How to Practice Ground Strokes with Backboards

Coach Joe Dinoffer shows an exercise that works on Ground Strokes using backboards.

Here is a way to practice groundstrokes. Just treat the Mini Champ like a regular backboard, but in a very realistic, on court setting. We just opened a folding table and placed the Mini Champ on top of it. In addition to groundstrokes, the players can work on their volleys as well. Now our players are working on their overheads. In this exercise you can set up the Mini Champ as the target for their overheads to either side or down the middle for doubles. However, with the Mini Champ our players not only try to hit the target, but also get to react and play the rebound as well. As a doubles drill our players are competing until one team wins seven points, and then they can rotate positions. If the overhead hits the Mini Champ and rebounds over the net, one point is received, or whoever wins the point as it is played out can win a point as well. The only other rules are that the hitting team hitting the overhead cannot drop shot and the defending team cannot move inside the service line, and of course if it's a bad feed the players at the net are allowed to say rejacked and get another chance. Let's finish this set of drills combining a ball machine with our portable curved and angled Mini Backboard. This one concept alone could be expanded into hundreds of more drills, but we will leave that up to you to gradually create on your own. The basic idea is to angle the Mini Champ away from the hitter. A second player then reacts to the rebound and plays a different shot. It's a great way for doubles teams to get the rhythm of working together. In this simple example we just have the ball machine feeding to one volleyer, and the Mini Champ angled to the partner, who then hits a reaction volley to the target area. If you have more than one team, just rotate positions after each five or ten balls are hit. You can even keep score and create a fun, but competitive atmosphere.