Okay, here is my sharing about playing platform tennis today.
So, I got into this platform tennis thing. It’s like tennis, but a bit different, you know? The court is smaller, and there are these nets hanging around, making it a whole different ball game. I mean, regular tennis courts, they got all sorts of surfaces, right? That changes how the ball bounces and how fast it goes. But platform tennis? It’s its own thing.
First off, I tried to get the hang of the basics. I watched a few videos, one was called “Master Athletics The Serve” by some guys named Mark Parsons and Chris Humphreys. These guys were showing how to serve properly. Then I watched another one, “Master Athletics Backhand Volley,” also by Chris Humphreys. It was all about hitting the ball before it bounces, which is trickier than it sounds. And there was this lady, Darlene, in a video called “Love the Lob,” teaching how to lob the ball. Pretty cool stuff.
I spent a good chunk of my day just practicing serves. I must have served like a hundred balls. It’s not just about hitting it over the net, you gotta aim, put some spin on it, you know? Then, I worked on my backhand volley. That was tough. Timing is everything, and my timing was, well, let’s just say it needed work.
- Serve Practice: Spent hours just serving. Aiming, spinning, the whole nine yards.
- Backhand Volley: Worked on my timing. Hit a lot of balls, missed a lot too, but hey, that’s how you learn.
- Lobbing: Tried to get the hang of lobbing it over. It’s an art, seriously.
Footwork is another thing. You gotta move, and move fast. I did some drills, side to side, forward and back. Felt like a dance, but a really tiring one. And positioning, man, that’s key. You gotta be at the right place at the right time, or you’ll miss the shot. I learned that the hard way, many times.
The more I practiced, the more I felt like I was getting it. It started to feel like the game was slowing down, just a bit. I could see the ball better, react faster. Still not a pro, not by a long shot, but I could hold my own, at least against some folks who weren’t that much better than me.
To be a real pro, I heard you gotta train for at least two hours every day. It’s about practice, practice, and more practice. They say joining teams, entering tournaments, and going to summer programs helps. And there are these junior Zone Advancement Tournaments (ZATs) where you can earn ranking points. Sounds intense.
I think what makes a great tennis player, not just platform tennis but any kind of tennis, is good footwork, a killer first serve, solid technique on forehand and backhand shots, and knowing where to be on the court. I’ve got a long way to go, but it’s fun learning. Every day, I feel like I’m getting a bit better, and that’s what counts, right?
What I have learned:
- Footwork: It’s like dancing, but you gotta be quick and know where to step.
- Serve: Not just hitting the ball, but aiming, spinning, and making it hard for the other guy.
- Backhand: Hitting the ball before it bounces is tough, but it’s all about timing.
- Positioning: Gotta be at the right spot, or you’ll miss your shot.
- Practice: No shortcuts. You gotta put in the time if you wanna get good.
So, that’s my platform tennis journey for today. It’s challenging, but it’s a blast. I’m gonna keep at it, see where it takes me. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll be good enough to give those pros a run for their money. Or maybe not, but I’ll have fun trying.
