Kittens and Mittens

Another mash-up today. Title contributed from one of my students - thanks, Zeb! Super flexible, fun for any age and ability. You will need some extra equipment: cones, spots, and some random way of generating low numbers such as dice or playing cards.

Players will hit from yellow cones.
Coach will feed from near/target side.

Set up two cones anywhere you want the players to hit from (yellow cones in photo). At net for working on volleys, at service line for approach shots, baseline for groundies, etc. Cones should be 4-6 feet apart forming a 'goal'.



Set up other cones/spots across the net somewhere, wherever you want the players to target. I usually start with a cross court target. I usually also let the players set up the target before they know what it is for. For example, I ask them to work together to create a target with the cones/spots of any size or shape anywhere on the deuce side of the court.

Now you are ready to roll the dice/pick a card, any card. Whatever number turns up, players must hit the target that number of times before coach gets same number of fed balls through the goal. So players are protecting their goal by hitting safely to target across net - the only way coach can earn points is if they whiff and fed ball goes through 'goal'.

This game is great played as the entire group of players vs the coach. Also great breaking up players into teams and having them compete to see which team can earn their points first. You could certainly have each player playing for themselves as well.

Once a round is won, I either have them roll again, or I move the goal to a different part of the court. So for example if Round 1 was hitting groundies cross court, Round 2 would be hitting straight ahead.