Volley On The Move

Many of my students come to me as beginners - 'never-evers'. As such, they all love volleys because the volley is one shot in tennis that has the potential for immediate success. If I do my job and toss the ball to just the right spot, I can get a five-year-old hitting winning volleys during their first lesson. And therein lies the problem: it's too easy!

Volley on the Move is a drill by teaching pro Joey Rive, featured in a recent issue of Tennis magazine. Joey addresses the 'too easy' problem with many standard volley drills. I love that his drill is a live ball drill and thus gets players out of their comfort zones. You will need at least two players who can hit cross court and rally.

Both players start at deuce side baseline. They begin a cross court rally. One player remains at the baseline. The other player, who is working on their volleys, takes a few steps toward the net after every ball. Note we are not demanding this player hit every shot as a volley; only that they move in after every shot. As this player moves closer to the net, decisions become more challenging: to volley or not to volley? Half volleys and swinging volleys are okay. The point is to handle themselves well while on the move toward the net.

Touch Meister

This drill is a modified ball machine drill, originally named 'Mr. & Mrs. Touch', from Inaki Balzola in the Sept/Oct 2014 issue of TennisPro Magazine. I took liberties with the name to avoid giggle fits with my junior players. As you might suspect, the goal is to improve touch shots at the net. Good for all levels, minimum 4 players. You will need some spots or other court markers.

Two players are at the net. Remaining players are at the opposite baseline divided equally among ad and deuce sides. Coach is behind net players feeding from the T. Mark off two target areas in the outer net quarter of each service box. In other words, the quarter of the box closest to net and alley.

Alternate feeds to baseline players ad/deuce. Baseline players must hit cross court. Net players attempt soft volleys to targeted areas.

Each baseline player gets three feeds. Points awarded to baseline player when net player misses. Points awarded to net player when baseline player misses, or when net player's volley hits inside target.

You can run this for a specified time period, or until one player reaches X points, then rotate until all players have had a chance at both net positions.

Net Work

This simple but effective drill idea is from the 3rd Toad tennis blog. Its purpose is to get players comfortable with coming in to the net. Works for both singles and doubles. Also great for fitness and footwork.

Two players rally from the baseline cooperatively. After the third rally, one player moves in to the net and point is played out competitively.

For more than two players, divide players into more or less equal groups and have them rotate in after every point. Continue until all players have had a chance at both positions.

Variation: baseline player who wins point trades places with net player.

Volley Control Drill

Lauren Stewart's third suggestion for 2.5 drills is this volley drill. In addition to consistency and backhand skills, she said beginners need to work on their volley skills. You will need some throw down targets.

Players pair up away from the net, facing each other 5-10 feet apart. One partner will be tossing balls for the other to volley. The throw down target should be just in front of the volleying partner as a reminder to take a step forward with each volley (make sure they recover after hitting). First team to get to X in a row, wins. Change roles and repeat.

Note only one ball per team is used. If they miss, they have to chase down their ball. Great for warming up!

Progression

• Use net between partners
• All forehands
• All backhands 
• First ball racquet fed, not hand tossed
• Score resets to zero if any misses

Breakout

No, it's not Ebola, or acne. Breakout is my own mash-up of Jailbreak and Net Monster.

All players begin on one baseline. Coach feeds ball to one player at a time. If player misses, he/she comes over to coach's side and plays at the net. If net player hits a winner, he/she is back in line.

You can accommodate 5-6 players at net safely on 60- or 78-foot court; 4-5 on 36-foot court max. If you get more than this, don't do it - it isn't safe. Just have the extra players wait until a spot opens up for them when another player hits a winner and rejoins the line.

Goal is to be the last player standing on the original end (not the net side) and hit a ball in that is not intercepted by the net players.

DTL Champs

DTL (Down The Line) Champs is from Inaki Balzola, in the May/June 2014 issue of TennisPro Magazine. It is presented as a ball machine drill.

Machine/pro feeds from service line. Players are arranged on ad and deuce baseline across net. Players hit one approach, then two volley shots. They are trying to hit targets straight ahead/down the line at the opposite baseline. One point for balls hit just behind the service line out wide; two points for balls hit at baseline near the hash mark, and three points for any hit in the deepest wide corner where singles line and baseline intersect. See chart below for a way better explanation of the points targets.

Players rotate into opposite lines to get experience hitting from both sides of court. Player with most points at end of round wins.

Net Gain

Net Gain is my name for Alejandro Ciffoni's series of net drills in the May/June 2014 issue of

TennisPro Magazine. You will need at least four players.

Two players are at net. The other two are across the net at the service line. Goal is to rally 8-12 times with the player straight ahead of you.  Net player is aiming for a spot (real or imagined) in the middle of the service box. Net player should attempt to hit a variety of shots to the returning player's backhand and forehand. Once rally goal is met, players switch spots.

