My Strokes! (need opinions)

[Bobo96]

Right now I just have video of my forehand and inside out forehands. I plan on uploading backhands and serves later. I have a few questions/requests regarding the video

1. If there is anything you think I can improve please point it out for me.

2. What would your thoughts/ initial reactions if you were a college coach watching? obviously if I send it to coaches I will put it all into one video including backhands and serves, as well as send separate match play if the coach is interested.

3. What are your overall thoughts

Regular forehands:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1d-ERwUvnk&feature=youtu.be&hd=1

Inside in/inside out forehands:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ms1ojeT51c0&hd=1

On the second video I stop playing at 50 seconds.

Also could anyone reccomend a user friendly video editor that well let me create a video to send to coaches that looks somewhat professional?

Thanks for any help.

 

[WildVolley]

First, I'd put the camera horizontally and at a higher level. On a tripod if you can get a hold of one. The horizontal picture will give more evidence of where the ball is going, and the higher angle will show the action better.

You are definitely cracking those balls and you seem to have solid form. I'd also be interested in seeing shots that aren't being hit like put-aways. It is great to show you cracking some balls, but perhaps you should also do a segment showing some variation such as shots with more spin and net clearance.

 

[Bobo96]

First, I'd put the camera horizontally and at a higher level. On a tripod if you can get a hold of one. The horizontal picture will give more evidence of where the ball is going, and the higher angle will show the action better.

You are definitely cracking those balls and you seem to have solid form. I'd also be interested in seeing shots that aren't being hit like put-aways. It is great to show you cracking some balls, but perhaps you should also do a segment showing some variation such as shots with more spin and net clearance.

Thanks for the feedback! I agree with most of what you said. the problem with getting it higher up is I'm using my phone. to get that angle I put a bench behind the court with my bag on top, and then mounted the phone on my sweat shirt, sweat pants, and my shoes. I will definitely redo the videos with the phone turned to it's side and re upload it here. If coaches want more variety I will offer match play. I will also attempt to hit a few balls a little loppier.

 

[caugas]

Right now I just have video of my forehand and inside out forehands. I plan on uploading backhands and serves later. I have a few questions/requests regarding the video

1. If there is anything you think I can improve please point it out for me.

2. What would your thoughts/ initial reactions if you were a college coach watching? obviously if I send it to coaches I will put it all into one video including backhands and serves, as well as send separate match play if the coach is interested.

3. What are your overall thoughts

Regular forehands:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1d-ERwUvnk&feature=youtu.be&hd=1

Inside in/inside out forehands:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ms1ojeT51c0&hd=1

On the second video I stop playing at 50 seconds.

Also could anyone reccomend a user friendly video editor that well let me create a video to send to coaches that looks somewhat professional?

Thanks for any help.

looking good, nice racket head speed and nice moving towards the ball. Also like your bend using legs to generate power.

 

[sureshs]

The fan looks scary. What happens on a lob?

 

[Bobo96]

The fan looks scary. What happens on a lob?

haha! nothing really.

 

[Maximagq]

Dat fan doe. Nice hiitting

 

[cluckcluck]

Get some match vids up if you can. Hitting off a ball machine is easypeasy but varying speeds and spins from a real human show a lot more of where you're at.

Also, +1 on flipping the phone.

 

[Topspin Shot]

If I were a college coach, I'd be impressed with your form and power, but I wouldn't want to make any sort of commitment until I was sure you can actually play. Really what counts is your ranking, not a hitting video, but if you want to post a hitting video, do it with another person, not a ball machine. Out of curiosity, what is your ranking?

 

[Bobo96]

If I were a college coach, I'd be impressed with your form and power, but I wouldn't want to make any sort of commitment until I was sure you can actually play. Really what counts is your ranking, not a hitting video, but if you want to post a hitting video, do it with another person, not a ball machine. Out of curiosity, what is your ranking?

I'm about 250 for my grade (high 3star). I was a four star and continuing to rise just last year. I had a few unexpected injury setbacks, lost a lot of confidence resulting in several poor tournament performances back to back which caused my ranking to drop quite a bit. I feel that I'm playing better again, and definitely feel I have improved a lot since when my ranking was at an all time high. Now I'm just waiting for the summer tournaments to start so I can let it show in my results.

I've beaten one blue chip from my state in practice and tied 6-6 with the other one. I know practice is different than tournaments, but I really don't feel a big difference between me and the top players in the nation when I'm playing well. I would love to go to a division 1 school where I can continue to train hard and work to become my very best.

