If you’re like most coaches, you may use baseline hitting drills to help “groove” your players’ groundstrokes.

The problem for tennis players who practice by hitting many balls in a row from the baseline is that they practice and develop footwork and body balance that is different from the footwork and body balance they will need to use during their matches.

For example, during a match, when a player who is on the baseline receives a short ball requiring three or more steps into the court, the player should aggressively move toward the shot, positioning himself behind and to the side of the shot, and hitting the ball the ball with his weight going into the shot. This often requiresthe player to continue moving to the net. Even baseliners who retreat to the baseline after hitting short balls should still hit the groundstroke with this same positioning.

Baseline drills, however, encourage players to stay on the baseline. This develops not only static body balance on regular balls, but an incorrect approach to the ball (poor positioning) on short balls, since players feel they have to get back to the baseline, rather than continue forward with their momentum.

This leads to players moving to short balls straight ahead, rather than from a 45 degree angle, which would allow them to get to the side of and behind the ball. This results in the classic “butt shot,” a shot in which a players runs up to a ball, stops prior to making contact, and hitting the ball so early that the player’s butt sticks out as it moves backwards, rather than having the hips come into and through the ball.

The more technical term for the “butt shot” is a “pull-through” motion. The more correct motion is known as a “push-through.” One of the main differences in the men’s and women’s game is the power imparted in strokes by the men, who are not simply stronger than the women, but who use the push-through motion on serves and groundstrokes, while women tend to use the pull-through motion.

Watch your players during baseline rally drills. In addition to hitting short balls on two bounces, see if your players bail out of short balls prior to arriving in the proper position, hitting the ball primarily with their arm, rather than using the lower body, before retreating back to the baseline.

Prior to beginning any baseline rally drills, have two of your top players demonstrate proper forehands and backhands. Have your team note their body balance, which should include their weight going into the ball. Make sure you have your players demonstrate the footwork and positioning on short balls played properly.

Remember, as we explained in the article Win More Points With Your Feet, most mistakes at the recreational level are made with the feet, not the hands. Make sure your players understand that even when they do baseline rally drills, they must hit every ball with the correct footwork, positioning and body balance they will want to use during their matches.

Let them know that hitting balls on two bounces is unacceptable. Tell them to play through short balls, and continue advancing to the net. This means that if you tell your players they must hit a certain number of balls in a row from the baseline, your all-court players will be practicing strokes they would not use in a match.

Remember the goals of your drills. Are your goals to make your team members better hitters, or better players? “Consistency” is probably not something an aggressive player who is trying to end points needs or wants to develop if it degrades accuracy, power, placement, footwork and body balance.

As we’ve said since the beginning of High School Tennis Coach, if your players don’t practice like they want to play, they’ll end up playing like they practice. Plan your drills accordingly.