Common Beginner Mistake: Volleying Too Early
Also known as: volleying before two bounces
New players often try to volley the serve or return of serve before it bounces. That is a fault under the two-bounce rule.
The two-bounce rule requires the serve to bounce once before the receiving team can hit it. The return of serve must also bounce once before the serving team can hit it. Only after both of those bounces can either side legally volley the ball out of the air. New players eager to get to the net, or excited by an aggressive style, often try to volley the return before it bounces. That is an immediate fault, no matter how well the volley was executed.
This mistake usually comes from instincts learned in other net sports like tennis or badminton, where volleying early is often rewarded. The player has not yet absorbed that pickleball specifically requires those first two bounces. It also shows up when an eager net player crowds forward right after their team serves. They then reflexively swat at the return before it has bounced.
The fix is almost entirely about patience and positioning during the first two shots of a rally. Stay back through the serve and the return, and let both bounce as required. Only start moving toward the kitchen line and looking for volley chances once the two-bounce requirement has been met.
For your first several matches, make a personal rule to stay back and let both the serve and the return bounce every single time, until it becomes automatic.
Example
A new player, excited to close in on the net right after serving, reflexively swats at the return of serve out of the air before it bounces. This results in an immediate fault.
Why it matters
Volleying before the two required bounces is one of the most common ways new players give away free points early in a rally. Often they don't even realize which rule they broke.
Common mistakes
- Rushing the net immediately after serving and volleying the return before it has bounced
- Applying instincts from tennis or badminton where early volleys are rewarded rather than penalized
In SwingVantage Motion Lab
Motion Lab does not see the ball bounce or count shots in a rally. On video, watch the opening two shots of each rally for contact made before the required bounce.
Frequently asked questions
Can I volley the return of serve if I get to it quickly?
No — the return of serve must bounce once before either side can legally volley it, regardless of how quickly a player reaches it.
Why do I keep making this mistake if I know the rule?
It is usually a habit carried over from other net sports, or simple eagerness to close toward the net right after serving. The fix is staying back and being patient through the first two required bounces.
Related terms
- Two-Bounce RuleThe two-bounce rule requires the ball to bounce once on each side before either team may volley. The serve must bounce on the return side. The return must bounce on the serving side, and only after those two bounces may either team hit a ball before it bounces.
- Beginner Rule Confusion: When You Can VolleyVolleys are illegal on the serve and the return of serve until each has bounced once. This is the two-bounce rule. After that, a volley is legal from anywhere outside the non-volley zone for the rest of the rally.
- VolleyA volley is any shot hit out of the air before the ball bounces. In pickleball it must be struck while standing outside the kitchen — the non-volley zone — making footwork and position as important as stroke mechanics.
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