Demonstration situation
The Backhand
I set up an experiment in which I asked my performer to complete 10 backhand drives. I used a camcorder to record his attempts and completed a results table to show his level of success.
The data I collected was interval in nature therefore I calculated the mean as a suitable form of data analysis. This is because the data had a definite and implied order.
Looking at the data quantitatively, you could see that my performer's backhand was consistently poor. Only a low percentage of 20 to 30% were in.
Looking at the data qualitatively, you can see that there is a clear weakness on my performer's backhand ability. The major problems in my performer's ability to use the backhand shot is to take back/backswing, contact/timing, balance, accuracy and recovery. My performer cannot do these subroutines and effectively and so as a result my performer's overall effectiveness is not as good as it should be.
Consequently, my performer lost many points trying to use this shot, a lot of the shots went out and a few hit the net.
Early preparation and Footwork
The model is ready and looking towards the ball. Feet are spread wide to allow quick movement around the court
Racket faced towards the opponent with both hands.
Take back
Right foot in front holding the racket firm.
The racket head is brought back to allow power.
Contact
The body load up on the left foot (right hander) transfers forwards in terms of weight onto the right foot
Contact made at waist height
Follow through
Follow through from low to high. This again allows the model to prepare for the next shot
B3
Observation and analysis of core skill three: The forehand volley
Technical models
Split step
The model jumps and takes a split step.
Shoulder and feet apart so the model is well balanced and ready for incoming shot.
Racket placement
The model has the racket high and front.
The racket face is nice and open.
The model is moving his racket towards the ball.
Contact
The model is stepping across his body to meet the ball in front of the body.
The right foot is placed slightly to the side and in front for a forehand volley.
This cuts down reaction time so the model can get back to the centre of the court quicker.
Follow through
The model follows through in the direction the ball is sent.
This then gives the time to track back into the centre of the court for the next shot.
The backhand volley
Split step
The model jumps and takes a split step.
Shoulder and feet apart so the model is well balanced and ready for incoming shot.
Racket placement
The model has the racket high and front.
The racket face is nice and open.
The model is moving his racket towards the ball.
Contact
The model is stepping across his body to meet the ball in front of the body.
The right foot is placed slightly to the side and in front for a forehand volley.
This cuts down reaction time so the model can get back to the centre of the court quicker.
Follow through
The model follows through in the direction the ball is sent.
This then gives the time to track back into the centre of the court for the next shot. Note that the left hand is pointing backwards to ensure balance
Demonstration situation
The forehand and backhand volley
I set up an experiment in which I asked my performer to complete 10 forehand and backhand volleys. I used a camcorder to record his attempts and completed a results table to show his level of success.
The data I collected was interval in nature therefore I calculated the mean as a suitable form of data analysis. This is because the data had a definite and implied order.
The forehand volley
Looking at the data quantitively, you can see that the forehand volley is good. Although 60% of the shots went in, the technique was at a high level.
Looking at the data qualitively, you can see that my performer’s forehand volley was good. This is because his recovery and follow through was effective which allowed him to win a few points.
The backhand volley
Looking at this data quantitively, you can see that my performer’s backhand volley is poor. A few points were lost because the shot was not performed correctly. Only 50% of the shots were successful.
Looking at this data qualitively, you will see that my performer was ineffective at playing this type of shot.
The major flaws in this skill were my performer’s ability to recover quickly. Balance was also poor as well as the racket placement was incorrect.
B4
Observation and analysis of core skill three: The lob
Technical models
Demonstration situation
The lob
I set up an experiment in which I asked my performer to complete 10 lobs to the back line to the left side of the court and 10 lobs to the backline to the right side of the court. I used a camcorder to record his attempts and completed a results table to show his level of success.
The data I collected was interval in nature therefore I calculated the mean as a suitable form of data analysis. This is because the data had a definite and implied order.
The lob is a complex skill. To test my performer’s ability on how to lob the ball over an opponent, he will have to draw the opponent towards the net and then play it over them and into the court. My performer’s drop shot is consistently good and so I will ask my performer to play a backline to backline rally and then do a drop shot and then successfully lob the opponent.
You can see that my performer’s ability to lob is consistently good. A high percentage of the shots were successful. 70 to 80% of the shots were winners.
My performer used this type of shot to his advantage a few times which won him a few points.
This type of shot was good because the contact and follow thought were timed precisely. Also the balance was the footwork was good which allowed him to play the perfect lob
Early preparation and footwork
The model is in the ready position and is ready for the incoming shot.
The racket is facing the opponent and the model is focusing on the ball with the correct grip
Take back/backswing
The performer is effectively taking the racket back from low to high.
The models left foot is placed forwards and that racket is take it back under the ball to generate lift in the ball
Contact/timing
The model at times the shot perfectly while keeping the left foot placed forwards.
You can see that the arm is under the ball which causes that racket to open and face skywards to allow the perfect lob
Follow through
The model has followed through in the direction the ball was sent
The model has followed through from low to high so the momentum brings him back to the ready position
B5
Observation and analysis of core skill five: The Smash
Technical models
Demonstration situation
The smash
I set up an experiment in which I asked my performer to complete 10 smashes to the left and right side of the court. I used a camcorder to record his attempts and completed a results table to show his level of success.
The data I collected was interval in nature therefore I calculated the mean as a suitable form of data analysis. This is because the data had a definite and implied order.
B5: Demonstration situation
Core skill five: The Smash
My performer was not able to use this type of shot effectively and consequently lost him a few points. Only 50% of the smashes bounced in the opponent’s side of the court.
The main reasons for this ineffective shot was the contact, take back and the recovery. These important sub routines were mistimed which resulted in a poor smash success rate.
Early preparation
The model is focusing on the ball.
The body position has tuned sideways an soon as the lob was spotted.
