US Sports Hockey. Which Hockey Position Should I Play? | Hockey Positions Guide and NHL Highlights Kings vs. Wild

 

The March To Madness Rolls On! Now Streaming On US Sports Radio

 

• By Jackson Chlebowy

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For young hockey players just getting started, it can be exciting and overwhelming trying to choose where they want to play. To pick the best hockey position for you or your child, you/they have to understand their strengths and weaknesses on the ice. Each position requires a specific skill set that young players need to develop if they want to be successful hockey players. Every position plays a crucial role in the success of the team, and knowing which position best suits you/your child’s strengths, skills and instincts can make a huge difference in their development and enjoyment of the game.

Goaltender

The goaltender's job is simple, yet extremely difficult. Stop the puck from going in the net. This is not a position for the faint of heart as this player has to be prepared to stand in front of hard shots and fend off crashing forwards. Playing Goalie in hockey requires immense skill, concentration, and mental toughness. The best of the best have incredible hand-eye coordination, agility, flexibility, and composure under pressure.

A good goaltender can’t ever get caught up on mistakes or goals scored against them. Goals are going to happen, but a poor mental or emotional reaction to getting scored on can cause a snowball effect leading to more goals and mistakes. 

Being a taller player may also be beneficial when playing goaltender. Having extra size and length can make it easier to cover the goal, but should not be a determining factor in choosing the position. Regardless of size, a goalie has to be agile, quick, and cerebral if they want to be successful at any level. 

Necessary skills:

- Quick reflexes and hand-eye coordination

- Strong lateral movement and agility

- Mental toughness and concentration

Defense

Defensemen are the spine of your team's defensive structure. Their primary job is to defend their net and prevent the other team from getting scoring chances. This means shadowing attacking players, battling for the puck in the corners, and collecting and clearing pucks out of the zone. In today's game, there are a couple of different types of defensemen (Offensive defensemen, defensive defensemen, or some combination of the 2). 

One thing that all defensemen have in common is they are tough. Whether it be battling along the wall, standing in the shooting lanes, or protecting your net, playing defense requires physicality and aggression. That being said defensemen also need to be some of the smartest players on the ice. D-men need to be aware of their surroundings, constantly scanning the ice looking for attacking players, passing lanes, and opportunities to disrupt the play.

Along with their defensive responsibilities, defensemen have to be quick decision-makers and accurate passers. The breakout relies heavily on the first pass, which often comes from a defenseman. To play the position, players have to be competent puck movers and able to handle constant pressure from forecheckers when handling the puck.  

More offensive-minded defensemen should have passing, skating, and shooting skills more closely associated with wingers and centers. As a defenceman, they still have to take care of their defensive responsibilities. Offensive defensemen might be more aggressive in the offensive zone and can because of their strong skating abilities, and anticipation skills. A good offensive defenseman has to make smart decisions, or else they could give up odd-man opportunities. 

Necessary skills:

- Strong skating ability (forward and backward)

- Defensive awareness and positioning

- Physicality

- Puck handling and passing skills 

Winger

Wingers play along the perimeter of the ice and are often responsible for generating offense for your team. As players get older, they will better define what type of forward they are (Sniper, Playmaker, Power Forward) but for now, they should focus on practicing skills required by all of those archetypes. Skills like puck handling, shooting, passing, vision, physicality, and most importantly, skating ability. 

Because wingers are mainly in charge of generating offense, they should be strong skaters with good puck-handling skills. They should have good vision and senses, able to find dangerous passing opportunities, and soft areas of the ice to attack.  

Because Wingers are offensively focused, they tend to have fewer defensive responsibilities. They often play along the wall or up near the opponent's defensemen, so they should be prepared to disrupt shooting lanes and block shots. Wingers are also integral in generating pressure on the forecheck. They need to be willing to battle and chase their opponents around for the puck looking to create turnovers.

Necessary skills:

- Fast and powerful skating

- Superior puckhandling skills 

- Accurate shot

- Playmaking vision and anticipation

Center

The center is one of the hardest-working players on the ice. Centers are in charge of taking faceoffs as well as patrolling the middle of the ice in both the offensive and defensive zones. A good center is the last forward to leave the Dzone and the first forward back on the backcheck. This role takes endurance and lots of hard work. In the defensive zone, centers are responsible for the slot, as well as supporting their defensemen in the corners. On offense, centers need to be intelligent, finding open ice, drawing defenders away, and setting up their teammates with good vision. Young players wanting to play center should have strong work ethic, passing and puckhandling skills, and quick and safe decision making.

