The volley shot is one of the most important shots you can master in the sport of pickleball. And as you work on it, it’ll be important that you learn the pickleball volley rules.
Pickleball is different from other racquet sports.
You can’t just hit a volley while standing anywhere on the court.
On a standard pickleball court, there are a number of pitfalls that can cause you to break a rule as you volley.
It’s a crushing feeling to hit a perfect volley and realize you are breaking one of the volley rules.
That’s what makes the volley rules so confusing and frustrating.
In this blog post, we will cover a number important topics:
1. Volley Rules and Terminology
2. Volley Techniques
3. Pickleball Kitchen & Volley Rules
4. The Double Bounce Rule
5. Volley Strategies
6. FAQs about the Volley Rules
Let’s dive in.
What is a Volley in Pickleball Rules?
A volley shot is a ball hit out of the air by a player before the ball bounces onto the court.
And in a game of pickleball, volley shots are an integral part of your success.
If you can execute a volley correctly, you will win a lot of points.
But you must know the volley rules in order to use it effectively.
Volley Rules and Terminology
There is actually a space on the pickleball court called the non-volley zone (aka the kitchen).
It’s a place where all volleys are forbidden. It’s a land of deep despair.
And it is in this dark and mysterious land that we begin our journey into the pickleball volley rules.
(cue the dramatic music)
The Pickleball Kitchen
The kitchen area (or non-volley zone) is the 7-foot section on both sides of the net on a pickleball court (which is similar to a badminton-sized court).
And many volleys are hit while standing near the kitchen.
Let’s imagine a game scenario for a minute:
You and your opponent are in a deadlock rally near the kitchen line.
At one point, you make a mistake and pop the ball up.
Your opponent hits a low and hard smash toward your feet.
If you try to smash it back at your opponent, the ball will fly out of play.
You split-step to get into ready position and you reach low, with your paddle face open slightly to the sky, and you hit a blocking volley shot that drops into kitchen.
Your opponent is caught off-guard by the soft return and they hit the ball into the net–an opponent fault.
As long as you stay just outside the NVZ line, you can use the volley.
But if you go in the non-volley zone, the rules change.
The rules of the kitchen prevent you from hitting the ball out of the air while you are standing in it.
Let’s look at 7 important kitchen rules.
7 Kitchen & Pickleball Volley Rules:
- You cannot be standing in the kitchen or on the NVZ line while you are hitting a volley. Be sure to establish both feet outside of the kitchen area before hitting your volley.
- You are allowed to stand inside the kitchen and hit the pickleball as long as it bounces first.
- If any part of your body is on the non-volley line, then you are in the kitchen.
- You can’t fall into the kitchen on the follow-through of your volley. The volleying player’s momentum can’t carry them into the kitchen.
- Your serve cannot land inside your opponent’s kitchen.
- Your paddle can move over the kitchen area as long as it does not touch the court surface, but you cannot make paddle contact with the ground in the kitchen if you hit a volley.
- Nothing can fall off of you into the kitchen after a volley. Sunglasses, your paddle, a scarf, your fake mustache–it all needs to stay on your body.
If you break any of these pickleball volley rules, you will be called for a kitchen fault.
Volleying Within the Non-Volley Zone
You will want be aware of the non-volley zone line anytime you approach your side of the net.
For a new player, it is especially easy to lose track of your location on the playing surface and hit a volley while in the NVZ.
Be aware of your feet at all times.
The best rule of thumb is to keep every part of your body out of the kitchen court surface unless the ball bounces in the kitchen zone.
It’s the simplest rule of the kitchen: don’t go in unless you need to.
If you can’t get to the ball to volley it and you have to go into the kitchen, simply let the ball bounce first.
You can step into the kitchen and hit a dink shot–which a soft shot off the bounce.
Can you volley from the kitchen in pickleball?
You cannot hit a volley while standing in the kitchen (also known as the pickleball non-volley zone).
If you go into the NVZ, you must reestablish your feet outside the area in order to hit a volley.
If you hit a volley while in the kitchen, you will be called for a fault and the rally ends.
