Shots & strokes
Volley
Hitting the ball out of the air before it bounces. Legal everywhere except inside the non-volley zone.
A volley is any shot hit before the ball bounces. In pickleball, volleys are legal anywhere on the court EXCEPT inside the non-volley zone (the kitchen).
Most attacking shots in doubles are volleys: punch volleys, roll volleys, putaway volleys. Knowing when to volley vs. let the ball bounce is one of the core skills of the game.
Related terms
Kitchen
The 7-foot zone on either side of the net where players cannot volley the ball. The defining strategic feature of pickleball.
Kitchen violation
Any contact with the non-volley zone — feet, body, or paddle — while volleying or as momentum carries the player in. Loses the rally.
Punch volley
A short, compact volley — no swing, just a punch through the ball. Used to redirect attacks and end exchanges at the kitchen line.
Roll volley
A volley with topspin brushed over the ball — used to dip the ball at an opponent's feet from the kitchen line.