Notes & Homework

Skill: Dinking

• Contact Point:  Contact Point out in front, approx 12-15” in front of toes.  Push forward through the ball with a guiding motion.
• Weight Transfer: Allow weight to flow into your shot.  This will look more like a speed skater shifting side to side than a jack in the box bouncing up and down.  Up weight transfer will pop the ball up.
• Body Positioning:  Square up to the ball:  point your toes, hips, shoulders and paddle towards the ball.
• Hands: Soft relaxed hand with continental grip, soft stable wrist, lay back your wrist.
• Swing: Smooth even swing tempo with no backswing behind the body. Follow through pointing your paddle out in front directed at where you placed the ball

Drill: Ball to Paddle Dink- Straight On and Cross Court

• Players stand straight on skinny to each other at the NVZ.
• One player underhand tosses a ball to partner that will hit a dink back to them.
• Tossing player emphasis on good ready position to receive the ball after dink and good release forward when tossing. 
• Hitting player emphasis on good dink mechanic.
• Do this straight on and cross court. 

Drill: Dink Grinder

• Can be crosscourt or straight on at NVZ.
• Start a cooperative dink rally to see how long it can keep going.
• Play 1 min round to see how many they can do without messing up. Repeat to try to beatscore.

Skill: Square Up to the Ball

• Toes, hips, shoulders and paddle move together as a unit.
• Your complete unit should be facing wherever the ball is.
• Do not keep feet anchored to ground when pivoting to face a new direction. Pick up the feet to turn and rotate.