Lesson Plan

Group of Players (4 or more) - level beginning / intermediate

Theme: Volley Technique and practice

Warm-up (5 minutes)
- Jog around court, shuffle sideways, jumping jacks etc.
- Toss and Catch: players pair-up and practice tossing (under hand) the ball back and forth to each other. The emphasize should be on catching the ball with the dominant palm facing forward and fingers spread and pointing up.

Volley Technique Practice (15 minutes)
- Coach explains what a Volley is and demonstrates followed by the students who shadow the coach's actions.
- Players pair-up again: one on each side of the net, each standing about 6 feet from the net. One of them will toss the ball gently to the other player who chokes the racquet by the neck and taps the ball back. (A tosses the ball to B; B taps the ball back to A holding the racquet by the neck). Practice this for a couple of minutes then reverse roles.
- Players repeat the same exercise holding the racquet by the handle this time.

Drill (10 minutes)
- Players line up in the doubles alley, facing the net and about 9 feet from it. The coach is on the other side with a basket of balls ready. He will feed 3 balls to the first player in line as follows: one about the middle of the closer service box, one toward the center line and one toward the middle of the far service box. The player will take all 3 balls in the air moving parallel with the net. Next player in line follows the same drill. Each player then moves to the end of the line. Do this drill for both forehand and backhand volleys.

Water Break (1 minute)

Games (25 minutes) - volley practice (emphasize correct technique)
- Eternal Volley 1
- Eternal Volley 2
- Two on Two (players rotate clockwise after each 7 points played)
- Three for Air

Wrap-up and suggestions to practice until next class.