Textbook Doubles and Coaching GIRLS

It's very difficult to get your girls to move in and volley. WHY? It's really simple, you have to look at it from their perspective. Most girls don't volley really well, but ALL girls hit flat. This is huge. A flat ball travels faster than a topspin ball. Add in the fact, that girls aren't used to playing baseball as a kid or even catch. You can get a guy up there because he is not going to be afraid of getting hit, has reflexes honed by playing games such as dodgeball, baseball, basketball, and football BUT you want to teach girls how to play doubles and be effective. THIS IS COACHING.

Figure out what a girl does well--does she have a big forehand, a great lob, whatever it may be and build around it. Team the volleyer with the digging baseliner, and organize plays--such as if she has a big forehand, her partner will close the net when she hits that big forehand. learn to break lob patterns by placing a player at the service line, thus negating the lobs.



This is simple doubles--a big forehand to end the point. The returner moving in off the return, net player seals off the middle, and end of point.



This is the classic point--you want to force the issue at the net, but on the lob, communicate who wants it. Then, fall back into your stronger positions. The baseliner is actually their normal second singles, so she's solid off the net. The net player is gearing up to kill the overhead, which is also what we want.