Net Anxiety Amanda Bandrowski, USPTA Pro and Chip Fazio, USPTA Elite Pro We all have students who are unwilling to approach the net. For these players, just playing doubles or singles will give them neither enough touches on the ball, nor enough encouragement to approach with confidence and effectiveness. Here are a couple of drills to help your student become more comfortable approaching and playing at the net.
One on One Doubles Played cross court on half the doubles court, alleys are in. The court is center line to doubles sideline. Player 1 serves [or feeds] cross court and rushes the net. Player 2 returns trying to get the ball at Player 1’s feet. Player 1 hits the volley from around the service line, after that anything goes. Players can score and change deuce and ad courts as usual. Or 2 doubles teams can play 2 cross court matches on the same court, at the same time. Variation: In order to encourage the net rusher, play “Pity” style. If the net rusher losses a point, they move up for the next feed. If they win a point, they move back. Points are fed from either the baseline, middle of no-man’s land, the service line or the middle of the service box. Feeds must be underhand for this version. It’s “Pity” as in, “I feel so bad for because you lost that point. I’m going to have pity on you and let you move up for the next feed.” This adds a little humor to losing a point.
Reflex Volleys This is a volley-to-volley drill. Everyone is at the net. It is a challenging, somewhat advanced drill. But it is one of the best ways to get players comfortable at the net! A great way to ease players into this drill is to use transition balls and to play cooperatively. Start out with red or orange balls around the middle of the service box. Move back as they improve. Challenge players to have a sustained cooperative rally. “First team to 5 in a row” or “First team to get 20 volleys over the net (not in a row)”. As your students become more proficient at this drill cooperatively, you can have them play points. The pro can feed. The players can feed. Or a 5th student can feed with an underhand toss from behind the service line. We will leave it up to you to come up with volley-to-volley game formats, Kings & Queens of Court, games to 4, games to 7, lobs ok, lobs not ok, 2 on 2, 2 on 1, … etc. etc. Many pros think volley-to-volley drills are too advanced for a lot of their students. We think if you try it, you may be surprised. You will have to give them a little more encouragement and be a little more patient at the beginning. But if you stick it out, we feel there is a lot of benefit to be had from these drills! We all have students who will simply not become comfortable at the net unless we decide to push them. We hope these drills can help you get your students get there! You can also suggest that your students occasionally play these games on their own, instead of a set of doubles.
How to Handle a Disappointment/Loss Wendy Whitlinger Losses are painful. Losses hurt. Losses are inevitable. The journey is not always fun and not always easy. The journey is not about the wins and the losses. It is about who you become along the way.
LOOK AT IT. It is ok to feel bad (for just a little while), because you care, and this was important to you. But lingering too long in disappointment and frustration is harmful to progress.
LEARN FROM IT. Use the experience as a learning opportunity. Use it to motivate you to evaluate, to get back to practice, and to make necessary changes. Let the loss help you to improve. If you fall, fall forward!
LET IT GO! Reset! Release any disappointment, frustration, and anger. Turn disappointment into determination. Turn frustration into focus. Turn anger into positive action. Find the positive - “the silver lining in the dark cloud.”
Show your character by the way you handle defeat. Hate to lose, but know you will. Use this setback as an opportunity for a comeback. Use the disappointment of defeat to help you get stronger, to get better. Use it to develop grit and toughness. See the opportunity for growth and progress. Failure is a part of success. BUT, you never fail if you learn! 4 Spring 2021 Midwest Connection
