your intention
The feeder varies height. Block low balls and accelerate only high ones.
Educational reference · Rubric v1
What each score means
This rubric explains what to look for in a shot; reading it is not an individual assessment. Its descriptors do not certify your level and are not PPP Performance Assessment results, which retain each assessment’s source and results separately.
Technique
Cannot yet prepare compactly, contact in front and recover quickly on the forehand; outcomes are unpredictable.
Can prepare compactly, contact in front and recover quickly on the forehand occasionally, but cannot sustain it through a series.
Can prepare compactly, contact in front and recover quickly on the forehand at moderate pace with predictable difficulty.
Can sustain the ability to prepare compactly, contact in front and recover quickly on the forehand under pressure, with variation and small adjustments.
Can consistently prepare compactly, contact in front and recover quickly on the forehand in real, competitive play.
Consistency
Cannot yet repeat solid volleys without increasing swing size; outcomes are unpredictable.
Can repeat solid volleys without increasing swing size occasionally, but cannot sustain it through a series.
Can repeat solid volleys without increasing swing size at moderate pace with predictable difficulty.
Can sustain the ability to repeat solid volleys without increasing swing size under pressure, with variation and small adjustments.
Can consistently repeat solid volleys without increasing swing size in real, competitive play.
Control
Cannot yet block or accelerate by adjusting grip and swing length; outcomes are unpredictable.
Can block or accelerate by adjusting grip and swing length occasionally, but cannot sustain it through a series.
Can block or accelerate by adjusting grip and swing length at moderate pace with predictable difficulty.
Can sustain the ability to block or accelerate by adjusting grip and swing length under pressure, with variation and small adjustments.
Can consistently block or accelerate by adjusting grip and swing length in real, competitive play.
Placement
Cannot yet target the body, middle or gap while maintaining court coverage; outcomes are unpredictable.
Can target the body, middle or gap while maintaining court coverage occasionally, but cannot sustain it through a series.
Can target the body, middle or gap while maintaining court coverage at moderate pace with predictable difficulty.
Can sustain the ability to target the body, middle or gap while maintaining court coverage under pressure, with variation and small adjustments.
Can consistently target the body, middle or gap while maintaining court coverage in real, competitive play.
Decision-making
Cannot yet distinguish a volley to block from one to apply pressure with; outcomes are unpredictable.
Can distinguish a volley to block from one to apply pressure with occasionally, but cannot sustain it through a series.
Can distinguish a volley to block from one to apply pressure with at moderate pace with predictable difficulty.
Can sustain the ability to distinguish a volley to block from one to apply pressure with under pressure, with variation and small adjustments.
Can consistently distinguish a volley to block from one to apply pressure with in real, competitive play.
Player Development
Connect this shot to your development
Connect what you learn to your match play: choose a situation, try the practice suggestions and review what you notice afterwards.