Notes & Homework

Skill: Drop Shot

• 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 forward into your shot. Load through the shot with weight transfer focusing on forward and low to create optimal ball flight.

• 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 or pronate your wrist.

• Swing: Smooth,slow, even swing tempo with no backswing behind the body. Follow through pointing your paddle out in front directed at where you placed the ball. Will feel like an extended dink.

Drill: Progressive Drop Shot Self Feed

• Player sets up 3-4 feet behind NVZ with ball basket.
• Self feed by dropping a ball in front of you and hit a drop shot into the NVZ.
• Hit 2 balls - one straight on and one cross court. Back up 2 steps and repeat 2 drop shots.
• Once you reach the baseline then work your way back up with the same pattern of 2 drops and then 2 steps forward.

Skill: Transitioning Speed & Footwork

• Speed: Do not run to the line. Controlled steps at a brisk walk with paddle out in front of you.
• Stance: Do not stop feet side by side (split step)- continue walking and adjust speed and direction if needed.
• Contact Point & Weight Transfer: Accelerate or Decelerate to accommodate hitting the ball out in front of you with your weight transfer moving through the ball.

Drill:  3 Ball Toss

• Set up 3 cones on the sideline as guides: 1 at baseline, 1 midcourt, 1 at NVL.
• 1 player at the baseline and 1 player at NVZ.
• Can be done straight on or cross court.
• NVZ player underhand tosses a ball to each cone depth.
• Baseline player hits drop from baseline, proceeds to next cone and hits drop midcourt, proceeds forward and hits a dink at NVZ.
• Focus is on transitioning speed and gathering footwork.