Notes & Homework

Skill: Overhead Smash

• Contact Point: Out in front, reach up to contact the ball out in front and snap over the ball with your wrist.
• Weight Transfer: Use your legs and body rotation for power.
• Body Positioning: Drop back with forehand side foot turning sideways. Side slide to get behind the ball NO BACK PEDALING.
• Hands: Non dominant hand up reaching for ball, paddle up behind your head.
• Swing: Reach up high for this ball. Don’t let it drop too far. You want to snap over the top of it. 

Skill:  Defending the Overhead

• Contact Point: Out in front, and typically low.
• Weight Transfer: Allow weight to flow into shot. Use weight to direct the ball rather than swing at it.
• Body Positioning: Athletic stance with weight forward.
• Hands: Soft hands and wrist to provide shock absorber for ball.
• Swing: Push this ball forward. Avoid swinging up at this ball.

Drill: Defending the Overhead

• 1 Player at NVZ, 1 Player at transition zone straight on skinny.
• Transition Zone player feeds an overhead to partner.
• NVZ player hits COOPERATIVE overhead. TZone player hits neutralizing shots back attempting to get them to land in NVZ.

Skill: Running Down the Lob

• Footwork: Drop back with right or left foot depending on the side the lob is going over. Turn with other foot to face baseline and run back behind and to the side of the ball like a question mark. DO NOT BACK PEDAL!!!
• Contact Point: Let the ball drop down approx knee height to hit a drop shot.

Drill: Run, Baby Run

• Players stand straight on at NVZ. One player tosses a lob over their partner's head.
• Part #1: Partner runs down the lob and catches it out in front of them.
• Part #2: Partner runs down the lob and hits a drop shot back to opponent. Players alternate on who is running down the lob.