Better at Beach
3 mistakes keeping you from spiking with power
Approach, arm swing and contact point.
Adult training · Week of November 9
Attacking night
Mondays and Thursdays, 6:30 – 7:30 pm at Elevate in Bonita Springs. Same plan both nights — come to one or both.
Week of November 9 · one-hour session
Attacking night
Monday and Thursday this week we train attacking: three drills, then Queen & King of the Court. All levels welcome.
Sessions
Monday, November 9
Thursday, November 12
Time
6:30 – 7:30 pm
Where
Sports Challenge America (Elevate), 28120 Race Track Road, Bonita Springs
0:00 – 0:05
Skill explanation
Scoring in the sand is shot selection plus a repeatable swing. Tonight we clean up the approach and arm path, then add the cut and the high line so the defense has to cover the whole court.
- Consistent approach footwork and take-off point
- High contact, elbow leading, wrist finishing the shot
- Look at the defender before you swing
- Two shots minimum, so nothing is predictable
The hour
Session plan
No warm-up — we start on the ball. Three drills, fifteen minutes each, then we compete.
- 6:30 pm – 6:35 pm5 min
Attacking — coach explanation
Scoring in the sand is shot selection plus a repeatable swing. Tonight we clean up the approach and arm path, then add the cut and the high line so the defense has to cover the whole court.
- 6:35 pm – 6:50 pm15 min
Swing Mechanics Approach Footwork
Intermediate · Cart of balls, Cones or target markers, Full court or half court as needed
Why: Train attacking through swing mechanics approach footwork with a clear rep structure and game-like feedback.
- 5–8 approaches on left and right side. Distance from net ≈ 15 ft. Right-handed: Right, Left, Right, Left (last two steps simultaneous). Left-handed: opposite.
- Coach emphasis: Keep the approach and arm speed consistent so the shot or swing stays game-like.
- 6:50 pm – 7:05 pm15 min
Short-Deep Decision Vision
Intermediate · 1 ball per pair
Why: Train the attacker's vision read — see the defender's depth, then choose the shot.
- P1 sets a high ball to himself. Immediately as the ball goes up, P2 moves CLOSE to the net or DEEP away from the net. P1 must see where P2 moved and hit to him (the open space). P2 catches; switch responsibilities. Progression 1: P2 keeps the ball alive instead of catching — dig and self-set.
- Coach emphasis: Eyes find the defender BEFORE you swing. Shot = whatever is open.
- 7:05 pm – 7:20 pm15 min
Open Net Short Game
Intermediate · Cart of balls, Cones / sand line
Why: Train short-shot accuracy against a single defender — short court only.
- Attacking side receives easy free balls: pass-set-hit into the SHORT court only. Deep half is out of bounds. Attackers rotate every point. Defender scores on hitting errors or dig + catch (themselves). Offense (scored as a team) scores when defender cannot dig and catch. Games to 7, rotate defenders.
- Coach emphasis: Short shots are touch + placement, not power.
- 7:20 pm – 7:30 pm10 min
Queen & King of the Court
Every session ends the same way: continuous Queen & King of the Court. Challengers serve in, winners hold the King/Queen side, losers rotate off. Competitive reps that put the night's skill under real pressure.
- Challenger side serves; winner of the rally moves toward the King/Queen side
- Lose on the King/Queen side and you rotate off to the back of the challenger line
- Points only count when you win on the King/Queen side
- Play until time — highest score wins the night
Watch before you play
Attacking videos
Two minutes of video before practice makes the drills click faster. Press play right here.
Better at Beach
The secrets to a perfect cut shot
The highest-percentage shot on the beach.
The McKibbin Brothers
The batter's box attacking tip
Where to be so every shot stays available.
Other weeks