How do you get your team ready for the playoffs?

[Cindysphinx]

I'm on a 3.5 team that is going to sectionals next week. This is my first season on that team. The captains have been to the playoffs many times.

I captain a 6.5 team that will be going to the state championships in October. This will be that team's second trip.

It is time for me to start thinking about how best to get my 6.5 team ready for the October championships. Last year, we had one team practice for about two hours, with only 8 people able to make it.

Regarding the 3.5 team, our preparation consists of getting together and playing doubles. We haven't done any drills or anything. I think most of us are playing basically the same way we usually play -- I know I am!

Here's a question for captains who have been in the playoffs: What suggestions do you have for getting my 6.5 team ready? To the extent I know how my 6.5 players play (my knowledge is limited because I rarely get to watch them), they mostly play one-up, one-back, and few players have a Plan B they can go to if their regular stuff isn't working.

There is no chance of hiring a pro to run some clinics. The ladies are not interested in this.

Suggestions?

 

[CrocodileRock]

There is no chance of hiring a pro to run some clinics. The ladies are not interested in this.

Suggestions?

If your team isn't actively trying to improve, then they're not actively trying to win, and there may not be much you can do. However, you can use these two months to play matches against each other, so that you know which teams are the strongest, and deserve more court time if the team wants to make some effort to win. Next, you can research your opponents to see what their patterns are in their lineups, who are their strongest players, etc. Finally, you can use this knowledge to try to line up your two strongest teams against their two weakest, thereby giving you a chance to beat them.

 

[hammer]

I would also get your team to practice playing super tiebreakers and have them get used to playing through them.

 

[Cindysphinx]

Good ideas!

It reminded me that you can also have teams practice playing sets from 4-4, to get used to the pressure and playing set tiebreaks.

Last time we went to Districts, we were something like 1-4 in 10-point tiebreaks.

 

[Casey10s]

What I would also do is set up some scrimmages with another team, hopefully one that is one level above you. This will give you 2 benefits, playing against people you don't know and also playing against people who may be at the level you will see in the playoffs.

 

[RedWeb]

Treat them all to ladies night out at La Bare (or equivalent location in your area). Make it rain! Great team builder.

 

[pmacino]

I would also get your team to practice playing super tiebreakers and have them get used to playing through them.

Ditto, make sure to use Coman Scoring. Our coach has been making play Coman Super Tiebreakers since before local playoffs...we too are headed to Sectionals tomorrow.

From USTA Site:

"The Coman Tiebreak is no different than a regular tiebreaker, except that players switch ends after one point, and then every four points thereafter. This assures that a server in doubles will serve on the same side that he/she has been serving on for the whole set. It also eliminates a six-point swing (in singles or doubles) if the conditions favor a specific side (due to strong wind or difficult sun conditions).

 

[Perry the Platypus]

The best thing is to try to find a team one level above you and "scrimage". If you are playing out of a club, then find one of the teams a level up that is not involved in any playoffs (if they are in the playoffs too then it won't work as they are likely trying to play against tougher competition as well) and ask them to play 5 lines. If you can't do that see if the second or third place team in your division will play. Also - after each match is completed play a 10 point buster with the loser buying the after match beer.

Best of luck!