Volley (association football)

In general, the volley requires that the player strike the ball with the front of his foot, with the toes pointing downward, ankle locked, and the knee lifted.

It is important for most applications to keep the knee high over the ball when struck, and lean slightly forward to keep the shot downward.

Because of the power and spin imparted on the ball, the shot can follow an unpredictable path to goal and prove difficult to defend against.

Used defensively, the volley can quickly clear the ball from play and allow the defending team to recover their position.

When the heel is used to volley the ball over the player's head (from back to front) it is often referred to as a "donkey kick".