Serves, serves, and more serves

Hello everyone.  Based on the feedback from our coaches, we all agreed our players have made tremendous progress in their skills.  The transition from the back to the net is better.  The decision making on ball selections is better.  The intensity is better.  So, a round of applause to our players. 

We spend a lot of hours working on our groundstrokes, net game, tactics, and technique. While we work on the serves everyday, the percentage comparing to working on other skills is under parr.  We all know how important the serve is, not just to start a point but to get some free points and to get out of trouble when serving.

Therefore, the past week, we adjusted the training content where we emphasized on the different serving patterns before the tennis warm up.  Each player should be familiar with the different patterns by now.  There is just so much we can do to build tools within the allotted training hours.  Therefore, we strongly suggest that our players practice the serving patterns on their own 3 times a week and keep a record of the numbers completed for progress review.  Included on this blog is a copy of the patterns and numbers completed last week.

Serving Patterns

Each player was given a notebook which is to become their "tennis journal."  Any tennis related issues and lessons learned should be recorded in that journal.  As far as I know, there is no rule against player reading their journal during change overs at tournaments:-).  By the end of this season before summer program begins, the committed players will have the entire journal filled.

Attached here are the three different serving patterns that the players are to record in their journal.  The only adjustment to be made is the first column on the left, instead of the player's name, write down the date of the service practice completed.  Because we did the patterns last week, on the first row where the dates should go Service Pattern #1was done on 25/1.  Service Pattern #2 was 26/1.  Service Pattern #3 was 27/1. 

Service Pattern #1
In the journal, draw 5 columns.  The title for the first column where this picture shows Player, write Date instead.  And follow the remaining title for each column.

On the second row, where it says Ryan, write 25/1 then the numbers that you did last week.  If you don't see your name there, that's probably because you were not at practice.

Now, turn to a different page in your journal and repeat for Service Pattern #2 and Service Pattern 3.

Service Pattern #2                                                         Service Pattern #3

 
If you need help in completing your journal please come see me at practice.