This drill helps young players develop coordination and ball control through a simple and fun activity.
It is an excellent first step towards learning how to control a ball while staying focused on proper racket handling.
Setup:
The players spread out on one half of the court, with the coach positioned nearby to observe them.
Each player has a racket in one hand and a ball in the other.
How the drill works:
The coach first demonstrates the exercise to show the players exactly what is expected before allowing them to try it themselves.
The objective of the exercise is to repeatedly bounce the ball on the ground in front of you using the racket.
To do this, the racket should be held in front of the body with the racket face flat and pointing towards the ground. The player then taps the ball vertically downwards.
The players can allow the ball to bounce once on the ground, or twice (as shown in the video), before tapping it down again.
The key is to develop good touch and control so that the ball stays close and directly in front of the player rather than bouncing away in different directions.
The goal is to achieve as many consecutive bounces as possible.
On the coach’s signal, the players begin the exercise while the coach observes, provides corrections, and helps the children improve.
The exercise can be performed for 3 to 5 minutes.
The objective of this drill is to develop coordination between the arms and legs in beginner children while encouraging them to keep their eyes on the ball and maintain control of their racket.
Video credits: Escuela de Padel Ene Sport – Videos Padel Online – YouTube