300 Series: Skills & Drills Lab
Serve & Return Direction
Takeaways & Training Tasks
Keep the momentum rolling with these quick steps:
- Refresh your memory with the 2 skills, 2 drills, and training video.
- Knock out the drills 2ā€“3x before we meet again.
- Each time you play, pick one skill and make it your mission to useĀ it often and on purpose.
Serve
- Grip: Continental or Eastern Forehand
- Stance: Semi Open for optimal hip rotation and weight transfer
- Paddle Prep: Low to high in pendulum shape next to body
- Contact Point: Below the waist, out in front with weight transferring from
back foot to front foot - Follow Through: Out in front towards the target
Side to Side Serves
- Divide the service box into 2 Halves (FH/BH sides) with cones.
- Players set up cross court from each other on the baselines.
- Receiving player holds paddle up on either the forehand or backhand side
to distinguish the target for the server. - Serving partner targets the side determined by receiver.
- Alternate serving and calling target each time.
Return of Serve: Strategy
- Emphasis should first start with return depth to prevent drives and keep
opponents pushed back. - Best placement for return of serves are down the line or in the middle.
- Middle causes confusion but is also more favorable to the hard hitters that
drive the 3rd ball. - Down the line is most offensive but also hardest to hit with accuracy.
Return Depth/Direction
- Players set up cross court on the baselines: 1 Server, 1 Returner
- Create 3 targets in the back third of court for the returner: 1 in each outside
lane and 1 in middle. - Server will serve 3 to returners forehand who returns 1 to each target square.
- Then 3 serves to backhand to return at each target.
- Move to odd side of court and repeat.
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