Overheads!

Everyone is eagerly awaiting the new post this Friday; or at least that is the way I imagine it in my mind. Week's been good. We finished the last and final Seminole High Performance on a great note and sent kids home tired but ready to dominate on the tennis court. Something that I noticed during team competition was that a lot of kids set up the point really well but then miss an easy volley or overhead. Thus, today's blog is about overheads! Ahem...

As you creep up ninja-like to the net, alas the ball sails over your head. Of course. Now you have to hit an overhead. The most important thing about overheads, and really tennis in general, is your footwork. Gluing yourself like a statue to the court will probably not work out for you. 

Two important things to remember on the overhead are

Numbero uno: Standing sideways, trophy stance, not belly facing the net

Numbero dos: Reaching up to the ball rather than waiting for it to smack you upside the head

Honestly, I could finish writing right now. Those are the two major things that you’ll need for your overhead. But some players insist on spiking the ball as hard as they can into the court, and other mini players wish to do the same but don’t know how. Spiking your overhead into the court hard enough will ensure that the player on the other side does not touch the ball at all. The spike overhead necessitates a lot of wrist action in addition to the numbero uno and numbero dos rules. You can practice by standing on the service line and trying to hit the ball into the box in front of you, making sure that the ball spikes into the court and then continues moving over the net. Keep in mind thought that the spike overhead is allowed only when the ball is a pathetic attempt at an overhead and is very close to the net as well as high enough for you to snap your wrist on. All other overheads require more extension (aka getting it over the net with follow through). Deep lobs (not so pathetic attempt at lobs) are the hardest overheads to hit because oftentimes the initial contact with the ball will be not above your head but slightly behind it. This requires extensive follow through for it to go over the net, and also equilibrium of balance between strength and depth. Hit these balls with all your might and your chance of getting it in the court is 10%. Of course that’s a scientific statistic! I’m in grad school after all!

It’s hard as well to keep your body sideways on the deeper lobs. Scissor kick overheads, where you propel yourself with your legs to not only finish with your body forward instead of stumbling backwards but adding follow through by using your whole body, are an option for more advanced players.

The most frustrating overhead mistake for both players and coaches is the butt-out-I-don’t-know-if-it’s-really-an-overhead-or-a-volley overhead. This is the ball that sails haphazardly over the net just high enough to be an overhead and still low enough to be a volley. Most players hit this as an overhead, eventually sticking their butt out and hitting the ball at such an angle you could slightly imagine them being a part of the dance routine “Stop, in the name of love!”

So, what do you do? In that split second of panic, do what’s good for you and either let the ball bounce and do whatever you please with it or hit a volley. For the love of anything fine in this world, please do not hit an overhead. Just as a reminder, for it to be called an overhead, it has to be, like, over your head.