Game version
Court-smarts game: a partner feeds balls to different spots, and you call “short” or “deep” before they land. The pair counts right calls.
Cross-Court Rally Patterns
Use the safe cross-court rally and know when to go down the line.
By Coach Evan Waechtler Youth coach (U11, Cache Valley, Utah) and founder of SSTracker Updated October 30, 2026
Set up
Rally cross-court with a partner for 3 minutes.
Core: Two. Beat your own best out of 10.
- Ages
- 11 and up
- Time
- 12 min
- Players
- You and a partner
- Space
- Gym or court
- Bring
- Racket, balls, partner, court
- Level · skill
- Developing · Game IQ
The steps
How it works
- Rally cross-court with a partner for 3 minutes.
- Only go down the line on a short, weak ball.
- Count how many cross-court balls you hit in a row.
- Talk about when going down the line worked.
Coaching point
Cross-court is safer. Down the line is for short balls.
Safety: Drink water at every break and rest in the shade on hot days.
Make it fun
Play it, don't drill it
Challenge
Pick a level: Less (one call), Core (two), More (call the spot too). Beat your own best out of 10.
Story
You are a detective reading where the ball will go.
My best
Beat your own count
Beat your own best out of 10. Only your own number counts: today against last time.
Practice makes progress
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