Type:
Singles
Category: Groundstrokes
Levels: All Time: 8-10 minutes
Description and goals:
Drill focuses on the shoulder-high putaway from the mid-court area and the footwork and spacing involved.
Organization:
Set up a cone midway between the baseline and the service line. Players start at the cone and move into position on the deuce side to hit a shoulder-high forehand (for right-handed players). Loading should occur and players should attempt to hit the ball while it is still on the rise whenever possible. Players' recovery is back around the cone and to the ad side for another shoulder-high putaway forehand (this time an inside-out or inside-in). Players hit a predetermined number of balls based on skill level and number of players in the drill.
Key points:
Important for the players to run around the cone for recovery as it helps with all aspects of the shot - footwork, contact point, how much of a backswing, etc. Keep feed high and slow to allow ball to bounce in service box and bounce high enough so players make contact in the upper-level strike zone. Important to alternate which side is fed first and ensure that the footwork is different when recovering around the cone as opposed to approaching the net (load on right leg and following hit, land on left leg, which is placed toward the net).
