1. Practice you can do alone
A. Bounce the ball off your paddle - regular, reverse forehand - backhand, use the edge
B. Practice a hit every time you touch the ball
C. Hit off a wall from 4-5 feet, just over net high, reversing forehand-backhand each shot
D. Serve to the back 12 inches or down the middle
E. Note how points are scored as you watch others play
2. Practice you can do with a partner
A. Volley with no scoring - forehand only; backhand only; net; crosscourt
B. Practice dinking at the net; if your shot doesn't bounce in the kitchen you lose
C. Serve to the back 12 inches; "in" wins the point
D. Play on one side or opposite halves of the court only; shots wide lose
E. Play one up, one back
3. Practice you can do with significantly weaker opponents
A. Hit only your weakest shot whenever possible, even returning the serve
B. Try to hit every shot in the back 12 inches or on the center line
C. Do not rush the net, volley only
D. Experiment with your serve
E. Play two against one
4. Practice you can do to "take your game to next level"
A. Move up with your partner
B. Serve and return deep with power
C. Get to the net ASAP
D. Cover the center of the court
E. Eliminate unforced errors like hits into the net, short lobs, short returns
5. Common mistakes
A. Hitting the ball while out of control; get in position to hit properly and follow through
B. Failing to keep the racquet poised for the next shot, always
C. Not getting to the net when possible
D. Not hitting a legal serve; note - lines are in except the non volley/kitchen line
E. Foot faulting on the serve or violating the non volley zone without noticing
6. Ethics of the Game
A. Decide why you play and act accordingly; expect to be treated accordingly
B. Call anything close "for" your opponent
C. Look at your feet after hitting near the kitchen and serving
D. Adjust your shots based on your opponent's ability
E. Read the rules at usapa.org
