Thursday Practice Report (6-Sep-2007)

First day of the training after school term started.
It was great, with nine energetic boys.
The new form 1 boy came, called Oscar.
Also, a boy called Alex came, who joined the pracitce a few months ago but stopped playing tennis.

Tommy, Brian, Calvin, Nicholas, Louvre, Chris, Jordan, Alex and Oscar.

I tried so drills today, which I learnt from the HKTA talenT Group.
Those drills were for the very advanced player, but actually our school team players were good at the drills.

At first, some warm-up exercise in the service boxes, like some ball throwing without rackets and some funny service boxes match. Boyd did well in the starting drill.

Today, we still focus on the footwork!
Some tough drills, forehand and backhand down-the-line, but they had to hit six balls and dash!
Some played excellent such as Chris and Brian, they tried their best to chase all the balls. Those basic strokes were must, but some didn't have consistent baseline shots. Boys need more practice, especially some drills like today--chasing to hit the ball.

Another drill is about the chasing shot.
Forehand chasing shot, boys have to chase to hit a short ball.
Boys did bad at first. They couldn't get used of hitting a short ball, a widen angle shot. They hit all the balls to the net. I put two chairs for targets, after hitting few rounds, Calvin, Chris and Oscar even hit the targets! They learnt how to chase the ball and hit a widen angle, I hope..

So, some more drills about the volley-and-baseline...
I would like to talk about the chasing-back-the-ball drill.
Boys started at the net, when they touched the net, I gave them a very high lob. They had to dash back. After the ball bounced, they hit a shot. They can hit a powerful forehand, a lob or even a slice... But the main point is that they had to hit the ball after it bounced! No overhead is allowed! At the other side, two volleys for returning the balls.

At first, boys didn't get the ball, or even touch the ball with the rackets. After some shots, some did well. Chris tried his poweful forehand shot; Tommy tried his best lob. The volleyers like Brian and Jordan were also great, they returned some killer shots. Boys improved their lob and overhead, but their volleys have a very large room of improvement.

Some service, the four-to-four game.
For the game, their score was really close and it was exciting. I doubted that boys learnt much after the game.

So, another new game today!
I would like to introduce this funny game to all for you, which I learnt at the TG.
Five vs. Four.
Five baseline players against four net players. Coach fed the ball to the baseline players, they can do everything except a lob for the first ball. So, if a boy lose the point, he would be sent out of the court. At the end, the team which sent out all the teammates would lost one point. We played for seven points.

Louvre, Tommy, Brian, Alex, Calvin were the same team, played against Chris's team. At the begining, Louvre's team were all sent out, they lost three points. However, the score were close after few points later. The game showed us all that the hitting a very powerful shot to the net player is not an useful tactic. In some case, like Brian and Tommy, they can return the ball with a drop volley. The drill is fun, but actually they should be smart and tactic. Some lobs and wide angle shots can gain more points!

I would try my hard to learn more drills and games for the boys.
The game can be fun and boys can learn from it, I bet!
After coaching the wyk school team and the TG, I found that today's youngster like game and fun. Maybe, the dull drills in the past is not suitable for the boys. I would try my hard to think more drills for the boys.

Boys, do the drills boring? If so, please let me know=]

Thanks God for the good weather and the new F1 boy Oscar joining the school team.
Oscar told us that he learnt tennis at about six, at primary one (just like me =]). He's now taking the course of HKTA at the Junction Rd. ( I knew the course and also the coaches) Oscar had a very good form, the formal form. He had a very formal western grip like Matthew( Oh, where is Matthew? Busying for the A-level?) It would be great that our team have the new blood like him. At the end of the training today, Brian played a single with Oscar. Oscar lost.

Oscar's form and footwork are excellent, but he didn't earn much experience of playing match. Furthermore, he doesn't have a good consistent strokes and service. This is what other boys act like. So, what he can do is hitting more ball and learn how to be consistent. I believe, after a few months, he would be a very good player. I would like to praise that Oscar worked with others easily, he chated much with others and really enjoyed the lesson today. Other boys like Brian and Chris chated and played with him, he would be our new star! He promised to me that he would come next Thursday!

After chating with Oscar, I think about my past.
My past was like him, taking the course of HKTA. Also, the course at the Junction Rd. In fact, I knew Oscar' s coaches. They were also my enligten coaches. This year, I worked with one of the coaches, started my coaching life in Junction Road. I can see my past in Oscar, just like I entered the school team at my first day. I didn't join the team when I were in F1, because I were so shy at F1. I joined the team on October the next year. After few days joinning the team, I represented wahyan playing the HKSSF. In the team, I learnt more about tennis and improved my skills. I learnt how to co-operate with others, working with my teammates. One more important, I love wahyan more after taking part in the tennis team. We don't know how would be our future or how we would play like, but I trust that after taking part in the school team, you would learn more and be more mature. In case, you would feel more proud of being a wahyanite.

I hope all of you, the school team, Oscar, Chris and other teammates would tresure your friendship and the time in wahyan, especially in the team. Just like the old boys, Raymond and Joseph, after so many years, they are still very good friends. Wahyan and the tennis court are the best place for meeting friends, the tennis court is one of the best places for maintaining our friendship =]

Hope you all would enjoy in the court!
* Thanks Louvre telling me that the HKTA tournament's order of play updated.
Boys, please check it NOW!!!
Louvre and Brian are the 4th seed in Boys under 18 doubles!!!!!
http://tennishk.org/docs/Junior%20Series/Jr_Series_2007_Comp6_Draw_(2007-09-06).xls