The volley is the most important shot in pickleball. If you can control the net, you control the point. Yet many players — even experienced ones — neglect their volley practice in favour of working on serves, drives, and dinks. That's a mistake.
Over my 22 years of coaching, I've seen countless players transform their game simply by dedicating focused time to their pickleball volley drills. The net is where points are won and lost, and these five drills are the ones I return to again and again with players of all levels at our Pickleball Camp sessions.
Why Volleys Matter So Much
In doubles pickleball — which is how most Australians play — the team that establishes position at the non-volley zone (the kitchen line) first has a significant advantage. From there, the game becomes a battle of quick exchanges, soft hands, and precise placement. If your volleys are inconsistent, you'll give up easy points even when you've done the hard work of getting to the net.
Strong volleys also create psychological pressure. When your opponents know you're solid at the net, they're forced into more difficult passing shots and lobs, which increases their error rate. In short, better volleys make everything else easier.
Drill 1: The Wall Rally
What it develops: Paddle control, reflexes, and consistent contact point.
Stand about two metres from a solid wall and volley the ball continuously against it. Start with a forehand-only rally, then switch to backhand-only, then alternate. Aim for 30 consecutive volleys without the ball hitting the ground.
The key here is keeping your paddle out in front of your body — not swinging, but blocking and redirecting. The wall returns the ball quickly, which forces you to stay compact and react rather than wind up. I use this drill at the start of every camp session as a warm-up because it immediately gets players into the right volley mindset: short backswing, firm wrist, eyes on the ball.
Progression: Move closer to the wall to increase the speed of the rally. Once you're comfortable at one metre, you'll notice a dramatic improvement in your reaction time during match play.
Drill 2: The Catch-and-Feed Volley
What it develops: Soft hands, touch, and the ability to take pace off the ball.
This drill requires a partner. Stand at the kitchen line while your partner feeds balls from the baseline with moderate pace. Instead of hitting the ball back hard, your goal is to volley it so softly that it barely clears the net and dies in the kitchen.
Think of it as "catching" the ball on your paddle face and redirecting it gently. The key technical point is loosening your grip slightly on contact — around a 4 out of 10 grip pressure — so the paddle absorbs the incoming pace rather than reflecting it back.
This is one of the most important pickleball volley drills because it teaches the difference between blocking and attacking. In a real game, not every volley should be hit hard. The best net players have the ability to switch between a firm punch volley and a soft reset volley, and this drill builds that versatility.
Progression: Have your partner vary the pace and height of their feeds. Work on dropping fast balls and lifting low balls, all while keeping them in the kitchen.
Drill 3: The Two-Touch Volley Exchange
What it develops: Consistency, positioning, and sustained net play.
Both players stand at the kitchen line, about a metre behind it. Volley the ball back and forth with one rule: the ball must bounce no more than zero times (true volley exchange). Count your consecutive volleys. Start with a target of 20, then work up to 50, then 100.
This drill teaches you to maintain a ready position between shots — paddle up, knees slightly bent, weight forward on the balls of your feet. Most amateur players drop their paddle between volleys, which costs them precious milliseconds on the next shot. During this drill, there's no time for that habit, so it gets trained out naturally.
I run this drill extensively at camp and it's always a revelation for players. The first attempt usually falls apart around 8-10 rallies. By the end of the camp, most pairs are consistently hitting 40-50 without a miss.
Progression: Add directional targets — one player hits crosscourt only, the other hits down the line. This builds the accuracy component into your volley consistency.
Drill 4: The Rapid-Fire Triangle
What it develops: Reflexes, footwork, and multi-directional volleys.
This is a three-player drill. Two feeders stand at the kitchen line on opposite sides, while the drilling player stands at the kitchen line in the centre. The feeders alternate hitting volleys to the centre player, who must return each ball to the feeder it came from.
The centre player is constantly pivoting, adjusting their paddle angle, and redirecting balls to different targets. It's physically demanding and mentally engaging — exactly the kind of pressure you face in a real doubles rally when both opponents are firing volleys at you.
Start at a moderate pace and increase the speed as the centre player becomes more comfortable. Rotate positions every two minutes so everyone gets a turn in the hot seat.
Progression: Feeders can vary between hard drives and soft dinks to test the centre player's ability to adjust their touch in real time. This mimics the changing pace of a real rally and is one of the most game-like pickleball volley drills you can practise.
Drill 5: The Volley-to-Win Drill
What it develops: Decision-making, shot selection, and finishing ability.
Play a modified game where points start with both teams at the kitchen line. One team feeds a volley to start the point, and from there it's live play — but the ball must not bounce at any point during the rally. If the ball bounces, the team that let it bounce loses the point.
This drill forces you to develop the full spectrum of volley skills: blocking, punching, rolling, dropping, and angling. More importantly, it trains your decision-making. When should you speed the ball up? When should you reset? When should you go for the put-away? These are the split-second choices that separate good net players from great ones.
Play to 11 points, switching sides at 6. This drill is competitive, fast-paced, and incredibly fun — which is why it's always a highlight of our camp sessions.
Progression: Allow one bounce per team before the no-bounce rule kicks in. This adds a dink element and makes the transition from soft play to volley warfare even more realistic.
Putting It All Together
The best approach is to work through these drills in order, starting with the Wall Rally as a warm-up and building to the Volley-to-Win game as a finishing exercise. Dedicate 20-30 minutes per session, three times a week, and you'll see meaningful improvement within a fortnight.
At Pickleball Camp in the Hunter Valley, we spend significant time on volley development because it's where the biggest gains are made. If you want hands-on coaching on these drills and more, join our next camp and experience the difference that focused, expert-led practice makes.
See you at the net.