Sick of not trusting your drops? Tired of rarely getting to the most fun part of the game at the kitchen? Come hang with us and we'll have you strolling to the kitchen as effortlessly as you do for that midnight snack.
What are we working on?
We'll learn how to identify drop-able balls, how to execute a perfect drop shot (flat drops for our beginners and topspin/slice drops for our advanced players), and what to do after your drop.
How are we working on it?
We'll alternate drills and minigames that focus on each of the previously outlined skills:
Identify:
Drill: Drop, Drive, Decide (One player will feed while the other decides whether to drop or drive.)
Minigame: Spot the Drop (Coach T. will play out drop scenarios while you observe. Your job is to guess whether Coach T. will drop or drive his third shot based on the criteria taught in the drill.)
Execute:
Drill: Up and Back (Both players will start a dink rally at the kitchen. One player will slowly move back to the baseline and then up to the kitchen again until they miss a drop. Then the roles will reverse)
Minigame: Drop Until YOU Drop (Players will play skinny singles [1v1 played on half court] to five points, but one player will start at the kitchen and the other will start back at the baseline. Only the player starting at the baseline can score. If the player who starts at the kitchen wins the point, then they get to move to the baseline position.)
Follow-Up:
Drill: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly (One team will start up at the kitchen and the other at the baseline. Baseline players will hit drops and decide whether to follow, stay, or back up based on the quality of the drop. The player hitting the drop is responsible for communicating with their partner.)
Minigame: 7/11 (One team stays up at the kitchen and must get to 11 points to win. The other team starts back at the baseline and only needs 7 points to win.)
Why are drop shots so important?
We want our team to be at the kitchen - that's where games are won. When we're the serving team, drop shots are our most reliable way to get there.
When our drops are dependable, we not only create a great opportunity for our team… we also become "that person" that everyone wants to partner with. It's FUN playing with a partner that is predictable and can reliably roll out the red carpet to the kitchen. IT’S EVEN MORE FUN TO BE THAT PERSON YOURSELF!