So I am fired up to get on the court finally with one of my remote coaching athletes. This player has gone all in on the coaching and technique training. I map out my days of work beginning with basic movement and racquet skills. Then my mind gets blown away when this player soaks it all in and begins performing at a very high level within minutes. I use the term “within minutes” meaning within an hour. That is unheard of. What is even more impressive than that was the way the player began to be able to analyze their own practice, including footwork and mechanics.
Now on day two I have to scramble! Thrown out is the original plan and now we have more game style play, off-court training, and positioning work. Rarely does it go like this! Mostly it stays basic.
Back in the old days, when I was USA head junior coach I remember the “stars of junior racquetball” came pouring into camp. I had three drills. Drop and hit (forehand and backhand), toss and cross to both sides (just what it says, toss the ball out and cross over with the opposite foot in a parallel manner and hit a forehand or backhand) and shuffle and hit. Three basic drills and not one athlete could execute all three flawlessly.
It is not easy to be proficient with skills and it takes work. But the work has to be technically sound. Rehearsing bad footwork and mechanics makes you proficient at bad footwork and mechanics!
Back to my athlete. Breaking down the game into serves, re-kills, serve return, and strategies is where we are heading next. Nothing fires me up more than a great athlete wanting to become greater!!