Volleys give even experienced players lots of trouble. Poor technique is the main culprit, but many players never really develop a feel for the volley. The volley board, first introduced by Oscar Wegner, the legendary Argentinian teacher, is a marvelous way to learn proper volley technique, develop good feel for the stroke, and groove your volley into a powerful weapon.

A volley board is simply any inclined board against which you volley. A ball hit flat against an inclined board will tend to bounce upward. If the ball has backspin on it, however, as it would on a correctly hit volley, the upward bounce is negated and the ball will rebound more-or-less horizontally or parallel to the ground. The volley board's pronounced incline is what makes it such a great learning device. It forces you to hit a volley with backspin and proper technique in order to sustain controlled rallies off the board.

If you have the space, a sheet of standard 4 x 8 foot 3/4" plywood works best. It can actually be of any size, but a minimum of three-by-four or three-by-five feet is desired. You can paint it to make the ball more visible and protect the wood from the elements. Keep in mind that larger boards are heavier and less portable. Lean the volley board against a fence, a wall, the garage door, or even a tree and you are ready to work on your volley.

Standing about five feet from the board, begin by hitting a drop feed and then proceed to hit each rebound as a forehand volley. To keep the ball in play, you want to maintain a very firm wrist, with your racquet head slightly above your wrist. Stand sideways to the board, striking the ball about even with your front foot. Concentrate on brushing down the back of the ball to create backspin, using only your forearm. You'll find it is easier to do this with a Continental grip. Don't hit the ball too hard at first or you won't be able to control the rebound. Also, the farther away from the board, the more difficult it is to keep the ball in play.

The angle of inclination depends on your skill level. At first, try it at about 45 degrees. You can adjust it to a more upright position as your volleying skills improve.

Once you get the hang of it, try hitting with your backhand, either with two hands or one. The same technique as used on the forehand volley is required: firm wrist(s), racquet head above the level of the ball, and a slightly downward brushing of the ball to create backspin, using your forearm(s)

You can now begin competing with yourself. Try hitting 10 forehand volleys in a row without missing. Next, try 10 backhands. You can then alternate forehand and backhand volleys. Maintain your good technique and keep your feet moving. Step or lean into the ball as you strike it.

If you have a practice partner, you can hit together against the volley board, one player hitting forehand volleys and the other backhands. After a while, switch positions. Once you both have good consistency and control, you can play more competitively and keep score.

Whether you work with the volley board on your own, with your hitting partner, or are incorporating it into your teaching lessons, you'll be impressed with the rapid results. The volley board quickly teaches proper volleying technique and grooves consistency and control.

Randy Cummings
Match Point Racquet Sports
www.racquetgear.com