Speaker: Now let's take a quick look at a way to add some real visual interest and excitement at beginning levels. No, make that at all levels. The example that you will see next is what I like to call a Comet Ball. Now to make one exceptionally easy you just tie a juggling scarf onto a tennis ball. Juggling scarves are so durable that will last practically forever. They are also very affordable and easy to find. Here is how you start. You tie one onto a ball and then as you see we will be tying another one onto this one to create a comet ball.
A couple of other ideas for using juggling scarves turned into comet balls are varieties of throw and catch games plus even regular tennis with or without racquets.
Now while we are on this topic let me add. That we shouldn't underestimate the importance of adding entertainment value to tennis practice. You may not want to go as far as Walt Disney went but the following quote from Walt Disney is certainly worth keeping in mind. He said, "I prefer to entertain people in the hope that they learn rather than teach them in the hope that they are entertained."
Now let's look at a segment that is terrific to help beginning and the intermediate players experiment with and better understand racquet speed and ball control.
Let's talk about racquet head speed. Now let's assign a number of one to ten. Now for me here is the number one, and here is the number ten. Here is a seven. Let's assign numbers from racquet head speed. So when you are working with your students you can say, hey, let's slow down. That was about a seven let's slow down to a five. If they are becoming inconsistent for example. Let's go ahead.
Female Speaker: This is number seven.
Male Speaker: Say the number before you hit.
Female Speaker: Number five.
Male Speaker: Number five, seven.
Female Speaker: Seven.
Male Speaker: Ten.
Male Speaker: Is that really a ten, come on, give us a ten. Do a few more. Give some numbers the accurate. And they should see that a ten becomes more inconsistent. When your players do each drill from reference points that help you lock into that technique correctly to adjust it without the explanation.
Remember earlier we talked about that. You said you want to keep your words down to 42 words. Well, how can you do that? This would be three or four words. Slow down your racquet head speed. How is your racquet head speed on that? Merry James, alright, and she can say all I am not sure. Well, what the number he think it was, she can say, well, it's seven, how about a five and then on the next point she slows down.
Speaker: The drill you just saw is absolutely powerful. Players who understand both their own capabilities and their own limitations are better players no doubt about it.
Transcription by:
Scribe4you Transcription Services