Here are some simple tips that can elevate your play to the next level.
- Always control center court. Center court is not exactly in the middle of the court. You want to be closer to the back wall so you have time to reach passing shots. Controlling this position will give you the best chance at returning each shot by your opponent.
- Don’t force shots. It is much harder to hit a successful kill shot when the point of contact is above your waist. Only go for a kill if the ball is around knee height. If the ball is around your waist, its a great setup for a passing shot. If the ball is around your upper body, hit a ceiling shot. Of course there are some exceptions to this — if you can kill 90% of shots that are waist high, then kill it. But for the most part, following these guidelines will help you score more points.
- The majority of your shots should be passes. A good passing shot will bounce twice before hitting the back wall and be on the side of the court. The 2 main passes are cross court — hitting to the opposite side of where you are, and down the line shots — hitting to the same side of the court. The cross court pass is the more difficult of the two because you need to hit the angle right so that the ball is on the sidewall when it reaches your opponent.
- Sometimes you make a mistake and hit the ball near the center of the court. You can still get to center court if you don’t mind being hit by the ball or you trust your opponent will hit a low shot. All you need to do is jump into the position. Time your jump so that you will be over the ball if it is hit at you. If your opponent hits the ball high and it ends up hitting you, it is not a penalty hinder because you gave him the pass/kill shot. If your opponent hits a good pass/kill shot, you put yourself in a better position to return it.
- Keep track of where your opponent is on the court and hit shots away from them.
