How to master a Half Volley
Volleys take time, effort, patience and practice - but well worth the dedication to master this skill as scoring from a half-volley is a superb and impressive achievement as a player. In football there are golden moments when a player scores an unpredictable goal using excellent skill and precision and doing this on a half-volley is a spectacular thing! In this blog, we’ll explain how best to master striking the ball on a half-volley in different game scenarios to help you develop as a player.
To strike a successful half volley, it is all about the technique used. Power can come later, but having the ability to keep your eye on the ball and strike the correct part of the ball at the correct time is key.
When would a player use a half volley in a game?
A player would use a half volley in a game to shoot at goal, make a pass to a teammate or it could be used to clear the ball from a dangerous situation. This is a valuable piece of technique to perfect as it is transferable and can be used in different game scenarios as a player.
When a player makes a successful pass or shot using the half volley technique, it always gets an applause from the crowd. Players like Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard were brilliant using this technique. The ball may get fizzed into them at pace and they would take the ball under control and just as the ball bounces, they would send the ball back to the other side of the pitch with one quick motion.
This quick and surprising play wouldn’t be possible without the half volley technique. If they volley the ball, it would probably have to travel higher in the air which would slow the speed at which the ball would get to their teammate. Taking the ball on a half-volley, the ball would likely stay just above ground level.
Take a look at this video, which breaks down the steps:
1 - Calmly watch, concentrate and keep your eye on the ball
2 - Lunge in to strike the ball and plant your non-striking foot towards the target
3 - Use your arms to keep your balance and focus
4 - Fully flex your kicking foot, lean your chest forwards and strike the ball immediately after it bounces
5 - Remember when striking the ball: Toes pointing down and strike with the laces through the centre of the ball
6 - Follow through completely as both feet should leave the ground and land on your kicking foot
How can I score using a half volley?
The first thing worth mentioning is that any player can score from a half-volley no-matter your position, it is a classic technic worth mastering for any player.
To score a goal using a half volley, the player should keep their eye on where the goal is and where the goalkeeper is positioned. The player should aim for their shoulder to be inline with where they want to shoot. The focus should then be on looking at the ball. Confidence is key, the practice you put in is well worth the reward of scoring a “screamer” on the half-volley in a match.
We Make Footballers believe in a quick, clever and attractive style of football through the thirds of a pitch. Our philosophy is based around keeping possession, fluidity of movement, playing with variation and moving the ball positively with a purpose. We firmly believe in playing where there is space and taking the most open route to goal (through, over or around the opposition) via disguised, unpredictable clever play and quick combination. Using half-volleys to move the ball around the pitch in a quick and precise way is a great way to become a stand out player and make a significant difference in a match situation. By developing players in both indoor and outdoor spaces at our centres, we are working towards a generation of technically gifted and passionate footballers.
