Tipbit #32 - DROP VOLLEY

 

John Putzier has only been out of action due to a bad knee for a week or two and already I miss him :-) What I don’t miss about him is his Drop Volley! His Drop Volley can’t be taken lightly and that’s why
I nicknamed him “The Putz”.

 

The Putz uses the Drop Volley to remove most of the pace from an oncoming ball, causing the ball to simply flop over the net, bouncing softly and safely inside the opponent’s NVZ. This sort of volley is used right from the NVZ line or from just inside the transition zone. It's not an easy shot to master and requires a great deal of practice to discover just the right amount of touch and technique to execute it properly.

 

John most commonly uses this shot to offset or neutralize opponents, usually when they are attacking with fast paced drives or volleys. Hitting a Drop Volley ends the threat of their continued barrage and almost always ends the point on his first execution. If it doesn't end the point, it will surely trigger a very weak reply, opening the door for John to hit a point-ending put away!

 

I’ve asked John several times just how he deadens the ball so completely. John is not the talkative type and doesn’t want to brag, but from my observations he takes a ready position, faces the oncoming ball with his knees bent and the paddle out front.  John most commonly holds his paddle in a backhand (11 o’clock) position with the paddle face slightly open (tilted back at the top). The degree of the tilt will vary dependent upon how close he is to the net. The closer to the net, the less tilt that is required of the paddle face. The stroke itself is very modest (like John) and brief in length. The trick is getting your paddle in alignment with the oncoming ball. The key is to develop the proper feel for the shot, keep a firm wrist, but a relatively loose grip.

 

I’ve attempted this shot many times and my ball doesn’t die like Putzs’. Here is the Catch 22, as I’ve also told many RFPBA members not to drop or pull their opponents in, but to keep them pinned deep in their backcourt, so if you don’t practice (drill) your Drop Volley, it may actually pull your opponents in and give them the offense.

 

John was on the courts last nigh (Tuesday) trying on various knee braces. I can’t wait for the Putz to recover so I can observe his well executed Drop Volley.