Footwork
The model moved towards the where the ball was going to bounce.
The model is still focused with knees bent and hands pointed to the ball.
Take back
The racket has been taken behind the body, keeping eye on the ball.
The body is in line of the ball.
Racket and hand is in position as the ball is in at its highest point.
Contact
Contact is made perfectly as soon as the ball was reachable with the racket at full stretch.
The model is still focused on the ball.
As the ball arrived, the racket was thrown to meet the ball, just like a serve.
C1- Strengths and weaknesses of core skill one. The tennis serve
Strengths
Weaknesses
C2- Strengths and weaknesses of core skill two. The Forehand
Strengths
Weaknesses
C2- Strengths and weaknesses of core skill two. The Backhand
Strengths
Weaknesses
C3- Strengths and weaknesses of core skill three. The Volley
Strengths
Weaknesses
C4- Strengths and weaknesses of core skill four. The lob
Strengths
Weaknesses
C5- Strengths and weaknesses of core skill five. The Smash
Strengths
Weaknesses
D1- Identification of greatest weakness and focus for development
Using my analysis, I have identified that the greatest weakness in the core skills was the backhand drive. It is clear to see that is it the weakest skill, by viewing its success rate earlier. Only 30 per cent of the shots managed to hit the left side of the court, and even worse, only 20 per cent managed to hit the right side of the court. This clearly tells me that this was the greatest area for development. As they are scoring such low percentages it would mean that they are losing the majority of their points playing this shot, which will affect their overall performance.
The performers backhand has several specific weaknesses which can be identified.
Take back: The performer brings the racket back either to early or too late, this made the performer unable to hit the shot with enough power, also not performing the take back effectively will make the contact of the shot ineffective. To develop this, I will need a tennis court, rackets and balls. I will feed the performer a few slow shots at first and ask him to take racket back as soon as it bounces. By giving him slow shots to his backhand first, this will enable him to get the use to how and when to take the racket back. As he progresses and faster balls would be fed, it will not be the case of when or how to take back, it will be the case of how fast the performer can take back, this will require gradual practice. If I have no equipment available, I will use a gym or a hall which he could practice the shot without actually playing it.
Using the video camera, I can analyse my performer more closely by playing it back and again to see the faults in my performer. Also I could use other players to support my performer in skills which require more people.
Contact: The performers shot contact was timed ineffectively, contact was either made below the waist or above it. If the performer is right handed then the body load while playing the shot should transfer from the left foot to the right foot while playing the shot. Also the performers shot contact was not made at waist height, this made his shot very weak and inaccurate most times and thus losing points quite often. To develop this I will need a tennis court, rackets and balls. I will feed slow shots to the performer and tell him to hit the ball at the right time precisely. As soon as the ball reaches waist height, I will make the performer hit the ball right at the centre of the racket. Again this process can progress as the performer has to do this quicker in a game situation. If there was no equipment, then I would have to do this in a gym where I can help him practice the action over and so he learns the correct technique.
Overall effectiveness: The performers backhand overall was mistimed and never accurately hit. This made the performer unable to win many points having to play this shot due to lack of power and accuracy. I also noticed using the video evidence that the performers shot recovery was poor. Normally after the performer had played his shot, the performer did not return to the centre of the baseline and took long to return to the ready position. To develop this, I could use a tennis court, rackets and balls. At the court, the performer can focus on playing backhand shots and having to track back to the centre of the court and having to be in the ready position for the oncoming shot. I will do this quite slow at first, I will feed him slow backhand shots and see if the performer tracks back and is in the ready position quick enough to return the shot that I play for him on the other side of the court. Gradually the performer would be able to do this much faster. If however courts are unavailable, I could teach the correct technique to the performer without actually having to play the shot on the court. I will not need any equipment for this because to master recovery, all I need to do is allow my performer to practice the shot and act how its suppose to be performed even without equipment. This will ensure that on a court he will remember how to play the shot effectively by retrieving the information when he was practising. This will improve the performers shot recovery time
D2- Justification for this focus and benefits to the performer
Focusing specifically on the performer’s backhand, I hope this technique will improve and overall, his performance in that shot will develop and will give him a greater chance of winning points and winning matches. The performer would do this by forcing the opponent to play defensive shots or by moving them into positions where it’s harder to get the shot in. If the performer manages to make these shots than there is more chance of unforced errors and winners and so wining much more points. Although the backhand tends to be the weak shot for many tennis players, it won’t be a weakness for my performer to face. Hopefully, opponents would not be able to exploit my performers backhand as a weakness.
By improving the performers take back, contact and overall effectiveness, the performer would be able to hit the ball much harder and so force the opponent to make an error. Also improving this, the performer will get much more accuracy in the shot because it was timed correctly. By making sure that the take back was just after the bounce and making sure contact was made at waist height, much more shots were being played and less unforced errors was shown. This allowed less free points being given away and thus not losing matches. Also with this development, the performer would be able to hit backhand shots across the court to allow a passing shot against the opponent. Also these improved shots, will make the opposition find it harder to hit the shot properly and thus giving the performer a chance for a winning more winners.
Also by improving the performers shot recovery and positional recovery, the performer would be much able accurate shots which the opponent plays. Shots would be reached in time and so allow his to prepare for the shot and so increase his accuracy and power. Also by improving specifically on the positional recovery, then the performer will move much more effectively around the court allowing him to get much harder shots. By improving this, the performer has a much greater chance of winning matches.
So by improving the performers overall backhand shots, he will not have to force shots on the forehand to play the shot in. the performer will be much more confident to play the backhand shot effectively. If the forehand shot is always forced when the backhand shot is required, than the performer would be unnecessarily moving around the court because he will expose spaces in which the opposition will exploit.
E1- Bibliography
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