We all know that one coach/teacher who runs that perfect practice. Players flock to them left and right as they want to share in the experience. So what makes them so good? What makes the practice run so efficiently? One simple but yet complex concept, Planning!
What is Planning?!
Planning is looking eliminating all variables by knowing what resources you have and having a specific goal.
How do yo do it?
-Know your Players' Skill
No matter what kind of practice you are running there will always be a "top dog", the bottom player, and everyone in between. It is vital that you rank your players according to their skill level in order to have them play with the ones of similar ability most of the time. It is also very important that the top dog plays with the bottom player from time to time, as both will face these types of opponents at tournament play but it should be limited.
-Know the number of Players
As I have just pointed out, ranking the skill level is imperative but knowing how many players will be attending practice is as important. Maximize the amount of balls the players hit by setting them up in the correct ratios (Perfect ratio players hitting to Players waiting). Instead of having 2 players hitting and 4 waiting, reverse the ration, 4 hitting and 2 waiting. If you have 3players on 1 court have them all participate most of the practice by playing half court games instead of having players wait. Again, this is just to maximize the amount of balls players hit to give them better skill and stay engaged in the practice. The more the players are involved, the more fun they have.
Know your resources
The way players are arranged around the courts directly influence their development and how much they take out of their practice. When planning practices always know how many courts there are at your disposal. This is a key concept and can make or break a practice. Having 6 players on one court is counterproductive in comparison to having the same 6 on two courts. This will maximize how many balls they are hitting which will add to their repetition equaling more consistent technique by the players. A lot of practices are limited to courts and may have 6 players on 1 court. This applies to the example we gave before with the ratio. Have more players hitting than sitting out. Place 4 players hitting with 2 waiting. Another solution is to make more dynamic drills where rotations happen at a faster rate. Last thing you want at your drills is for players to not be engaged and not come back the following week.
Have a focus
The most important part of a lesson is your goal. Just like companies have mission statements, practices need to have a specific focus that players need to invest in. At our practices, I like to give players an overall theme and I like to remind them of what they are working on individually. This allows them to solidify their needs and learn new concept that will make them more complete.
Execute
Simplest part of the practice. It has been planned, written down on paper, and no brought on the court. Follow the script and the practice should go as Planned.
In conclusion, a practice is just like making a cake. Have a recipe that will show you what ingredients and the amounts you will need along with the knowledge of what kind of cake you want. Now take your recipe and make that cake!
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