Sessions 1 and 2

• Randomly divide into groups of 6-8 students.
• Demonstrate striking skills by having the students drop and hit a large utility ball to each other.
• Demonstrate rebounding skills by having the students drop and hit a large utility ball against a wall to a partner.
• Demonstrate throwing and catching the ball with the dominant hand first using a tennis ball then using a Big Blue. Stress getting sideways (belly button to the side wall), making an ‘L’ with the dominant hand, shifting weight to the back foot, bringing the ball back, leading with the elbow, shifting weight to the front foot with a controlled swing, keeping the head steady and finishing facing the target with the ball contacting the wall at the same height as released.  This drill is done in groups with the student throwing the ball to the front wall then going to the end of the line.  Students are successful when their partner is successful.

o        Repeat drill using the side arm stroke stressing bending the elbow. 

• Demonstrate throwing and catching the ball with the non-dominant hand first using a tennis ball then using a Big Blue. Stress getting sideways (belly button to the side wall), making an ‘L’ (for the overhand stroke) with the dominant hand, shifting weight to the back foot, bringing the ball back, leading with the elbow, shifting weight to the front foot with a controlled swing, keeping the head steady and finishing facing the target with the ball contacting the wall at the same height as released.  This drill is done in groups with the student throwing the ball to the front wall then going to the end of the line.

o        Repeat drill using the side arm stoke stressing bending the elbow.

• Demonstrate striking skills (Drop and Hit) with the dominant hand with both the overhand and the side arm stroke using a Big Blue. Stress that all that applied when throwing the ball applies when striking the ball.  Demonstrate the cupped hand versus the open hand.  This drill is done in groups with the student throwing the ball to the front wall then going to the end of the line.

o        Drop and hit, partner catches, drop hit, partner catches, etc.

o        Drop and hit, partner hits, partner hits, etc.

• Demonstrate striking skills (Drop and Hit) with the non-dominant hand with both the overhand and the side arm using a Big Blue. Stress that all that applied when throwing the ball applies when striking the ball.  Demonstrate the cupped hand versus the open hand.  This drill is done in groups with the student throwing the ball to the front wall then moving to the end of the line.

o        Drop and hit, partner catches, drop hit, partner catches, etc.

o        Drop and hit, partner hits, partner hits, etc.

  Sessions 3 and 4

·         Randomly divide into groups of 6-8 students

·         Demonstrate teamwork/competitive skills by throwing and catching the ball with the dominant hand in groups to see which group can complete a cycle the quickest.  Stress that the key is making your partner a success.

o        Repeat using the non-dominant hand.

• Demonstrate teamwork/competitive skills by striking the ball with the dominant hand in groups to see which group can complete the cycle the quickest.  Street ht the key is making your partner a success.
• Demonstrate rally/activity skills by having each student throwing and catching the ball with the dominant hand, catch with the non-dominant hand, throw with the non-dominant hand, catch with the dominant hand, throw with the dominant hand, catch with the non-dominant hand, throw with the non-dominant hand.
• Demonstrate rally/striking skills by having each student drop and hit the  ball with the dominant hand, catch with the non-dominant hand, drop and hit with the non-dominant hand, catch with the dominant hand, drop and hit with the dominant hand, catch with the non-dominant hand, drop and hit with the non-dominant hand.
• Demonstrate rally/striking skills by having each student drop and hit the ball with the dominant hand, strike with the non-dominant hand, strike with the dominant hand, strike with the non-dominant hand.

  Sessions 5 and 6

• Divide into groups based upon skill levels of their throwing and striking skills. 
• Groups that are having a difficult time with either the throwing or striking skills should continue to work on those skills using the drills from sessions 1-4.
• Groups that can keep the ball in play using striking skills should be divided into groups of 3-8 players.
• Demonstrate multi-bounce rotation drill where two students keep the ball in play by hitting the ball to the front wall on the fly.  Players can hit the ball on any bounce as long as the ball stays in the playing area.  Players either rally or retrieve.  Player rotate from retrievers to rally position after each rally.
• Demonstrate two-bounce rotation drill where two students keep the ball in play by hitting the ball to the front wall on the fly.  Players can hit the ball on zero, one or two bounces as long as the ball stays in the playing area.  Players either rally or retrieve.  Player rotate from retrievers to rally position after each rally.
• Demonstrate two-bounce rotation drill where one student serves the ball from a pre-determined location to another student who returns the ball to the front wall on zero, one, or two and the balance of the group act as retrievers.  The player that wins the rally either remains at or moves to server, the player that loses the rally moves to the end of the line of retrievers and the first retriever moves to returner.

  Session 7 and 8

 Divide the students based up skill levels of their throwing and striking skills.  Groups that have improved their throwing and striking skills should move to the multi and two bounce skills from sessions 5 and 6.

• Groups that have developed rallying and rotation skills should be divided randomly into groups of 3-6 or more.
• Each group will be divided randomly into groups of servers, returners and retrievers.  Servers strike the ball to returners who must strike the ball so that it hits the front wall before it hits the ground on zero or one bounce, etc until the ball is not returned to the front wall.  The player that wins the rally either remains at or moves to server, the player that loses the rally moves to the end of the line of retrievers and the first retriever moves to returner.
• Each group will be divided randomly into groups of servers, returners and retrievers but SERVERS and RETURNERS will have partners.  Servers strike the ball to returners who must strike the ball so that it hits the front wall before it hits the ground on zero or one bounce, etc until the ball is not returned to the front wall.  The player that wins the rally either remains at or moves to server, the player that loses the rally moves to the end of the line of retrievers and the first retriever moves to returner.
• Teams decide whether to rotate who hits the ball or whether the player closest to the ball should hit the ball.

Balance of sessions and learning cues

Choose one or many formats below to keep players interested.  Observe students each day using the checklist below:

1. Player gets sideways when using both dominant and non-dominant hands
2. Player’s lead arm is up and pointing towards target when using both dominant and non-dominant hands.
3. Player transfers weight to the back foot on back swing when using both dominant and non-dominant hands
4. Player transfers weight to the front foot and steps toward the target when using both dominant and non dominant hands.
5. Player leads with a bent elbow when using both dominant and non-dominant hands.
6. Player’s arm is fully extended when contacting the ball at the center of body.
7. Player’s hands are “cupped” rather that flat when striking the ball.
8. Player’s head remains still and “eye is on the ball”
9. Player finishes facing the target
10. Player demonstrates good sportsmanship!