Triples, then doubles
Ready when: Fed volleys (i1) and Serve to the right box (b6) done.
What you are learning
Doubles roles. In triples (three a side) everyone gets many turns; then in doubles the back player rallies to build the point and the front player at the net finishes it with volleys and smashes.
Words on this card Volley, Smash, Lob, Rally, Baseline, Receiver, Umpire, Front player, Triples
- Volley
- Hitting the ball before it bounces; a volley from below the net height.
- Smash
- A hard overhead hit of a high ball, like a throw.
- Lob
- A high, deep shot over the other player.
- Rally
- Hitting the ball back and forth.
- Baseline
- The back line of the court, the line that ends the service boxes, and the small mark in the middle of the baseline.
- Receiver
- The player returning the serve.
- Umpire
- The person who calls the score and the lines.
- Front player
- In doubles, the partner near the net and the partner at the baseline.
- Triples
- A practice game with three players a side.
Show it first for the one teaching
- Place one player at the net and one at the baseline on each side.
- Rally gently from the back; show the front player stepping in to volley a ball that comes near.
- Lob a ball that floats high over the front player: that is the one to smash.
Your part while they practise
Umpire by turns; review after each game.
Step by step
- Triples: one at the front, two at the back.
- The server serves to each receiver in turn, and the team rotates after every serve.
- 9 points is a game, first to 3 games; right box only.
- Then doubles: the back player rallies, the front player goes for volleys and smashes.
- Smash only a ball that floats overhead.
How much: 3 games 20 min a session 2 days a week
Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.
The game: Doubles
Play to 3 games with the soft tennis scoring; pairs take turns as umpire.
Who plays: 2 pairs and an umpire.
How to play, turn by turn
- Turns
- Play doubles with the scoring from Score a game the soft tennis way (b1)
- Each server serves two points, then the serve passes on
- First to 3 games; then the umpire swaps in
- Fair play
- The umpire's call is final; no arguing.
- Points
- 1 point for each point won; games as in Score a game the soft tennis way (b1).
- Fouls
- The point goes to the other pair
- Both partners hit the ball
- The ball bounces twice
- A serve into the wrong box
- Winning
- The first pair to 3 games.
- 1 games for 1 star
- 2 games for 2 stars
- 3 games for 3 stars
Easier or harder
Self-judging, short games.
Read the opponents' back player: drive or lob?
What you will see, and what to say
- the front player stays still
Front player, go for it
Step in. - both back for every ball
Back builds, front finishes
Know your job.
Self-check
1 doubles game played and umpired by the pairs.
Stop and get a coach when
Learning formations other than one up, one back.
Fitness for this
Warm up first: how to warm up, at workonfitness.com. For strength and stretching, its exercise library shows each exercise step by step, with an easier version.
This card trains doubles roles, rules, teamwork.
awiseathlete.com/sports/soft-tennis/soft-tennis-i4