Necessary skills:

- Stamina and work ethic

- Face-off ability

- Hockey IQ and ability to read plays

- Passing vision and puck support

Choosing Your Best Fit

Each hockey position requires a truly unique skill set. For young players who are new to hockey, the best way to pick what position they want to play is by trying them all! Coaches and parents should encourage every player to experiment and develop their all-around skills before picking a position. Another great way to decide what position to play is by watching the NHL. Watching the best of the best will help identify skills and habits that will give you or your child the best chance of succeeding in those roles. Once you find your position, commit to developing your skills. Finally, Don't forget to have fun! That's what playing hockey is all about.

US Sports Soccer: How to be A Great Soccer Coach and Atlanta United vs. Inter Miami Full Match Highlights Revenge Match!

 

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How to be A Great Soccer Coach

• By Damilare Ilyiade

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The success of a coach always draws the attention of the spectators far and wide, and everyone wants to know what a successful coach is doing to be successful especially when coaching has to do with handling about 23 different players who grew up in different geographical locations and with different characters. Soccer coaching, without any doubt, is a tough job, and to achieve success, you must have a lot of love for the game.

Coaching is much more than putting together a starting lineup or conducting training sessions. If there is any job that takes all of you, it is the soccer coaching job. A lot of coaches thriving don’t see coaching as a job, and that’s one of their reasons for success. They often see it as their life. Pep Guardiola, who is one of the greatest football (soccer) coaches, once said this “Players think about themselves while the coach thinks about them even when he is not with them.” And that’s the nature of the job of a soccer coach. You study opponents a lot, and you think about tactics; you think about the effective way of using each player, you think on how to make every player happy to ensure unity within the group, which is pertinent for success. The coach always has a lot to think about, and any lag in the job of a coach means the opponents are preparing better, which is what top coaches don’t want to see happen.

So, whether it is a recreational soccer team for young children or a World Cup champion national team, one person that you cannot do without is the coach and to become a good soccer coach, there are a lot of things that must be put in place. One of them is your knowledge of the game. Being a soccer coach is very demanding, and it takes a lot of preparation in studying and practicing.

Many may assume that a great player could be a great coach, but many great players have failed on the coaching platform. So being a great player helps you understand some things when you become a coach, but it doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be a great coach. There is more to being a great coach; you must tick a lot of essential boxes.

And the most important question is this, what makes a great coach?

You must have heard several coaches being praised for how they’ve helped their players improve, how they’ve made their team play brand new football. What qualities do these coaches have? What makes them so “great”?

Claudio Ranieri on winning the Premier League: “There are so many keys to this. Humility, the strength of the dressing room, they help each other at important moments, they play with the heart, the soul, they play 11. There was a good blend. And all these are not things you achieve overnight.

Here are some points you should look at on how to be a good soccer coach;r coach;

1. Be Professional

Professionalism is the embodiment of what a coach should be. The competence of a coach must be seen by all and the coach must be able to transmit professionalism that he embodies to the players and the other staff he is working with. Part of professionalism is punctuality, the coach must always arrive early at training and in games, even before the players, this way you’ll get to set up the training sessions without wasting time.

Part of being professional as a coach is an act of taking further steps to improve your education, take time to evaluate yourself and your work ethics and be sure it’s what your team needs. Always make your players see the need to improve continuously, a coach cannot afford to leave a training ground satisfied, no matter how hard the lads have worked. Keep encouraging the lads, keep pushing them, they need that push to be the best version of themselves. Adequate preparation and Continuous education is what makes a great coach.

 

2. Be a Good Teacher

One important job of the coach is to teach the players how to be more effective. 

The coach must be able to access each player’s strengths and weaknesses, and he must take it upon himself as a duty to explain basics like passing, dribbling, shooting, and tackling to the players.

The coach must ensure that his team keeps learning and improving their skills daily. As a coach, always remember to give clear and correct instructions during the training sessions. You can’t coach the soccer players who don’t have any knowledge about the do’s and don’ts in soccer. In teaching soccer skills, remember “a picture is worth a thousand words,” so demonstrating the drills can be so much better than oral instructions.

