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.

Skill: Squaring 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.

Drill: Dink Grinder

• Perform  crosscourt & 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 you can do without making a mistake.
• Repeat to try to beat score.

Skill: Paddle Watching

• Your opponents paddle face tells you more than just watching the ball.
• As opponent is prepping to hit-pay attention to the angle of the paddle face.
• Body Positioning is key to be ready for any change of direction.
• Body Positioning: Square up to the ball. Be prepared to shift and turn when paddle face indicates a change of direction on the ball.

Drill: Hit Call

• Part #1
  • Players set up at NVZ cross court or straight on.
  • Engage in cooperative dink rally with players calling HIT every time their opponent contacts the ball.
• Part #2
  • Players set up at Baseline cross court or straight on.
  • Engage in cooperative rally with players calling HIT every time their opponent contacts the ball.