Now, let's switch gears a little bit to address a critical part of successful volleying. Mainly, deciding what to do when the balls come straight at us. Is that a challenging situation or what? What about we do, we work on volleys, how to face, because why do most people not come to the net? Right, because it can be intimidating. So this is a sort of underhanded toss and we do volleys, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait; now I am in, more at the face. If it's at the forehand, you step away, if it's at the backhand, you step away. Get your face out of the way and you replace it with your racket. But, the tossers really have to toss underhand please, and toss right to their noses, and let them get used to it because when you are charging the net, the worst thing that can happen is getting a broken nose or getting hit in the eye.
Now folks, you've got to toss it. If I was tossing at Jimmy, Jimmy, can we demonstrate? Go. I am aiming right for his nose, and if he hit a forehand, go. I am going to try my best to get it into the other side, but not consistently, go. So he doesn't know what's coming, good. Alright? So toss underhand, keep it slow, but challenging. Ready? Go. First to five, she has got to catch it, coach.
What about the situation where players are in the mid-court area and have to decide whether to take the ball out of the air with the swinging volley or step back? Let it bounce and hit a groundstroke, let's listen in once again. The first short clip shows me demonstrating a couple in a black warm up to the right of your screen.
Now, I am saying that so you will know just where the action will take place and note, that my partner is instructing me what to do by calling out, bounce, for me to bounce and hit a ground stoke, or air if I am supposed to hit it out of the air after the ball is tossed.
Now, let's watch the large group working in pairs on the same concept. It's a challenging exercise, but you will see that the key to success is based on the player's ability to adjust quickly to the incoming ball. Although, you can hear them, the feeder is still calling out; bounce or air in this drill after the ball is tossed. Note, that the best players are preparing the racquets extremely early.
That's alright. This is an advanced concept, you are doing fine. Here we go, good. Give her one air ball, come on back here. It's alright; I am going to help you. I will do it. You just relax.
Alright, let's hold on. Alright, by now, it should be abundantly clear that decision making skills are critical to effective tennis at all levels. The ball's height, speed, spin and placement must be ascertained for incoming balls, and for balls about to be hit. Players must decide how and where they are going to hit each shot as well. And remember, it is never to soon to get your beginning students to start developing their decision making skills. We hope you have as much fun trying these exercises and drills as we did.
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