Quick Tips of Great Value

 Here are four items that come up a lot, but are a bit more advanced than the basics.  They don't require a lot of explanation and I think they are technically sound.  I'll pontificate a bit on the fourth one, as it touches a couple of the basic principles.

One: Moving your feet is vital (everything?).  It's real easy to get to a good place and then try/expect to lean to get shots from there.  That ain't the best.  Get used to moving the feet all the time.  A bit of a bounce or pressure shifts are a good way to be ready to move them for a shot.  You should probably have to move for every shot.  Maybe not a lot, but a step or half a step makes poaches and ground strokes much more consistent.

Two: When you are coming up to the kitchen line, it's easy to just run up your side of the court.  But depending where the ball is, this may widen the gap between you and your partner.  A great habit is to run forward, but towards the ball.  Think of this as closing the angle that a goalie does.

Three: When you are waiting for a shot, face the ball's location.  This doesn't matter a lot when you are at the baseline, but at the kitchen line it's important.  You want to be able to move laterally to hit shorts and facing forward and twisting to track the ball puts you in a bad attitude for quick movement to at least one side, maybe both.

Four: Don't stretch for shots that are on your partner's side of the court.  This is correct for two reasons, one is that it's difficult to hit a good shot when you are stretched out.  Two, you've got a partner who is probably better placed to hit it.  (And if the point goes badly, you can then blame partner!)  

We are all here to hit the ball, so let partner hit his.  The less court for which you are responsible, the better you can cover your side.  

Now, if partner is used to you taking all the middle shots, this may lead to some awkward misses, but a quick word to partner will clarify this.  

It is an extension of the theory of the crisscross responsibility, that is, the person to whom the ball is going, should hit the return.  I'll toss in an exception to this -- when one player has taken control of the point, usually when receiving a pop up, they should aggressively hit any follow up shots as required.  This is mid court to kitchen line stuff and it's pretty obvious.

There you have it, some simple plays that will make it easier to play well.