RETREAT OR HOLD YOUR GROUND – Tipbit #7

 

You often find yourself and your partner up at the net (where you belong) facing your opponents who are also at the net. Both teams are playing defensively by keeping the ball low and moving it around, constantly being vigilant in anticipation of an errant highball to speed up or kill. This is all good!

 

Then you or your partner decides to be deceptive and hit a short lob, either off the bounce or a volley lob over your opponent's head. Great idea, but this one is just a little too low; and to make things worse it's within easy reach of your opponent’s big overhead. The only good news is that both you and your partner have enough time to realize the probable consequences. You've got a little time to do something. What should you do?

 

Here are your options:

• Turn your back hoping they don't tattoo you or hurt you too badly.

• Back pedal in the hopes of buying yourself more time to react.

• Hunker down and prepare for the worst.

 

Here are the pros and cons:

• If you turn your back you might get tattooed, but you’ll still have your eyesight. Yesterday, I watched new member Theo take one to his face.

 

• If you back pedal one or two steps; you've bought yourself a little more time and this will give you more time to see the flight or path of the ball and to react accordingly.

 

• If you decide to sit it out right where you are (at the NVZ line), hunker down in the ready position with your paddle out infront of you, focus and get ready.

 

Here are two points to ponder:

• Does moving back really save you that much time, after all the ball is probably going to be moving upwards of 60 mph, especially if Rohit is striking it.

• Having moved back some 4 to 6 feet, you have now opened up much more court for your opponent to aim for and for you to cover. Make sense?

 

Wouldn't you rather be right at the NVZ line where the net prevents any ball from being hit below your knees or any ball hit above your shoulders you just

“Let It Go” (Tipbit #6).  In other words, staying at the net requires that you now only need to cover the area above your knees and below your shoulders.

 

Give this tipbit some thought. And while you're at it, think about wearing some safety eyewear like members Brent Larson, Steve Kinney, etc. Glasses won’t only protect you, it will give you added courage to hold your ground :-)

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                                        C’ ya on the Greenwood courts. President Lueck