3. Be Friendly but also know when to be stern and demanding

The first thing that every coach must learn to establish is a great relationship with his players. Being friendly with the players helps you a lot in understanding their personality and how to get the best out of every one of them. This way, you could analyze their varied emotional and mental characteristics and develop strategies that could motivate them more accordingly. But remember you can get personal but stay professional. Friendliness is a means to an end, not an end in itself. When you are friends with someone, you won’t like to disappoint them, and that’s how you should make the players see it so they can always give their best always even though you’re their friend. Don’t go to the level where you become so friendly that you forget to be a demanding coach. Your friendliness should be a means to get top quality performances from your players. Don’t fake the friendliness so that you can get what you want, be sincere, and enjoy being with your players.

4. Always listen to your players

Most coaches ever forget that they are humans also, and they often go to the level where they put every responsibility upon themselves. That will not only be draining, but it will shut your players out from you, and even if everyone knows you are making a mistake, they won’t say a word to you. Being the coach doesn’t mean you must always do the talking, listen more, and you’ll find more solutions. For the team’s development, ask your player’s view after every game. As the soccer coach, you must be a good listener because every person has his own brilliant ideas to share. Always encourage your players to speak out and take what they say into consideration. Make notes if necessary, and include some recommendations in your soccer session plan.

5. Good Communicator

As a soccer coach, communication is very important. You must recognize the players’ performances and achievements; you must always be there to encourage them to do better and tell them to put more efforts when they aren’t doing so well. Commend them after every game. You must also be careful of words to use because a coach, your words are powerful, and it can have a massive impact on the players and the team in general.  Communication also includes your body language. Don’t be negative with your body language during training and matches. Even when things aren’t going so well, the players often look to the body language of the coach, always be positive.

  

6. Development

A coach must always pay close attention to the player’s development. Each soccer player’s development is essential. As their coach and role model, you must teach them not only soccer basic skills, but also social skills like discipline, patience, determination, and teamwork. Always put as one of your goals the development of the team players.

 

7. Team Motivator

The coach must always be the motivator, and he must transmit positive energy always.  As a coach, you must develop activities in the training session that will help motivate each player to do better every game. Don’t forget to remind them their goals and missions on why they wanted to play soccer and create a winning team. Words of encouragement and ways for development are very useful. Understand every player and motivate them to do better even when they are doing well.

 

8. Ensure to be Adequately Prepared

The soccer coaching job is very demanding, to enjoy the process and to avoid getting exhausted quickly, you must ensure adequate preparation. Don’t forget the perfect 5 P’s of preparation. Perfect Planning Prevents Poor Performance

 

9. Be the perfect example for your players

Being an ideal example to your players works like magic. Every team needs a soccer coach that is a good role model. Players need to look up to someone they think is worth emulating. Examine yourself and ensure you are that person. Live by the standards you require from your players.

10. lastly, provide a perfect environment for everyone in the team

The coach must always ensure to understand the atmosphere around the players at all times. Sometimes all that is needed for a great performance is a good atmosphere. Bonding is key to success, organize picnics to ensure proper bonding between everyone in the team. Don’t show favoritism to some while you sidetrack others. Let everyone in the team feel like a member even if they don’t make the first eleven selection.

 

To Lean more about becoming a great soccer coach check out top coaches' online training by clicking the link below.

Soccer Coaching Courses

Nevertheless, you will need to showcase your strategic ability through tactical awareness. To learn more about this side of soccer coaching, Coach Kartashov's course: Become a Professional Soccer Coach is a wonderful course on the tactical side.

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High Intensisty Health Highlight on US Sports: NIH Hijinks?

 

The Doctors Are In: Baker, Campbell, and more now streaming on US Sports Radio

 

Evidence suggests some of NIH research funding gets allocated towards lavish expenses and pads universities's profits.
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US Sports Thinking Cap: Where did the phrase tin foil hat come from? And Inforwars Live

Where did the phrase tin foil hat come from?

• Author Bob Davis

Where did the phrase tin foil hat come from?

"Buddy's wearing a tin foil hat! He thinks the government is reading his mind!"

This phrase is often used to mock someone who believes in conspiracy theories. But where did the idea of wearing tin foil on your head come from?

The practice actually dates back to the early days of radio, when people believed that the government could use radio waves to read their thoughts. To prevent this, they would wear headgear made of metal foil.

This was first coined by Julian Huxley, brother of "Brave New World" author Aldous Huxley, in his 1927 work "The Tissue-Culture King". In the story, the protagonist resists mind control by wearing a hat made of metal foil.