When all players have met the first goal, move returners location to halfway between service line an baseline. Net player is now aiming for service line area. Repeat exercise until all players have had a chance at both positions.

Finally, move returners to baseline. Net players are aiming for the mid-court area.

Remind your players this is a cooperative activity to achieve the rally goal, not an opportunity for the net player to blast winner after winner.

If your players are not to the level where they can return these volleys effectively and maintain a rally, set up a generous target for them to aim at instead and make it a target goal rather than a rally goal.

Ultimate Volley Drill

Ultimate Volley Drill by Inaki Balzola appeared in the Jan/Feb 2013 issue of PTR's magazine. It

was presented as a ball machine drill but is easily adapted if you don't have a machine handy. Coach can take the place of the machine. You can do this drill with as few as three students. Students should be able to rally volleys.

Volley Caterpillar

What is it with tennis drills and caterpillars? There are at least a couple more caterpillar-named activities in this blog if you have the time to search for them. This one I stole from Tedi Doncheva, a pro at Rock Hill Tennis Center in Rock Hill, SC. Thanks, Tedi! Good for any beginners working on their volley shot.

Place several spots in a diagonal line near the net. First spot should be closest to net; last spot should be across court, at a spot farthest back from net where player may be likely to hit a volley. All spots should be in front of service line.

Closest spot is designated caterpillar's tail. Farthest spot is caterpillar's head. Players begin at closest spot. If they hit volley safely into play, they advance one spot. If they miss, they go back to tail spot. Goal is to be first player to advance from tail to head. Once this is accomplished by someone, rearrange spots so that they are running the opposite direction on the court. So for example if the 'tail' was closest to net on deuce side of court and 'head' was near service line on ad side, rearrange so that 'tail' is now closest to net on ad side and 'head' is now near deuce side service line.

My addition:
After two rounds of all players hitting volleys, consider having at least one player on the other side of the net attempting to return any of the volleys hit by the caterpillar players.

Approach Drill

Mining Oliver Stephens' recent article in TennisPro Magazine for all it is worth! Here's a twist on a

dead ball drill that Stephens feels makes it more realistic for working on approaching the net. Players should be able to rally with a variety of shots, so advanced beginner and higher.

Two players begin at the baseline. One bounce-feeds a ball and follows it in to the net. This player's job is to become comfortable following a ball in and works on his/her volleys and overheads.

The other player should hit the first three rallies as follows: two ground strokes, then a defensive lob (ideally playable by net player).

I have tried this drill and like it. I have found my non-feeding players tend to tighten up when they see the opponent charging into the net from the baseline. Teaching opportunity: to have them hit quality ground strokes as if the opponent were still at the baseline.

Six Pack Swinger

Let's just say I had lots of options when
Googling an image to go with this post

This drill appeared in TennisPro magazine. It was suggested as a ball machine drill by Julien Heine. Great for working on volley skills with any size group.

One at a time, players begin at the T. Coach is across the net feeding them six high balls/lobs in succession. First ball must be a swinging volley approach shot. Next four should be volleys alternating forehand and backhand. Last ball should be taken as an overhead.

Double Trouble

Double Trouble originally was a ball machine drill suggested in TennisPro Magazine by Inaki Balzola, PTR's International Director. It's a great doubles drill for large groups. Players should be able to rally.

One player is at ad side baseline; coach is at same baseline on deuce side. All other players are at the net post. Coach feeds first ball to first player waiting at net post. This player volleys the ball back toward the coach. Coach feeds second ball cross court; same player must run and volley toward player waiting at baseline.

Player at baseline lobs this volley over net player. Net player runs down the lob, returns it with a lob of their own, goes to end of player line. Note baseline player does not have to play this ball. Coach then stars the process all over again with next player waiting in line.

Continue for a set time or until X amount of lobs have been hit by either player; then rotate a different player into the baseline position.

Variation
Eliminate first fed volley; volleying player only gets one ball fed before baseline player returns it with a lob.

Smashmouth

This is such a fun game from PTR Master Professional Daniel Breag. Simple and action-packed. Plus, I like the name.

Four players at service lines. One starts the point with a bounce feed. Point is played out. Ball must stay within service boxes. Each player serves 4 times. Team with most points after 16 serves is the winner.

Full disclosure: Daniel said a couple different times that this was a 32 point game, so either my math skills are lacking (likely) or I misunderstood his instructions (also likely). In any case, this activity is great for a warm-up, great for quick hands, great for working on volleys and using the continental grip.

If you have more than 4 players but only one court, divide them into teams and have them rotate after every 4 points/feeds.

Variations

• Make it harder by restricting strokes - all volleys, all backhands, etc.
• Start play with a 'drop' ball - feeder places ball on racquet, then gently rolls it onto other side of net to begin point.

