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PATT Notes*
(*PATT Notes is a periodically issued table tennis
discussion from The PATT Institute (www.ThePATTInstitute.com))
Service Training within the Training
Session
Recently I recalled a discussion I had with a coach from a
prominent German club during a training camp we were coaching at in Gstaad,
Switzerland. She introduced the subject
by mentioning to me the clear disadvantage many of the club players experienced
during the first three shots of points, particularly when the players were
serving. All coaches at the club were
in agreement as to the problem assessment; different views were expressed as to
the cause of the problem.
During a coaches� meeting, all agreed that one needed area
of improvement was the quality of serving.
One astute coach mentioned that
there appeared to be a puzzle here: He noted that the time they spend in
service training was equivalent, if not greater, than comparable club
environments. The level of effort
appeared sufficient, the result of that effort insufficient.
Through a few experiments, the club arrived at a solution
that significantly increased the players� serving effectiveness. The two changes they made are as follows:
1.
Division
and placement of the service training:
The typical format for the club�s training session was to divide the
session into two periods, with a break between the two periods. Following the second period, service training
would occur. The change they made was to
divide the service training period into
two periods also, placing the service training at the end of each training
period. This change significantly
improved the players� concentration.
2.
Coaching
of the service training: The second
change made was to ensure that at least one coach participated in each of the
service training periods. Previously,
the service training was without direction.
The value of this change is found in both the technical suggestions
available from the coach and the opportunity for the players to discuss a more
broad-based approach to each player�s service repertoire and its strategic use.
Many concluded the subsequent improved league play as
directly attributable to these training improvements.