 

[Cobaine]

I've beaten one blue chip from my state in practice and tied 6-6 with the other one. I know practice is different than tournaments, but I really don't feel a big difference between me and the top players in the nation when I'm playing well.

http://youtu.be/d29VsG35DQM

 

[movdqa]

Awesome hitting but it seems like you're hitting at 85 to 90 percent - which is okay for a practice session against a ball machine. I didn't see anything wrong with your technique - you missed a few balls but that happens sometimes when you're going full tilt.

It would be nice to see you hitting against someone or playing a match.

 

[Bobo96]

http://youtu.be/d29VsG35DQM[/QU

Your right.

 

[Bobo96]

I'll try and post some match play of a tourney match I played a couple months ago, although I feel I have improved and changed a few things since then.

 

[janm]

Your hitting looks great,you get nice rotation and involve the legs during your strokes. The ball goes where you want it to. All the basics are there. All I can suggest is when you're on the machine and practicing your forehand say, to switch up your stoke a bit and change spins etc...

Look forward to seeing your match play but to be honest I can't see your forehand being that different under match conditions.

 

[Topspin Shot]

I'm about 250 for my grade (high 3star). I was a four star and continuing to rise just last year. I had a few unexpected injury setbacks, lost a lot of confidence resulting in several poor tournament performances back to back which caused my ranking to drop quite a bit. I feel that I'm playing better again, and definitely feel I have improved a lot since when my ranking was at an all time high. Now I'm just waiting for the summer tournaments to start so I can let it show in my results.

I've beaten one blue chip from my state in practice and tied 6-6 with the other one. I know practice is different than tournaments, but I really don't feel a big difference between me and the top players in the nation when I'm playing well. I would love to go to a division 1 school where I can continue to train hard and work to become my very best.

Nice. You do play as well as you hit. Be proactive with coaches. You're not quite good enough where coaches will throw themselves at you, but if you contact coaches and tell them about yourself, they'll be happy to take a look at you. Character is very important to most coaches; they look for players who will get good grades, work on their own to get better, are easily coachable, play good doubles, and are willing to grind in singles. Good luck.

 

[Bobo96]

How important do you guys think it is for me to be hitting against another player if I were to send a video of my strokes to coaches? I personally like the idea of using the ball machine, because I can really swing out. I can't be blasting balls when I'm rallying up the middle with someone. The ball machine ables me to highlight my ability and really zero in on my technique and ball striking ability. IMO if a coach wants to see how i handle diffrent paces and spin that's what matchplay is for.

 

[Topspin Shot]

How important do you guys think it is for me to be hitting against another player if I were to send a video of my strokes to coaches? I personally like the idea of using the ball machine, because I can really swing out. I can't be blasting balls when I'm rallying up the middle with someone. The ball machine ables me to highlight my ability and really zero in on my technique and ball striking ability. IMO if a coach wants to see how i handle diffrent paces and spin that's what matchplay is for.

I'm not a college coach, but I can tell you from my experience with college coaches that the last thing they want to see is you blasting balls off a ball machine. They want to know if you can win on court, and hitting off a machine doesn't showcase that. If you want to show off your first strike tennis, film yourself playing points with a peer. This way, you can crush first serves and inside out forehands in a more realistic setting. Here's an example. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBB4Ux9uuSc

 

[Bobo96]

I'm not a college coach, but I can tell you from my experience with college coaches that the last thing they want to see is you blasting balls off a ball machine. They want to know if you can win on court, and hitting off a machine doesn't showcase that. If you want to show off your first strike tennis, film yourself playing points with a peer. This way, you can crush first serves and inside out forehands in a more realistic setting. Here's an example. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBB4Ux9uuSc

Thank for the advice!

 

[Cobaine]

Also, I'd get footage on an outdoor court. A good friend of mine is a D1 coach, and he said he is always weary of indoor videos. There's no wind, no sun, and everyone sounds like they are crushing the ball.

 

[Pickle9]

Right now I just have video of my forehand and inside out forehands. I plan on uploading backhands and serves later. I have a few questions/requests regarding the video



1. If there is anything you think I can improve please point it out for me.



2. What would your thoughts/ initial reactions if you were a college coach watching? obviously if I send it to coaches I will put it all into one video including backhands and serves, as well as send separate match play if the coach is interested.



