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Tactics & Drills

DOUBLES NET PLAY

1. 4 PLAYERS AT THE NET

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1.1 TOUCH VOLLEYBALL

  • Play 2 sets first to 10 points, swap side with your partner after the first set. The playing area is only the service boxes.

  • Players should stand close to the net.

  • Like in volleyball you can pass the ball to your partner but the 3rd touch has to go over the net

  • When you hit the ball over the net you can’t hit the ball down, your contact has to be on the bottom of the ball.

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1.2 TRADING VOLLEYS

  • Play 2 sets first to 10 points, swap side with your partner after the first set. The playing area is full doubles court.

  • Players should stand in the middle of the service box.

  • Do a volley of 4 and then play the point out. If the rally breaks down (or the ball bounces) before you get to 4 you have to replay the point.

  • The ball is allowed to bounce after the first 4 volleys. No lobs allowed.

  • It’s a reaction and consistency game, try to outrally the other team. All shots have to be trading shots you can’t go for the “kill”.

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1.3 WINNING VOLLEYS

  • Play 2 sets first to 10 points, swap side with your partner after the first set. The playing area is full doubles court.

  • Players should stand in the middle of the service box.

  • Do a volley of 4 and then play the point out. If the rally breaks down (or the ball bounces) before you get to 4 you have to replay the point.

  • Volley no4. has to be a trading shot, you can go for the “kill” on shot no5 and after.

  • The ball can bounce after the first 4 volleys. No lobs allowed.

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1.4 ATTACK vs DEFENSE VOLLEYS

  • Play 2 sets first to 10 points, swap side with your partner after the first set. Teams have to change roles after 2 sets. The playing area is full doubles court.

  • Players should stand in the middle of the service box. One team plays ATTACK other team plays DEFENSE.

  • Do a volley of 4 and then play the point out. If the rally breaks down (or the ball bounces) before you get to 4 you have to replay the point.

  • Volley no4. has to be a trading shot, you can go for the “kill” on shot no5 and after if you are the attacker.

  • Defense team tries to neutralise and outrally the attackers.

  • The ball is allowed to bounce after the first 4 volleys. No lobs allowed.

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2. 2 AT THE NET vs 2 AT THE BACK

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1.1 2 RALLIES TO DOUBLES POINTS 1.1

  • Play 2 sets first to 10 points, swap side with your partner after the first set. The playing area is full doubles court.

  • Always net players start the rallies. No lobs allowed.

  • Start 2 rallies at the same time DOWN THE LINE (P1-P3 & P2-P4)

  • When one rally breaks down, the player who missed has to SHOUT PLAY and all 4 players play the point out as it was a doubles rally.

  • The 2 rallies at the beginning should be about consistency. If the 2 rallies at the beginning break down at the same time, do a replay.

  • Repeat the game by the teams changing roles.

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1.2 2 RALLIES TO DOUBLES POINTS 1.2

  • Play 2 sets first to 10 points, swap side with your partner after the first set. The playing area is full doubles court.

  • Always net players start the rallies. No lobs allowed.

  • Start 2 rallies at the same time CROSS COURT (P1-P4 & P2-P3)

  • When one rally breaks down, the player who missed has to SHOUT PLAY and all 4 players play the point out as it was a doubles rally.

  • The 2 rallies at the beginning should be about consistency. If the 2 rallies at the beginning break down at the same time, do a replay.

  • Repeat the game by the teams changing roles.

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1.3  WALL AT THE NET

  • Play 2 sets first to 10 points, swap side with your partner after the first set. The playing area is full doubles court.

  • Always net players start the rally.

  • Net player feeds the ball, baseliner hits a rally ball back then play the point out.

  • Net players are not allowed to finish the point with angled volleys/ drop volleys. Baseliners not allowed to lob.

  • Net players are trying to be a wall and just beat baseliners with the consistency of their volleys. Can hit the ball as hard as you want.

  • If the volley angles out too much or it’s too short (2nd bounce is in the service box) then replay the point.

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1.4  NET vs BASELINE

  • Play 2 sets first to 10 points, swap side with your partner after the first set. The playing area is full doubles court.

  • Always net players start the rally.

  • Net player feeds the ball, baseliner hits a rally ball back, net player has to hit a deep volley of it then play the point out.

  • Net players are allowed to finish the point after shot no.4 (including the feed). Baseliners are allowed to lob after shot no.5  (feed counts)

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Tactics & Drills

CONDITIONED POINTS

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  1. EXTEND YOUR LEAD – singles/doubles

       Purpose: Dealing with pressure and applying pressure on opponent. Try to get ahead of opponent/Don’t let opponent get away from you.

  • Play best of 3 (or 5), first to 10 tie-break sets with normal scoring but you win the set if you can extend your lead by 3 points! (3-0, 4-1, 5-2 etc.) Also you lose the set if you get behind by 3points.

  • If no one can get a 3 point lead then it’s just a normal set.

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   2. WIN 2 OUT OF 3  – singles/doubles

       Purpose: Staying in the present. Focus on one rally at the time, try to win 2/3 rallies consistently.

  • Play best of 3, first to 10 tie-break sets. For every single point you have to play best of 3 rallies. You get the point if you win 2 out of 3 rallies. Keep repeating it until someone gets to 10 points.

