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Large Group Drills that Get Results

David Brouwer 

As I said in my last series, whenever I attend conventions or run into fellow teaching pros, the first thing they ask is “got any new drills?” It seems that every pro is looking for that new drill or game to keep their teaching fresh so that their students keep having fun and keep coming back.

In this series, I’d like to introduce you to some tried and true large group games that are a lot of fun and also get results. These are the type of drills you can do with many players on the court, keep everyone moving, and see results in your student’s matches.

Kamikaze

Some pros have named this Triples, I’ve also heard it called Monster Tennis and Monkey in the Middle. I like to call it Kamikaze because the net players are definitely putting themselves head first into the heat of battle.

The set up has three players on each team with one on the service “T” and the other two on the baseline. A ball is introduced into play from one of the baseliners and the point is played out, three on three. However, there are a couple of rules. First, the net players may not go further back than the service line. This is to avoid the net player smashing every lob that the opposing team throws up with a scissor kick overhead. Second, the baseliners must stay behind the service line so one team doesn’t end up with three net players!

Once the ball is in play, the angles and the poaching begin. The net players are focused on shifting with the ball, trying to cut off the angles of the passing shots, and get their racquet on any short or weak lobs. The baseliners are working on their down the line passing shots, their short angles, and their offensive lobs to keep it away from the net players.

Here’s the catch on the scoring: If a net player wins the point for their team, that point is worth three points. All other winners, errors, or forced errors are only worth one point. Therefore, the incentive is for the net player to get really active, move with the ball, and try to finish at the net.

Play a game to 21 and then rotate on your own team so that a new player becomes the kamikaze. I once played this game with a group of nationally ranked juniors in the boy’s 16’s and the points were amazing! The poaching, angles, and heavy topspin lobs absolutely heated up the courts! Have fun with this one.

Bobsled

I have to start the explanation on this one by saying that the number one goal of this drill is fun. This is a perfect drill to end a practice session or get a team or group out of a rut.

This drill is best played with at least 6 players on a team. Two teams are formed into single file lines on the baseline. A ball is put into play and the rule is that after the first player in line hits one groundstroke, they rotate to the back of their line (alternating hits between each player on the team). When one player on the team misses, they head up to the service “T” and have a seat – they then become the first member in the bobsled. The next point is played out and the player who misses takes a seat in his bobsled. Soon, there are a number of players sitting single file backing up from the service “T” and they are swaying back and forth as the point is being played by the remaining players on each team – therefore acting like a bobsled team swaying their way down the track!

There are two ways to win: one team must get all of their opponents into the bobsled, or they must hit one of the members in the opposing bobsled with the rally ball.

Here are a couple safety tips for this one: First, it works great with depressurized balls because no one in the bobsled gets hurt if they get hit with the rally ball. Second, make a rule that no one can hit an overhead into the bobsled! When this one gets going, it’s a ton of fun. It’s the most requested “ender” to class that we have at our clubs!

Ping Pong

Otherwise knows as alternating hits, this is a great drill for working on moving after the shot. Have you ever coached a kid or adult who hits the ball and then just stands there? I’m sure you have. Well, you can’t do that in this game! Here’s how it’s played: Two teams are formed into single file lines on the baseline. The smallest team that you can have is two players. A ball is fed and each strike of the ball alternates through the line of players on the team. In other words, like bobsled, you hit one and get to the back of the line. However, the scoring on this one is the trick. For every time the ball crosses the net, the point total for that ball is increased. In other words, if the ball is struck across the net 19 times and then someone hits it in the net, the score would be 19 to zero! Each team accumulates their score and you play a game up to 50.

If there are only two or three players on each team and they have quality ground strokes, these points can last a long time and each player can get quite a workout! What’s really fun is when players sneak in and try to pick off shots at net. Then it really gets moving!

Banana volleys

Otherwise known as “peel off volleys,” this is the volley version of ping pong. Here’s how it’s played: Each team sets up in a single file line at the service line and a volley is fed into play. As soon as one player hits, they shuffle out and head to the back of their team’s line. As many times as the ball crosses the net, that’s how many points the ball is worth.

To make this drill really effective, you can do it on just ½ the court with the doubles alley being good. This way, it’s tough for one team to get the angle to put the ball away. If you play it full court, you could also have the rule that the ball may bounce before you strike it, but encourage the ball to be taken out of the air.

Gang Fight

We’ve been doing this drill at our clubs for at least ten years and I’m pretty sure that my mentor has been doing it for 30! It’s a great reflex volley drill that works on getting students off the service line, closing in, and looking for the angle or space to put the ball away. Here’s how it works: Three players form a “gang” and they line up horizontally across the service line. The other gang lines up on the opposing service line. A ball is fed into play and all six players crash the net, playing reflex volleys and ½ volleys. The whole court is good, so lob volleys are playable. Once the point is over, both gangs reset back to the service line for the next feed. Play games up to 15 and rotate positions on your own team. Loser’s do 10 push ups!

These are just a few of my favorite large group drills. In my next article, I’ll share some more that have worked well with the students at our clubs. Remember, that one of the buzzwords in the tennis teaching profession these days is the “games approach.” I’m all for it and I hope these games and drills will work on match specific skills with your players without them even knowing it! Things like recovery, shot selection, poaching, lateral and forward movement, eye control, and even technique result from participating in the above games and drills. And they’re an awful lot of fun!

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David Brouwer, USPTA is the Director of Tennis for three major health clubs in Grand Rapids , MI.

David was voted the USPTA Michigan Professional of the year in 2002 and has won two USPTA Outstanding Education awards.

David has been a speaker at the USPTA Midwest and National conventions and is the Director of the West Michigan Tennis Academy.

David coaches USTA league players of all levels and finds great joy in coaching strategy and tactics to build smarter tennis players.