Of course, we now know that the government can't read our thoughts through radio waves. But the phrase "tin foil hat" has stuck around to refer to anyone who believes in paranoid conspiracy theories.

But can tin foil hats really protect your mind from being read?

Unfortunately, there's no scientific evidence to support this claim. The foil is intended to block telepathic waves, but it actually boosts radio frequencies rather than preventing them.

Are tin foil hats effective at all?

Some conspiracy theorists say that the hats do offer some protection against things like cell phone and WiFi signals, which could theoretically be used to track or spy on someone. But again, there's no scientific evidence to support this claim.

What would happen if you actually wore a tin foil hat?

Most likely, you would just end up looking like a fool. At most it would block sun, light and rain. In fact, the only thing a tin foil hat would do is probably make you think people are staring at you because you look ridiculous.

So why do some people still believe in the power of the tin foil hat?

Perhaps because it's a way to feel like they have some control over their lives in a world that often feels unpredictable and out of their hands. Or maybe they just enjoy feeling like they're part of a secret society that knows something the rest of us don't. Whatever the reason, the tin foil hat phrase is here to stay.

What are some actual uses for aluminum foil?

• Line a baking pan with foil to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.

• Make a makeshift funnel by folding a sheet of aluminum foil.

• Wrap leftovers in foil to keep them fresh.

• Create a makeshift splint using aluminum foil and tape.

• Polish silver by crumpling up a sheet of foil and rubbing it on the tarnished surface.

• Specialty Purposes from bicycles to ladders, mailboxes, staples, nails and screws, different computer components, sinks and faucets, as well as other household things like screen doors and window frames.

As you can see, there are millions of productive uses for aluminum foil, but protecting your brain from mind reading isn’t one of them. The next time you hear someone say they’re wearing a tin foil hat, you can be pretty sure they’re joking. Unless, of course, they’re not. In which case, maybe it’s best to just stay away from them.

If you want more information on ways you can use our aluminum in your next project, give us a shout. Speak with a specialist now to discover more about whether aluminum is suitable for the tasks you need it for. And if you want to make hats out of it, that’s cool too. We don’t judge.

The source of the article: https://aaluminum.com/blog/

If you ever need any quality Aluminum Sheets visit: https://aaluminum.com/aluminum-sheet-for-sale/ or call us at 905-764-2245

The Rock Almighty -WINNING THE BATTLES OF OPPOSITION A MUST FOR A VICTORIOUS LIFE and Sunday On The Rocks With Recon

 

We Rock For The King Daily! The Rock Almighty Shaker Of Heaven and Earth. Now streaming on US Sports Radio

 

• Author Chibuike Okoroafor

For every opportunity in life there's always an opposition spiritually or physically to contend with (1Cor 16:9). Therefore, it's paramount for us to wage intense spiritual warfare using scriptural principles as recorded in Ephesians 6:12-18. Any battle you didn't defeat makes you a victim with generational imprints. Don't pass baton of unfinished battles to your children; whatever you don't defeat in your time waits for the next generation; battles (both spiritual and physical) aren't legacies nor inheritance, deal with it, unfinished battles cripples destiny, unfortunately many have been swallowed by battles they don't know how it started, many die foolishly because they fought people their sacrifice are heavier, don't fight who sacrifices more than you spiritually. Choose your battles wisely ! The most painful aspect of life is striving for survival and at the same time fighting unseen and seen forces, even the pride of lions are selective in their fight.

From biblical view points let's x-ray some people who firecely fought and subdued oppositions before their promotion.

1.Isaac couldn't enjoy his father's wells until he defeated the philistines. Gen 26: 18-26

2.Gideon couldn't excel until the altars of his father's house was brought down. Judges 6:25-27

3.Israelites couldn't enjoy liberty until Pharaoh and his cohorts where defeated: Ps 136:15

4.Joseph defeated a mess before his enthronement Gen 39: 7-11

5.Jesus couldn't enjoy his ministry untill Herod died Matt 2:19-20

6.Samson couldn't enjoy his ministry because Delilah took his strength judges 16:19

7.The government of heaven couldn't enjoy peace until Satan was defeated. Rev 12:7-11

