How to teach toss to young beginners?

[Bergboy123]

When I teach kids the serve, I always find them going wrong with the toss. They throw it anywhere but at the ideal spot, and therefore I spend extra time trying to teach and emphasize the toss, but it doesn't always work.

Anyone here have experience with this, or advice for sending home the message that the toss is the key?

[TCF]

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[Misterbill]

Less spin the better. Fingers should eject the ball, wrist shouldn't flip it.

[Bergboy123]

Awesome that's very true, I'll keep that in mind!

[Bash and Crash]

Originally Posted by TCF

First make sure they know how to hold the ball. The fingertips forming the holder and then opening like a flower opening its petals as they toss. Many times the problem is they are holding the ball wrong to begin with and release it sloppily and it goes out of control.

Pick out a spot on the court where the ball should land if they did not hit the ball and instead let it land. The perfect spot would be one where after they hit the ball, they would fall forward into the court.

Circle the spot with chalk. Have the kids toss over and over without swinging until they can have the ball land within that circle drawn on the court almost every time.

Proper height can be done with a wooden pole marked in increments. Adjust the proper height depending on the kid.

As far as the message getting through that the toss is the key, you can tell them over and over. But they will soon learn this is the truth from their own experience.

All of the above. Also in they are younger and smaller I will stand in front of them and put my hand up right where I want them to toss and have them toss up to my hand but have it barely touch my hand after a few attempts. You can also use a racket if they are taller. I also tell them to let their hand follow the ball up towards my hand to get nice follow through. If they are flicking with the wrist I also tell students to lift their arm from their elbow instead of lifting ball with hand helps to keep the arm extended and stops them from folding at the elbow joint. Have some more if those and TCF's don't help.

[BMC9670]

Originally Posted by Bash and Crash

All of the above. Also in they are younger and smaller I will stand in front of them and put my hand up right where I want them to toss and have them toss up to my hand but have it barely touch my hand after a few attempts. You can also use a racket if they are taller. I also tell them to let their hand follow the ball up towards my hand to get nice follow through. If they are flicking with the wrist I also tell students to lift their arm from their elbow instead of lifting ball with hand helps to keep the arm extended and stops them from folding at the elbow joint. Have some more if those and TCF's don't help.

A similar technique is to have them stand under a basketball hoop in the correct stance/position to toss the ball up so it passes through the hoop on the way up and on the way down (works best with no net). In my own experience, getting youngsters to toss STRAIGHT up consistently is the hardest part. Once they can do that, you can tweak it from there.

[corbind]

Originally Posted by BMC9670

A similar technique is to have them stand under a basketball hoop in the correct stance/position to toss the ball up so it passes through the hoop on the way up and on the way down (works best with no net). In my own experience, getting youngsters to toss STRAIGHT up consistently is the hardest part. Once they can do that, you can tweak it from there.

That sounds like a great tool.

[Bash and Crash]

Originally Posted by corbind

That sounds like a great tool.

I think there is a device called the toss ring, ring on extending pole that works for this also. Up date called toss trainer go figure..

[Headshotterer]

Alot of the time new beginners will rush the toss. tell them it is worth going slow since it is basically the ost important part of the serve

[goran_ace]

Keep it simple. I would tell your kids just lift it up and and let it go.

[Bedrock]

Since you are teaching I assume you do know all I am going to say. However after reading posts I've decided to leave a couple of notes.

Targeting:
Before the toss put a racquet inside of baseline next to the toe of the left foot. The head of the racquet is pointing toward the net and a little bit to the right (10 degress) The ball has to land on the head of a racquet after the toss.

Prior to a toss
Holding the ball conveniently with all fingers. Ball located in the middle of the palm. Arm is relaxed and all the way down (a bit bended).
For advanced(beginers) - imagine the position of the ball in the air at the point of contact with racquet..

During the toss:
The motion is slow and smooth.
The left arm(throwing the ball) goes all the way up and stays straight up, just like you are trying to reach the ball.

Position of feet, work of right arm, head and ect. are not included

[Pro_Tour_630]

just teach them how to toss like the pros from the beginning, inverted nike swosh

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzR_NaTvPo4