Today’s lesson on the catch pass mini rally is another segment in the tennis warm-up category where we will test your racquet control. This is the third video in the mini-tennis series, so if you have not seen the “Bump-Bounce-Hit” or “Bump-Pass” videos, make sure you check those out first as they are the preceding requirements to this mini-tennis skill.
The catch pass mini rally will test your racquet control by seeing how much feel and command you have over your racquet.
To start, have a partner hit a ball to your forehand side just as if you were going to volley it back. Instead of volleying the ball back, control the ball off your strings so that it rests on your racquet without letting the ball touch the ground.
The overall goal in this activity is to catch the ball on your stringbed without any bounces. Your ability to time the incoming ball while also manipulating the racquet will be vital in your success of catching the ball without extra bounces. This can take some time and patience, but after you have mastered this skill, your “touch” and “feel” around the court will be enhanced and ball control will come more easily.
Tennis Warm-up: Catch Pass Mini Rally
To conclude, the Catch Pass mini rally is a great way to warm up your feel and control prior to the start of a match or hitting session. Use this skill to enhance your feel and touch for better results around the net.
Written by Dustin Blackburn, Certified Tennis Professional at Elite Sports Club-West Brookfield
Dustin is a USPTA P2 certified teaching pro who has been teaching full time since 2012. He began teaching tennis his senior year in high school where he worked at the Waukesha Tennis Association for 5 years. Upon graduating from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh with a degree in Physical Education, Dustin worked as a teaching pro at Lake Country Racquet and Athletic Club in Hartland, WI and then moved to be a Director of Tennis at Four Lakes Athletic Club in Elkhorn, WI. At the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh he was an Assistant coach for the women’s tennis team for three seasons under head coach Steve Francour. When Dustin is not on the court, he enjoys the great outdoors and spending time with family and friends.