Every great destiny will attract the attacks of the enemy and the warfare of destiny must be defeated before the welfare can be delivered. Unfortunately many who couldn't defeat these powers are cut off from the chronicles of life. If you sense greatness in your life; you must be intentionally conscious with associations and relationships( just like in the case of Paul & Barnabas, in Acts 15:37-40) & (Acts 9: 26-27). Relationships must serve a purpose that aid your growth and aligns you for more opportunities. Moreso, be strategic with your battles, David never fought every battle until he hears from God. Great destinies must be aligned to the leading of the holy spirit. Great destinies must understand time is the greatest asset of leverage. Give time to learn and unlearn but know when to thrust into progression because every retrogression in life can be traced on how the last second of your time is used. Oppositions manifest spiritually or physically and doesn't expire until firece contention are launched. If you notice something is fighting you or patterns are repeated continually don't keep quiet; launch a fierce spiritual warfare otherwise silence will become consent for the burial of destinies. There are many veritable ways opportunities could be lost in life and some of these factors are as follows:

1. Greed & selfishness

2. Wolverine spirits masquerading under the bloodline fraternities (family strongmen)

3. Lack of spirituality

4. Sexual orgies

5. Dishonesty

6. Frenemies

7. Poor decisions

8. Lack of discernment

9. Pride and arrogance

10. Uncontrollable temperament

11. Disobedience

12. Demonic radars

13. Gossiping

God gave David rest from his enemies because he was always intentional in seeking God's face in prayers, whenever there's contention from the enemy, it's an indication as a believer to seek God's guidance. God will always direct us to his will but the enemy will fight to thwart the purpose of God in our lives, promotion and enjoying victorious life is dependent on how you handle your oppositions, so be strategic with your spirituality and do not grow weary because the adversary always prowl to seek whom to afflict with pain, depression etc.

Holds B.Eng in Chemical Engineering, holds diploma in Statistics, Word preacher, Creative writer, business addict, flexible with options

The NBA on US Sports. KINGS at SUNS | FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS

 

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US Sports Basketball: North Carolina vs. Duke Condensed Game 2025 ACC Men's Basketball Tournament

 

In what turned out to be another thriller at the 2025 T. Rowe Price ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament, the No. 1 seed Duke Blue Devils escaped with a 74-71 win over the No. 5 seed North Carolina Tar Heels. The Blue Devils led by as many as 24 points before the Tar Heels were able to battle back and make it a one possession game at the end. Carolina had a look from three-point land as time expired, but Van-Allen Lubin's shot was off the mark. Jon Scheyer's club advanced to the finals without Cooper Flagg and Maliq Brown who were out with injuries suffered in the quarterfinals. It was a balanced scoring attack that got the job done for Duke led by Kon Knueppel's 17 points. Khaman Maluach added 13 points on 6-8 shooting to go along with 9 rebounds and 2 blocks while Patrick Ngongba was a perfect 6-6 from the floor for 12 points with 3 rebounds and a block in the win.
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US Sports Track and Field. Four Essential Tips For Coaching Track Relays and Sprints and USC’s JC Stevenson runs second-fastest NCAA men's indoor 60m EVER...

 

Is Creighton a Real Final Four Contender? Now Streaming on US Sports Radio

 

Four Essential Tips For Coaching Track Relays and Sprints

• By Grant Young

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Coaching track relays can be quite challenging for several reasons. First of all, coordinating the handoffs between runners in a relay requires precise timing and technique. This means that as a coach, you need to ensure that each runner understands their role and the specific timing of the handoff to the next runner. 

Additionally, managing the different strengths and abilities of each runner in the relay team can be a complex task. Understanding each athlete's strengths and weaknesses and finding the right combination of runners to form a competitive relay team requires careful observation and assessment. 

Furthermore, motivating and inspiring the relay team to work together and perform at their best can be a demanding aspect of coaching track relays. As a coach, you must foster a sense of teamwork and unity among the relay runners, while also addressing individual concerns and maintaining a positive team dynamic. 

Lastly, the pressure of ensuring that the relay team performs well in high-stakes competitions adds another layer of difficulty to coaching track relays. The coach must prepare the team both physically and mentally for the challenges they will face during the race. 

Coaching track relays requires a combination of technical expertise, interpersonal skills, and strategic thinking, making it a difficult but rewarding endeavor. But with a few tips from an elite coach like Erik Jenkins, any relay coach can get their team winning races in no time. 

Erik Jenkins is entering his fifth season as the head coach of the USF track and field and cross country program. The Bulls have collected 23 individual and relay event conference championships, the program’s first men’s team conference championship, and two individual event national championships under Jenkins’ leadership.