Can you step in the no volley zone after you volley?
During your follow-through on your volley shot, you cannot fall into the non-volley zone.
If you fall in, it will be a dead ball and you will lose the point.
Even if you are standing on a part of the NVZ line while volleying, it is a fault.
The kitchen line is considered part of the non-volley zone, and if the player’s feet or any part of your body are touching the line during the act of volleying, it is illegal.
What if my paddle falls into the kitchen after I volley?
Nothing can fall off of you into the non-volley zone after a volley shot.
If you hit a hard volley and a wrist band, sunglasses, hat, paddle, or any other item falls off of you into the kitchen, you automatically lose the point.
Volley Rules Terminology
If you are a beginner pickleball player (especially former tennis players), your head is probably spinning.
What are all these strange terms?
What is an NVZ? And what does a kitchen have to do with pickleball? The kitchen is where you make your famous chili, not the place where you hit a plastic ball with a paddle.
To help you become more comfortable with pickleball volleys, here are a few, important pickleball terms:
- Non-Volley Zone (NVZ) or The Kitchen: The rectangular area of the court that stretches 7 feet from the net on both sides of the court. Volleys are not permitted inside that space on the court.
- Volley: Hitting the ball out of the air without letting it bounce.
- Forehand Volley: A volley that you hit with the front side of your paddle facing the net.
- Backhand Volley: A volley in which you make contact with the back side of your paddle facing the net.
Volley Techniques
Now that you know the rules: how can you hit a good volley?
Here are 4 keys to a good volley in pickleball:
1. Use the split-step. Right before you hit the ball, do a slight hop to put your feet in athletic position (feet shoulder width apart and hands up by your chest). This will have you ready to hit with control and power.
2. Track the ball with your eyes. I’m sure you remember your little league coach telling you: keep your eye on the ball! Track the pickleball from your opponent’s paddle all the way to your paddle.
3. Keep your backswing short. Don’t pull way back on your swing. Keep your backswing short and punch the ball, almost like you are pushing it away from you with a closed fist. Keep your paddle face square to essentially push the ball back across the court. This technique will help you control your shot and reduce faults.
4. Hit the ball at your opponent or low in your opponents court. You want to hit your volley into places that make it hard to return. A low shot will be harder to lift with any force. You can also hit it at your opponents feet to make them move out of position.
You can hit a volley with your forehand or backhand, depending on how you need to react to your opponent’s shot.
And while a volley is a simple shot, it can be difficult to master.
Practice your volley with a partner as often as you can. Even 5 minutes of practice before a match will do wonders.
Line Calls and Faults
When you are hitting a volley, you can get called for line or foot faults.
As mentioned above, you need to keep your body out of the non-volley zone and off the non-volley zone line while hitting a volley.
If you do either, you can be called for a fault.
Your opponent can make the line call if you have a foot fault in recreational play.
During tournament games, there is often a referee to make the right call.
Your volley also must stay inside the court lines. If your shot flies outside of the court, it is out of bounds and you lose the rally.
You may be wondering: what if my shot hits a court line? Is that considered in or out?
If the ball touches any part of the line, it is still “in play” and a live rally.
Serving and Receiving: Before You Can Volley
You cannot hit a volley right at the start of each new game.
A pickleball game begins with the serve.
You can use a coin toss to decide the first serving team, and then the first server will kick off the game.
As the first side prepares to serve, the serving player must stand behind the service line on the right side of the court and hit an underhand serve.
The serve attempt should be hit underhand and travel diagonally across the net and land in the diagonal service square–the proper service court on the receiving team’s side.
Each server only gets one serve attempt, except for in the event of a let–where the ball hits the top of the net but still bounces onto your opponent’s side.
If the ball hits the net and makes it over, the first player gets to hit another serve attempt toward the correct service court. If it hits the net and lands back in the server’s court, the second server (their teammate) takes over.
In doubles, members of each team will alternate turns serving and receiving. In singles play, you will alternate the receiving court depending on the serving team’s score. If their score is even, you will receive in the right hand court. If it is odd, you will receive on the left side.
