Holding Hands Net Rally Game

This fun and creative drill teaches kids teamwork, ball control, and coordination. By joining hands to form a “human net,” players must work together to keep rallies alive using only their free hand. It doubles as a warm-up, cool-down, or icebreaker activity, making it especially engaging for younger players while still useful for adults in group settings.

Setup

• Players grouped in pairs
• Each pair stands facing another pair, holding inside hands to form a “net
• ”One ball per pair of pairs
• Optional: mark a playing area using cones (e.g., within one service box)

Rules & Objectives

• Partners hold hands to form a net between them
• Using their free hand, players rally the ball back and forth over the “net
• ”Ball must bounce once between hits unless playing a no-bounce variation
• Players must not break hand contact during the rally
• Continue rallying until the ball goes out of bounds or a hand breaks free

Repetition

• Compete for the longest rally between pairs
• Restrict play to a smaller court area (e.g., service box)
• Have players hit with their non-dominant hand for added challenge
• Progress to volley-style rallies without letting the ball bounce

Coaching Points

• Builds teamwork and cooperation
• Improves hand-eye coordination and ball control
• Encourages creativity and fun in learning tennis
• Useful as a warm-up, cool-down, or icebreaker activity

Drill Tutorial