Jenkins arrived in Tampa after serving 11 seasons as the head coach at Western Kentucky. During his time as head coach of the Hilltoppers, Jenkins led Western Kentucky to 30 Sun Belt and Conference USA championships, was tabbed conference coach of the year 21 times between outdoor and indoor nominations, and was selected as the USFTCCA Southeast Region Coach of the Year five times.

Coach Jenkins’ ‘Sprints and Relays Tips and Techniques featuring Coach Erik Jenkins’ course, shares several unique training tips, techniques, and race strategies that make it a must-have resource for coaches and sprinters at any competitive level. 

Sprinting Mechanics

While a great sprinter can come from any body type or background, Coach Jenkins noted that everyone must encompass three commonalities: the ability to push early, maintain, and decelerate efficiently. 

When instilling these crucial components of sprinting success in your athletes, coaches will want to start by ensuring the sprinter’s head is up, and they’re looking forward during the acceleration to the maintenance phase. In addition, the sprinter should understand that their hips need to be slightly behind where their shoulders should be while trying to push at the sprint's beginning. 

When it comes to moving the legs, the mechanics should make it so the runner’s knees are headed directly upwards with each motion before their foot goes to dorsiflexion. What sprinters don’t want to be doing is for their calf to bow out while running, which wastes energy and facilitates unnecessary movement which can be the difference between winning and losing a race. 

A great way to commit these techniques to memory is by standing in front of a runner and holding their shoulders in place while they’re slightly leaned over in the same way they’d be running during a race. From there, you can help train them to execute their leg revolutions correctly. And if there are multiple players on a relay team that you’re trying to teach at once, have them do this with their hands against a wall. 

Starting Blocks

Coach Jenkins explains that there’s no cookie-cutter approach to setting blocks and that each athlete is going to have their own preference. 

Coach Jenkins likes to have his athletes set their blocks in practice along the lane lines, so he has a clear visual to be able to evaluate and teach from as they practice their starts. 

When it comes to the actual start, the coach wants to make sure their athletes’ hands are completely behind the line, that their weight is shifted right on top of the hands around their shoulder blades, and that the head is in a neutral position with the spine. All of that should remain the same once the athlete’s bottom comes up right before the race begins, aside from where their weight is shifted (it will shift backward to the core/legs). 

The Finish

Coach Jenkins believes that the most important aspect of developing a sprinter is developing the way they finish races. And the first and foremost aspect of this is ensuring that the sprinter is moving through the finish line rather than moving or running to the finish line. 

In a fast race where the winner and loser can be decided between hundredths of a second, there can be no cruising through the finish line. Instead, the sprinter must be committed to the finish line and run through it. 

A great way to coach this is by having a focus point that is past the finish line. For example, a 100 m sprint or relay runner should be actually thinking they’re running a 105 m race because that extra 5 m should be completed with the same intensity to make sure the runner doesn’t let up on the gas.

US Sports Tennis: Three Elite Tennis Ball Machine Drills and Medvedev vs Fils Rollercoaster Final Set Highlights | Indian Wells 2025

 

What's The IFL? Find Out. Tune Into  US Sports Radio

 

• By Grant Young

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As all tennis coaches who’ve ever used one will know, there are numerous reasons why ball machine tennis drills are often considered one of the most effective tools for tennis players looking to improve their game.

Firstly, they provide a consistent and controlled environment for practicing various shots without the unpredictability that comes from hitting with a partner. This consistency allows players to focus on their technique, footwork, and shot placement without worrying about where the ball will be coming from. 

Another significant advantage is the ability to customize drills to target specific skills. For instance, players can adjust the speed, spin, and frequency of the balls being fed, enabling them to work on specific areas such as serves, volleys, or groundstrokes. 

There’s also the unavoidable fact that practicing with a ball machine removes the pressure that can come from playing with others. Players can take their time to focus on their form and make adjustments without the fear of judgment or the competitiveness that often arises in matches and practice sessions. 

Of course, ball machines are available for use almost any time, allowing players to practice at their own convenience. This accessibility means that players can take advantage of additional practice sessions without relying on a partner’s schedule. 

Ball machines (and the drills that can be done with them) offer a versatile, convenient, and effective way for tennis players to refine their skills.

But it can be hard to figure out just which drills are most effective when using a ball machine, as some drills are certainly more suited for an actual opponent. This is why we’ve compiled three ball machine-specific tennis drills from three respected tennis coaches that will expedite any tennis player’s development. 

