- Serve DEEP to your Opponent’s weaker side
- Return to the LINE OF DOUBT (confusion)
- Return to the WEAKER banger or to the BETTER volleyer
- To return difficult serves – FOCUS with short preparation
- Return Slower, Deeper, and Diagonal for Time Management at NV
- Return with deep underspin to produce upward errors by the net team
- Avoid ANY short returns, unless opponents are too far back
- ALWAYS close in to the NV on return of serve
- Cheat back a little if your opponents are burning you with lobs
- Against SUCCESSFUL bangers, back up a little for Time Management
- After you serve, do not ‘CREEP’ into the court and get jammed
- If your opponent’s return is deep to you, 95% of the time 3rd shot drop
- If your opponent’s return is short to you, occasionally execute a “BLAST”
- If the return goes to your partner, creep in in anticipation of ‘CLOSING’
- If your partner does a successful 3rd shot drop, CLOSE to the NV line
- Remember the ball is BOSS and determines the direction the closer takes
- If your partner puts up a high ball, SPLIT STEP STOP, and backhand ready
- Oftentimes 3rd shot to the middle to the LINE OF DOUBT and confusion
- Middle 3rd shot drops also decrease the ability of opponent’s sharp angles
- Occasionally, TOPSPIN LOB as a 3rd shot option to get your opponents back
- Prior to tournament matches, discuss wind, righty, leftie, weaker, stronger
- Pick on the WEAKER player in tournament play to erode their confidence
- Practice hitting to the STRONGER player in PRACTICE open play
- Communicate: yours, mine, bounce, out, short, up, good, play it, etc.
- With the DRIBBLER return really short, or deep diagonal to give time
- Flip at player in the NV zone if they do not get established outside
- Lob at NV zone to gain time or Time Management
- In tournament play, use effective TIME OUTS to stop momentum
- Change strategies if losing, keep the same if winning
- Support your partner with POSITIVE comments and BODY LANGUAGE
- The BALL IS BOSS so face the ball
- Quick, Quick Slow or SHUFFLE STOP to move to the COMFORT ZONE
- ALWAYS return to the READY POSITION and EXPECT and WANT ball
- Use less wrist with your bread and butter DINK stroke
- Take the ball in the air if your POSTURE is not destroyed TIME MANAGE
- Getting to the NET and NV zone is a priority
- Punch it in the GAP – look for openings
- Remember the TRIANGLE formation with your partner
- Leave your EGOs at home, weaker player defer to stronger partner
- Attack your opponent’s weaknesses
- Change your game plan, if needed, as the match progresses
- Attempt to make your opponents hit UP on the ball
- Make your dinks more PROACTIVE to force errors in short hops
- Practice against players BETTER than you to improve your game
- Identify your opponents TENDENCIES and GUESS!
- Watch the paddle face to try to get a jump on direction
- Treat your FOREHAND and BACKHAND equally
- Mini Poach in order to disturb your opponents FOCUS
- Stay light on your feet and mobile instead of planted by the roots
- READY POSITION is paddle up and in front of you
- Avoid Posture Tilt: Keep your BUTT DOWN AND HEAD UP!
- Treat your blade as the RUDDER of a boat: low blade open
- Assume your first ENEMY is the NET. And keep the ball IN.
- Use and practice your weaknesses in open play to make them strong
- If you catch your weight back, must hit harder and higher to clear
- Poach small and GO BACK and the next ball is your partners
- Pick off the ball to give your partner TIME MANAGEMENT
- If you POACH, it should be a winner
- If your partner is drawn off the court, slide and cover
- If you are out of your comfort zone, think middle, low, nearest point
- If you are in deep trouble, throw up a lob to at least give you time
- Pick on the opponent directly across from you to decrease reaction
- Picking the long DIAGONAL might offer you more time
- Wide angles (brush loops & curls) think AROUND THE POST
- Make sure you allow the ball to go really wide and low to do #64
- Look for opportunities to do the Ernie shot
- Place your OVERHEADS deep to the feet
- Think FEATHER DROP if opponents are back at the baseline
- Perfect your skills to drop from ANYWHERE on the court
- Perfect FIRST BASE, SECOND BASE, AND THIRD BASE. HR
- First: Serve, Return, Capture the net
- Second: Serve Team Struggles to capture the net
- Third: Dink Game
- Home Run: Recognizing the HIGH ball and let it fly (body shots)
- Playing Dodge Ball by letting out balls go
- Use SPOT DINKS target 1,2,and 3 right and left
- Do not play OUT balls…Let them go.
- In war, aim to attack outside of your opponent’s POWER zone
- Add pace with efficiency of movement but RETURN to READY
- Disguise your shots when possible. Head fakes, misdirects
- Attempt to wrong foot your opponent by going in back of them
- PULL THE TRIGGER on the HIGH balls
- Observe the better players and STEAL their techniques
- Invest in a videocamera and analyze your matches
- Note the unforced errors, winners, and strive to improve
- Develop a PRACTICE group of willing players to DRILL, DRILL, DRILL
- Know that EACH player is unique to themselves and create own magic
- Sometimes it’s not the final shot but the SET-UP that counts
- Stick to the bread and butter shots. Use Fancy spins when not pressed
- FAME (Focus, Anticipate, Move, Execute)
- Avoid low percentage shots to decrease unforced errors
- Overuse of power breeds unforced errors
- Hitting up on the ball keep it soft: Down on the ball hit it Hard
- Power usage to defeat REACTION TIME
- You will lose the point 70% of the time if you do not capture the NV
- Aim for the gap, the feet, or defeat reaction time
- At all costs, avoid service and return faults
- If opponents lack mobility, gap placement and lobs over
- Serve and Serve return: Higher NOT Harder
- One Two Punch: Body attack, Pop up and angle down and away

