Excellent drill. I teach at a local parks & rec department and also coach a local high school team. When I introduce the volley to beginners of any age, I like to use the big red/orange foamies. They are easy to see and hit. Additionally, if a student hits with a bit too much enthusiasm, you don’t have to chase them.
Brought back fond memories of INTRODUCING tennis to middle and elementary schools in Anne Arundel County, Maryland via “Quick Start” (now Under 10) during the early 2000’s… (a small group of us started the Annapolis Area Tennis School… many groups benefited and AATS became quite popular in this area)
Most of these schools had no courts so… after school and sometimes even during ‘recess’… parking lots… kids loved it and several went on the HS and even college tennis… a nice legacy to look back on…
Love it….having been doing so for years…lucky to have parking lot …other grassy spaces often available. ..great fun…good warm up…gets the feet moving. ..and eyes on the ball!
Thank you, Jorge and family. It is a good reminder about how to be resourceful and certainly keeps them more engaged on tennis activity. I had a similar aha when showing my wife how to play soccer with a tennis ball in our driveway with a Prince foam ball. It eased the pressure of ground strokes, volleys and chasing balls:-)
great volley practice , for all levels
I have my beginners to practice this, seems like when they r not standing on the other side of the net, they seem to be less distracted , and learn to bump the ball at close range and moving back.
Yes, kids do this – but on a “fooling around” level. Here you have an actual functional drill (stepping back gradually, one on two, etc.) If I saw my opponents doing this it while my kids were sitting under a tree playing with their I-phones, it would scare the hell out of me.
Back in the 80s, there were no indoor courts in India, and the cow-dung clay courts (yep) were unplayable during the rainy season. So, we did this for hours. Of course, the ball could never touch the ground because it would get wet. That’s how i learnt the continental grip 🙂
Excellent drill. I teach at a local parks & rec department and also coach a local high school team. When I introduce the volley to beginners of any age, I like to use the big red/orange foamies. They are easy to see and hit. Additionally, if a student hits with a bit too much enthusiasm, you don’t have to chase them.
We do something similar when we are indoors in the gym during the Spring season and courts are still full of snow.
Brought back fond memories of INTRODUCING tennis to middle and elementary schools in Anne Arundel County, Maryland via “Quick Start” (now Under 10) during the early 2000’s… (a small group of us started the Annapolis Area Tennis School… many groups benefited and AATS became quite popular in this area)
Most of these schools had no courts so… after school and sometimes even during ‘recess’… parking lots… kids loved it and several went on the HS and even college tennis… a nice legacy to look back on…
Love it….having been doing so for years…lucky to have parking lot …other grassy spaces often available. ..great fun…good warm up…gets the feet moving. ..and eyes on the ball!
Thank you, Jorge and family. It is a good reminder about how to be resourceful and certainly keeps them more engaged on tennis activity. I had a similar aha when showing my wife how to play soccer with a tennis ball in our driveway with a Prince foam ball. It eased the pressure of ground strokes, volleys and chasing balls:-)
What a great idea! Thank you for sharing.
Great idea! Thank you. Mom and Carly are good volleyers!
Hi Jorge
great volley practice , for all levels
I have my beginners to practice this, seems like when they r not standing on the other side of the net, they seem to be less distracted , and learn to bump the ball at close range and moving back.
Pattu
Very cool idea. This should get the kids a way of loosening up . Going to try it Thanks
Good idea. We face the same problem when we go to the state tournament: no courts available.
Yes, kids do this – but on a “fooling around” level. Here you have an actual functional drill (stepping back gradually, one on two, etc.) If I saw my opponents doing this it while my kids were sitting under a tree playing with their I-phones, it would scare the hell out of me.
Back in the 80s, there were no indoor courts in India, and the cow-dung clay courts (yep) were unplayable during the rainy season. So, we did this for hours. Of course, the ball could never touch the ground because it would get wet. That’s how i learnt the continental grip 🙂
We were doing this in the 70’s
Tony Fox