Teaching Points:
Progressions:
- Tuck your knee in over top of the ball (Cover the ball with your knee),
- Use the inside of the foot, not the sole of the foot,
- Hop (take off and land on the same foot) as you control the ball ('be in the air on your touch'). In general you will be on your way down when you make contact or just making contact with the ground...although you are not always in the air on your touch when controlling with the half volley, you are forcing yourself to remain balanced and fully in control of your controlling foot. You should be able to land and still be standing on the foot that you hopped on - this is the balance that you need to develop. This hop takes the momentum from the ball and transfers it into your body if you are still in the air; HOWEVER, the key is to remain on one foot while you have complete freedom to manipulate the ball with the other foot without having to worry about landing on the controlling leg,
- This the point which is different: It is easier to turn while in the air, so as you HOP, turn your body and make contact with the ball using the inside of the foot ... like an inside of the foot twist off or hook turn when the ball is on the ground,
- Ball should land in the same spot every time if you do the footwork early .... 'between your toes' (not too far to the side or in front of you),
- Keep toe up and ankle locked,
- Stay relaxed on contact ... do not kick down on the ball (in other words do not kick-start the ball back into the ground).
Progressions:
- Toss the ball in the air to yourself only about face height ... control on the first bounce with the turn,
- Toss the ball in the air to yourself over head height ... control on the first bounce with the turn,
- Toss the ball out in front of you over head height ... control on the second bounce with the turn (forces players to be patient ... "wait for the bounce"),
- Toss the ball in behind you over head height ... control on the second bounce with the turn (forces players to be patient and to work their feet to get close to the ball and balanced.
- Get behind the flight of the ball,
- The player may be able to get themselves slightly off of the ground in order to take momentum away from the ball,
- Relax on contact,
- If the first touch is not a 1/2 volley then attempt to make the second touch a ½ volley.