After the serve lands, both teams must follow the double-bounce rule.
Double Bounce Rule
The double bounce rule is unique to pickleball, but it’s also one of its easiest rules.
When the pickleball founders–Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum–invented the game on Bainbridge Island, they realized that taller players could run directly to the net and volley any shot straight down, ending the rally quickly.
They created two rules: the double bounce rules and the non-volley zone rule (we covered this earlier in the article).
Both rules slow the game down and extend rallies by keeping players deeper in the court and reducing volley advantage.
The double bounce rule is simple: after the serve, each team must let the ball bounce once on their side before they can hit a volley shot.
When the server begins the rally, you (the receiving team) must let the ball bounce before returning it to the opposing team. When you return your shot to the serving side, the server (or the player’s partner) must also let the ball bounce once before hitting it back.
Once you follow the double-bounce rule, you can begin hitting volley shots on the next return.
Pro Tip #1: After you wait back on your first shot and hit the ball off the bounce, get to the kitchen as soon as you can. The team that gets to the NVZ line first gains the advantage in the rally.
Pro Tip #2: If you are the server, hit your serve deep into the court. Short serves allows your opponent to get closer to the kitchen–and sooner.
Strategies for Your Volley Shot
While the pickleball volley rules can seem like a hindrance, you can also use them to your advantage.
With the right strategy, you can use your volley to force your opponent into a fault.
1. Be offensive at the kitchen: No you don’t need to say nasty things to your opponent. That wasn’t what we meant by “offensive.” Instead of being aggressive with your trash talk, you should be aggressive with your shots. Hit forceful volleys that make the opponent hit difficult shots. Don’t be afraid to take a risk and hit a sharp angle to the sideline or at a part of the player’s body to force them out of position. Aim for the side of the non-volley zone. Force them to make a mistake.
2. Hit to the weak side: Your volley should be aimed at your opponent’s less dominant hand. In doubles, you could also hit it toward the weaker player and force them to take more shots in the game.
3. Use the 7-foot kitchen: While the kitchen evens the playing field in some ways, you can also use it for your advantage. You can’t volley in the kitchen–we’ve learned that. But news flash: neither can your opponent! So use that. Hit volleys that stay low and barely clear the net. They can’t move up and volley it. That means that they’ll have to let it bounce. If you keep the bounce low, they will have to hit the ball up, setting you up for a kill shot.
4. Change your pace: In baseball, a good changeup makes your fastball better. And in the sport of pickleball, you can hit your volleys at different speeds and with varying spin to keep your opponent off balance. Unpredictability is your friend.
FAQs: Pickleball Volley Rules
What is a volley in pickleball?
A volley in pickleball is a shot where the player hits the ball out the air before it bounces.
Can you volley the ball in pickleball?
Yes, you can volley the ball in pickleball. In fact, it’s important that you learn to volley well. You will need a good volley shot to progress as a player in recreational or tournament play.
How close can I be to the net to volley the ball in pickleball?
You must stay 7 feet back from the net if you are going to hit a volley in pickleball. When you are hitting a volley, your feet should be behind the non-volley zone line, which stretches 7 feet from the net on each side of the court.
Are there any restrictions on volleying in pickleball?
As mentioned above, you cannot hit a volley while standing in the non-volley zone. But beware: your forward momentum or forward motion cannot take you into the NVZ after you hit a volley. You must maintain for foot position behind the line.
Can I volley the ball from the non-volley zone in pickleball?
No, you cannot volley the ball from the non-volley zone. You must establish your feet outside the NVZ in order to hit the ball out of the air. That’s one of the main parts of the volley rules.
What happens if I volley the ball from the non-volley zone in pickleball?
If you volley the ball while in the non-volley zone, you will be called for a fault and lose the rally.
Conclusion
The volley rules are some of the most important rules of pickleball. Master them, and you are well on your way to pickleball success.
If you want to learn more about the pickleball rules or you want a great printable of the rules to take to the court, check out our post: Pickleball Rules 2023.
Or are you a pickleball beginner? Check out our Ultimate Guide to Pickleball that will help you get on the court quickly.