The User Spectrum of the Ball Machine FROM THE TEACHING PROS TO BEGINNERS BY MATT LEVINSON, LEVINSON ATHLETICS
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s a recreational tennis player, the not only focus on their stokes, but on their benefits of using a ball machine ball recognition as well. are both obvious and mystifying Advanced players tend to be more sucto me. It stands to reason that practice cessful with their ball recognition skills; does indeed make perfect, so 200 tennis however, what often is lacking is the numballs fed to you at a consistent rate may ber of shots in their repertoire. They may yield, at the very least, some minor muscle have mastered the groundstroke, but how memory. But in addition to the repetitive is the high or low approach shot? Can features we find in ball mathey handle that wicked slice? chines, how do we make use of The advanced player should be AS IT TURNS it to reach the next level? Can using a ball machine to pracOUT, ALL it meet the more technical tice as many different shots as PLAYERS needs of an advanced player, possible to increase their comSHOULD BE TRAINING ON A or benefit the pro player? I did pliment of shots. BALL MACHINE. some digging to find out. Did you know that tennis is one of the only sports where As it turns out, all players the coach actually competes against the should be training on a ball machine. student in an attempt to improve the How each level of player trains on the student’s game? Although it is fun for machine should be quite different. For the student to play or engage in some beginners, finding the strike zone and way with a far more experienced player, the footwork are imperative to improvit doesn’t necessarily give them the best ing their game. We need to work on the chance at learning. stroke production of a particular shot, When teaching a lesson using a ball as well as focus on movement to the ball. machine alongside traditional coaching, Footwork and recovery also are importit allows a coach to lose the “fluff” of feedant. Ball machines can throw at different heights, speeds, spin, frequency, and ing and micro-managing their student’s directions in sequence and at random. strokes and forces them to teach while Being able to practice hitting balls of difstanding beside their student. The pro is now free to physically show how to hold ferent characteristics allows players to
the racquet correctly or to even record their movements to play back to them afterward. When using a machine, the coach quickly discovers that being next to their students accelerates their learning development. It allows them to coach from both sides of the net. In further regards to the teaching pro, the ball machine can be a valuable asset. The number of powerful tools a teaching pro has not only enhances the student’s game but gives the immediate perception of professionalism. For example, would you rather hire a carpenter who shows up with a truck full of power tools, or the one who only has a hammer and hand saw? In summary, I have found that in the lifelong game of tennis, ball machines are here to serve players from the whole spectrum of skills. From kids to seniors, newbies to the pros, and tennis clubs to freelance teachers, this is the tool for the job. If I have convinced you to at least start looking into a machine, my first recommendation would be the Playmate Tennis line. When it comes to these performance machines, you get what you pay for. Remember that and have fun! NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 NETNEWS
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