 

  3. WIN ON SERVE  – singles/doubles

       Purpose: Win the rallies on your serves/try to break serve

  • Play best of 3 (or 5), first to 10 tie-break sets. You only get the point when you are winning on your serves.

  • If you are returning and win the rally you don’t get the point only the right to serve.

 

  4. 15/30 DOWN. – singles/doubles

       Purpose: Dealing with pressure when serving, go aggressive on 2nd serve. Go aggressive on returning the 2nd serve.

  • Play normal games but every game starts at 15/30 on 2nd serve!

  • After the first rally finish the game “normally”

 

  5. FIRST TO 9 GAMES  – singles/doubles

       Purpose: Dealing with the scoreboard pressure and finishing the set.

  • Normal games but play first to 9 instead of 6 games to win the set.

  • Many times we tend to lose momentum when winning 4/1, 5/2 in the set. Playing first to 9 can teach you to carry your momentum forward.

 

  6. END OF SET PRESSURE  – singles/doubles

       Purpose: Dealing with the scoreboard pressure at the end of the set.

  • Play normal games best of 5 sets but every set starts at 4 games all.

 

  7. WIN YOUR SERVES – singles/doubles

       Purpose: Keeping the pressure on, staying ahead when serving.

  • Play normal games but if returner gets to 30 he wins the game (0/30, 15/30, 30/30)

  • Except if returner wins at 40/15, then you have to play deciding point at 40/30.

  • Server can have 3 serves or 2 serves (if 3 is not challenging enough for server)

 

  8. BREAK FROM 0/40  – singles/doubles

       Purpose: Keep your focus when behind to hurt opponent

  • Play best of 5 sets but every game starts on 40/0.

  • As a returner try to get back into the game and turn it around. If you manage to win your return game you win the whole set. If it goes to tie-break just play a normal one.

 

  9. 2nd SERVES ONLY  – singles/doubles

       Purpose: Build up confidence on 2nd serves, go for heavy 2nd serves.

  • Play normal games or tie-breaks first to 10 (in this case play the whole tie-break set on your serve)

  • You only have one serve when start the point.

 

  10. FIRST TO 50 or 100 – singles

       Purpose: Play consistent and win the long rallies, dealing with pressure, point play mind set practice. Focus on every single shot.

  • Play first to 50 or 100 points.

  • Feed the ball in underarm and play the point out. You have to count the shots in the rally and who wins the rally will get the points (so if it was a rally of 12 the player who won it gets 12 points).

  • You can play this game full court or also just cross-court or down the line.

  • One of the best games to keep you focused on every single shot.

 

  11. NO UNFORCED ERRORS  – singles/doubles

       Purpose: Focus on every single shot, good decision making and not giving points away.

  • Play best of 5 sets with normal game scoring.

  • You have to count your own unforced errors (double faults count) and both players have an UNFORCED ERROR LIMIT for the set. If you reach this limit you lose the set even if you were winning!

  • Unforced error levels: grand slam 6, masters 8, challenger 10, futures 12. You pick the level you want to be challenged at.

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Tactics and Drills

SINGLES DRILLS BOTH BACK

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  1. 3 -1 / 2-1 / 1-1 CROSS & LINE

  • Play 2 sets first to 10 points, change roles after the first set.

  • One player is dominator the other one is reactor.

  • Dominator starts with under arm feed. You have to play cross court until dominator changes direction and hits the ball down the line. Then play the point out in full singles court.

  • If dominator goes down the line accidentally you still have to play the point out. If reactor hits the ball down the line before dominator does, he loses the point.

  • Play deuce and ad side, use your backhands when playing ad side.

  • Dominator can start with serve, if dominator wins too easily he’ll have to win 2 consecutive rallies to get one point.

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  2. 3-5 CONSECUTIVE DEEP & PLAY

  • Feed the ball in under arm and play the point out but you have to count the shots in the rally.

  • The player who wins the rally will get the points (if it was a rally of 12 he gets 12 points)

  • First player getting to 50 points (or 100) wins the set.

  • You can play this game cross court - ad and deuce side (singles or doubles court), down the line (singles court or in the tramlines) or full singles court.

  • This is a great drill to improve consistency, make you focus on attack and defense.

 

  3. HALF COURT (3/4 court) vs FULL COURT

  • Play first to 10 points where P1 can hit the full singles court on the other end while P2 has only half (or ¾) the singles court to hit.

  • You can feed the ball in underarm or start with serves.

  • It’s a great game to improve defense, stamina and decision making of the player who has to defend the full court.

  • You can make it harder for the dominating player (who can hit the full court) if he has to win the rally in 3 or 4 of his shots.

  • Also dominating player can be restricted to use forehands and backhands only (depending on the side).

 

  4. ORANGE SIDELINE vs SINGLES COURT

  • Play first to 10 points where P1 can hit the full singles court on the other end while P2 has to keep his shots within the orange sideline.

  • You can feed the ball in underarm or start with serves.

  • It’s a great game to improve defense, stamina and decision making of the player who has to defend the full court.

  • You can make it harder for the dominating player (who can hit the full court) if he has to win the rally in 3 or 4 of his shots.

 

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