Call and React

This beginner-friendly drill trains players to anticipate and prepare for incoming shots by making quick movement decisions. Before each stroke, players must audibly call whether they need to move forward, move back, or stay in position. By linking awareness with physical action, the drill develops reception skills, shot preparation, and decision-making speed. It’s a simple but effective way to build early habits of positioning and readiness for all levels of play.

Setup

• Two players rallying cooperatively from the baseline
• Standard singles court
• Optional: coach to supervise and enforce rules

Rules & Objectives

• Players begin a cooperative baseline rally
• Before striking each ball, the player must call out one of three options:
• “Forward” – move up toward the ball
• “Back” – retreat to adjust for a deep ball
• “Stay” – maintain current position
• Player makes the call before contact with every shot
• Rally continues without scoring—focus is on awareness and preparation
• If a player forgets to call out, apply a light penalty (e.g., 5 push-ups or jumping jacks)
• Continue for a set period (e.g., 5 minutes per round)

Repetition

• Repeat multiple rounds, switching partners if desired
• Increase pace of rallies to challenge reaction time
• Add point play after warm-up rallies, but players must still make audible calls
• Track penalties (missed calls) and assign a final conditioning task at the end

Coaching Points

• Builds awareness of positioning for every incoming shot
• Reinforces early preparation and footwork adjustments
• Improves decision-making speed under pressure
• Makes players more engaged and vocal on court
• Adds a fun accountability element with fitness penalties

Drill Tutorial