Cosmin Miholca - Scramble Seven Drill

Cosmin Miholca is a certified tennis coach that has been playing tennis for over 30 years and teaching it for more than 20 years, both in Southern California and more recently in Europe.

Coach Miholca has developed many online tennis courses to share his knowledge with anyone who wants to enjoy tennis, regardless of whether they're a coach or player, or whether they want to play recreationally or competitively.

In his ‘Best BALL MACHINE Tennis DRILLS and GAMES’ clinic, Coach Miholca explains why ‘Scramble Seven’ is one of his favorite ball machine drills.  

For this drill, the ball machine is set to send the balls deep while rotating from side to side, therefore scrambling where each ball will end up and thus force the player to practice both the forehand and the backhand.

The goal is for the tennis player to hit seven balls in a row at the decided upon location (which can be deduced by cones or tape) in a row. Ideally the seven shots will follow this pattern:

1. - 2 balls from the baseline (groundstrokes) 2. - 1 approach shot (around service line) 3. - 4 volleys (at the net)

If any shots are missed, then the drill starts up again at zero. To make it more competitive, the player can alternate each shot to either side of the ball machine or at another specified location, and the exercise can go on until the player either hits seven shots in a row (or however many they’ve like to go for) or whenever the coach declares it’s done. 

Joe Dinoffer - Decision-Making Drilling

Joe Dinoffer has had an extensive "world class" career in the tennis industry, and has conducted clinics and exhibitions in over 50 countries, personally logging over 30,000 hours of instruction in English, Spanish, and German. He is a Master Professional in both the PTR and USPTA, a distinction awarded to only a select few in the tennis industry. He also received the prestigious 2006 USPTA Tennis Industry Excellence Award and was also selected as the 2012 USPTA Texas Pro of the Year. 

In his ‘Ball Machine Drills’ clinic, Coach Dinoffer explains one group drill that he loves using. 

This drill will initially set the ball machine to three different speeds: 

1. A short, high mid-court ball, where the tennis player will want to forehand winner down the line or cross-court. 

2. A high, deep backhand to the corner, where they hit a cross-court ball with topspin, either deep or back cross-court. 

3. Moderately deep to the left of the middle, where the player will run around their backhand and hit a forcing shot either reverse cross-court or down the line. 

Since the player won’t know which ball is being hit to them, this will perfectly replicate the quick decision making that’s required during an actual match. 

Randy Stewart - Windshield Wiper Drill

After passionately coaching the Bryan Vikings for 24 years, Randy Stewart was nominated into the prestigious TTCA Hall of Fame in 2019. This capped a highly successful career impacting high school athletes that extends far beyond the tennis court.

However, his complete understanding of the game, his ability to communicate, inspire, and teach his athletes made his induction an easy decision. He is still sharing his depth of knowledge with the world and to any aspiring coach.

Coach Stewart’s ‘My Favorite Ball Machine Drills’ clinic discusses the highly valuable windshield wiper drill, which is named so because the lines and movement required resemble a car’s windshield wipers. 

One side of the court will be in a line working on their forehand while the other is working on their backhand. Each player gets three shots at different spots, depending on where the ball machine places it.

First will be forehand, then backhand, then the final will be the widest shot, which is to clear any congestion of the rapid movement on court and allow the next player to get into position.

US Sports Women's Lacrosse: Catching, Shooting & Dodging for Girls Lacrosse and UVA Lacrosse - WOMEN'S LACROSSE: Richmond Highlights

 

If Silence Is Violence, We're About That Peaceful Life. Now Streaming on US Sports Radio

 

by Rachel Lenzo

Description

Make your girls a threat on the field! Every member of your girls lacrosse team will benefit from this extensive collection of drills that covers every aspect of the game. Coach Rachel Lenzo of Eastern University in Pennsylvania presents her entire collection of drills, techniques and advice that which has compiled from her successful career coaching and playing at the collegiate level.  

With 26 instructional course videos covering all aspects of the game, your team will have the skills needed to dominate the competition in no time

The Coach

Rachel Lenzo

Assistant Lacrosse Coach at Eastern University in Pennsylvania

Rachel Lenzo is an assistant coach at Eastern University in Pennsylvania.  As part of the coaching staff, she has helped guide the Eagles to multiple Pennsylvania Athletic Conference championship titles and NCAA Tournament appearances.

A two-time all-conference player during her playing career at Eastern, Lenzo captained the 2003 and ’04 teams to back-to-back PAC regular-season titles.