3. What are your overall thoughts



Regular forehands:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1d-ERwUvnk&feature=youtu.be&hd=1



Inside in/inside out forehands:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ms1ojeT51c0&hd=1



On the second video I stop playing at 50 seconds.



Also could anyone reccomend a user friendly video editor that well let me create a video to send to coaches that looks somewhat professional?



Thanks for any help.

Are you playing at Christopher Morely in that video?

 

[Bobo96]

Nope......

 

[5263]

Right now I just have video of my forehand and inside out forehands. I plan on uploading backhands and serves later. I have a few questions/requests regarding the video

1. If there is anything you think I can improve please point it out for me.

2. What would your thoughts/ initial reactions if you were a college coach watching?
Thanks for any help.

My first concern was your choice of shots from where you received the ball. You are solidly behind the BL on most of these shots best I could tell, but you attack them like they are mid ct balls...I expect you play this way as well. I strongly believe that these shots should have more clearance and biting spin to help you rally strongly from the BL area, working for a mid ct ball to attack.

I also expect if you adjust the feed so those are mid ct balls to attack, that you would struggle with consistency since you practice them from behind the BL and become accustomed to that distance.

I didn't like the location of the I/O shots either. They went too much down the middle and again, with too little spin OR if you want to attack them flat like that, then you should be working them more to the corner or even off the court some. Pace like that is sucked up like oxygen from college players, but it's the placement and moving them that earns you points.

 

[Bobo96]

Thank you for your honesty and advice! I would say I am not quite that aggressive (risky) from that position normally (still aggressive though ), and I certainly do not struggle with balls shorter than that, at least on my forehand side. I appreciate your advice and I'll make it a point to work on my neutral ball more and add some more margin!

Thanks.

 

[Sarcastic]

As Far as you are "crushing the ball", you have good pace but the indoor setting is very deceptive. The large open space makes it sound like you are hitting harder than you are. When I listened to it with the sound off I had a truer measure of your strokes. You could still step into the ball more, even a very small step forward will help.

 

[Bobo96]

As Far as you are "crushing the ball", you have good pace but the indoor setting is very deceptive. The large open space makes it sound like you are hitting harder than you are. When I listened to it with the sound off I had a truer measure of your strokes. You could still step into the ball more, even a very small step forward will help.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[ROCKinCourier]

You have solid shots, no doubt. However, those aren't realistic in a match you'd play at a collegiate level. The ball machine feeds the ball at a consistent pace and location -- but your shots are all over the place. Instead of tryint to hit the snot out of every ball, I think what's missing is getting the ball deep and to the corners. You'll need the ability to rope players around at that level -- and I didn't see the consistency required to do that in the video you posted.

I am not doubting that you can do it -- it just didn't show. Some of those misses were really bad for the level player you seem to be.

 

[Bobo96]

You have solid shots, no doubt. However, those aren't realistic in a match you'd play at a collegiate level. The ball machine feeds the ball at a consistent pace and location -- but your shots are all over the place. Instead of tryint to hit the snot out of every ball, I think what's missing is getting the ball deep and to the corners. You'll need the ability to rope players around at that level -- and I didn't see the consistency required to do that in the video you posted.

I am not doubting that you can do it -- it just didn't show. Some of those misses were really bad for the level player you seem to be.

Thanks for sharing your view!

 

[5263]

Thank you for your honesty and advice! I would say I am not quite that aggressive (risky) from that position normally (still aggressive though ), and I certainly do not struggle with balls shorter than that, at least on my forehand side. I appreciate your advice and I'll make it a point to work on my neutral ball more and add some more margin!

Thanks.

I like your attitude and the way you accept suggestions, but I'd like to emphasize how your vid is what I see most often as a stumbling block to Jrs and college players in matches. I even think it's why so many like D Young struggle to make the jump to the Pro ranks. Imo they don't really get the significance of the difference between rallying for position vs going on the attack. I don't think they realize how different the shots are and how critical the court positioning is to do it well. If you don't have a clear perspective on these elements, then how can you practice to improve in each area? Imo your vid showed the issue, that you are not clear on what type shot to hit from what part of the court....You may know it to some degree on some level, but it is not present in what you display to showcase your skills...which are very substantial!
I think you have high potential; especially if you get this point enough to drill it into your habits to the point you don't have to think about it to display it and it would actually take thought to deviate from it.