Spiders and Snakes

So apparently the 1973 Skylab
mission has a tennis connection

This is what I deserve for Googling 'snake tennis drill'. . . but this one is a cute idea from . Good for groups of 4-6 or more. Players should be able to rally.
www.ncacoach.org

Two players are designated 'spiders' and are stationed at the net. All others ('snakes') are lined up at the opposite baseline. Snakes play against the two Spiders one vs. two. Coach feeds first ball to Snake #1. Snake #1 cannot lob the first ball. Players play out the point. If Snake wins, Snake moves up to T and gets second ball fed. If Snake wins second point, he/she takes place of one of the Spiders, who now is one of the Snakes. When game is over, Snakes pick up all balls.

Original instructions did not specify which Spider is replaced by Snake who won 2 points in a row. Suggest the Spider who made the error is the one who is now a Snake.

The Snake

This was the only snake pic I could bear
to include. Available here.

The 11-17 PTR certification workshop I attended recently was lead by PTR Master Professional Daniel Breag of St. Marys, GA. He had some great ideas for on court activities, so you will be seeing many of them here in the next few blog posts.

I really hate snakes, but this name makes sense so I will leave it as-is. The concept is simple and can be used for all kinds of shot production. We used it to work on split steps and volleys.

Coach is feeding from service line. Players are lined up across net. One at a time they move up to starting spot (about halfway between service line and net) and split step. Coach feeds out wide to their forehand, where they move to hit a volley, then immediately run to back of line.

If this is working properly, the players are snaking through at a pretty good clip, so it is not as heinous as some of the other dreaded line drills.

2 Strikes

Thanks Coach William Vazquez for this drill which was originally posted here.

Two player start as King or Queen or Champ or whatever you want to call them. They are at the net. All other players are divided into two groups and are challenging the King/Queen from the baseline at ad or deuce. Challengers bounce feed; no lobs/lobs do not earn any points. One chance at the feed.

When King/Queen loses 2 points, they are out and join the line of challengers. Points lost do not have to be consecutive. The player they lost the second point to is the new King/Queen. New King/Queen has 3 seconds to run over and take their position at net. First King/Queen to earn 10 points from clean winners is the winner.

Variation
If you have a smaller group you can make this one on one as opposed to having two lines playing.

Behind the Back

This player is a lefty, so she is starting with the racquet
in her non-dominant (right) hand

Third in Ken DeHart's series of hand quickness drills is Behind the Back. Player is at net preparing to hit volleys off balls fed from coach. Racquet should be in non-dominant hand and held behind back. Player must bring racquet around front, switch to dominant hand and get into volley position for each feed.

Now you have all three hand quickness improvement drills: Fast Gun, Superman, and Behind the Back. Bundle them together and have your players perform them in series to get those hands Superquick at the net!

Superman

Number 2 volley improvement suggestion from Ken DeHart is the Superman drill. Same idea as Fast Gun, but instead of patting the leg with the dominant hand, player raises both hands in the air similar to Superman when he is flying straight up into the stratosphere. Or, if you prefer, similar to signalling a touchdown (American-style football). Hands are raised to this position in between each ball being fed. Racquet is in non-dominant hand. As ball is fed, player quickly switches racquet to dominant hand and hits volley. Once again, the goal is to improve quickness at the net.

Fast Gun

Fast Gun is a drill to improve hand quickness from Ken DeHart. It appears in PTR's DVD Tennis Tips

No doubt he is a beast at the net

From Around The World.

Player stands at net in volley position with racquet in non-dominant hand. Player slaps side of leg twice with dominant hand. As ball is being fed, player transfers racquet to dominant hand and hits volley. Ken notes this motion of moving the hand forward in a shooting motion is preferred when volleying, rather than the tendency of many players to move the hand/racquet laterally.

The next two blog posts are also volley improvement suggestions from Ken. Put them all together for a fun volley lesson for your students.

1-2 Hustle

This game was also at optimumtennis.net but was a little hard to decode so I hope I am explaining it
right. If not, at least I understand my own explanation. :) They did not give it a name so I took the liberty. I like it for its flexibility and requirement for players to hustle. You will need 2 or more players for this to be any fun.

Coach is on one end of court; all other players on the other. First player serves, then hustles up net diagonally from wherever they served. Meanwhile second player hops in to first player's spot at baseline. This must occur quickly because Coach will be returning the serve cross court to the second player. Player 2 returns Coach's shot. Coach then hits to net player. Coach continues alternating shots until point ends. Player 2 then serves and runs up to net diagonally that Player 1 has just vacated, and Player 3 steps into Player 2's spot.

This game should move quickly. If you want to add a scoring aspect, give all players a set number of points and subtract one for every error. Last player standing, wins.

UPDATE: Sorry to report this was an epic fail when I tried it with my intermediate green ball class. They could not get in a rhythm. Serving player on way to net kept wanting to hit the ball I was returning deep to second player. Oh, well. Maybe try again in future.