Third shot
Third-shot drop
A soft ball that lands in the kitchen and lets you advance without offering a comfortable attack.
Technique
Keep preparation short and the paddle stable in front.
Contact with bent knees and gradually accelerate.
Follow through towards the target without lifting the wrist.
Common errors
Hitting with the hand alone.
Trying to play a perfect ball too close to the net.
Moving forward before checking the quality of the drop.
Tactics
Aim at the player with fewer attacking options.
Use the middle to reduce angles.
Advance according to the height of the next volley, rather than automatically.
Progression
Drop from midcourt.
Drop from the baseline with a consistent feed.
Third shot followed by transition and reset.
Drills
Take it onto court
Kitchen from three distances
Control the arc
Play series from transition, midcourt and the baseline, keeping the second bounce inside the kitchen.
Drop and decide
Connect shot quality with forward movement
After each drop, advance, hold or move back according to the height of the fed volley.
Educational reference · Rubric v1
What each score means
This rubric explains what to look for in a shot; reading it is not an individual assessment. Its descriptors do not certify your level and are not PPP Performance Assessment results, which retain each assessment’s source and results separately.
Technique
Cannot yet combine compact preparation and stable contact to produce a descending arc; outcomes are unpredictable.
Can combine compact preparation and stable contact to produce a descending arc occasionally, but cannot sustain it through a series.
Can combine compact preparation and stable contact to produce a descending arc at moderate pace with predictable difficulty.
Can sustain the ability to combine compact preparation and stable contact to produce a descending arc under pressure, with variation and small adjustments.
Can consistently combine compact preparation and stable contact to produce a descending arc in real, competitive play.
Consistency
Cannot yet repeat drops that force contact below net height; outcomes are unpredictable.
Can repeat drops that force contact below net height occasionally, but cannot sustain it through a series.
Can repeat drops that force contact below net height at moderate pace with predictable difficulty.
Can sustain the ability to repeat drops that force contact below net height under pressure, with variation and small adjustments.
Can consistently repeat drops that force contact below net height in real, competitive play.
Control
Cannot yet adjust height, depth and speed from different positions; outcomes are unpredictable.
Can adjust height, depth and speed from different positions occasionally, but cannot sustain it through a series.
Can adjust height, depth and speed from different positions at moderate pace with predictable difficulty.
Can sustain the ability to adjust height, depth and speed from different positions under pressure, with variation and small adjustments.
Can consistently adjust height, depth and speed from different positions in real, competitive play.
Placement
Cannot yet find the middle, feet or backhand with safe net clearance; outcomes are unpredictable.
Can find the middle, feet or backhand with safe net clearance occasionally, but cannot sustain it through a series.
Can find the middle, feet or backhand with safe net clearance at moderate pace with predictable difficulty.
Can sustain the ability to find the middle, feet or backhand with safe net clearance under pressure, with variation and small adjustments.
Can consistently find the middle, feet or backhand with safe net clearance in real, competitive play.
Decision-making
Cannot yet choose a drop, target and forward movement to suit the ball and opponent’s response; outcomes are unpredictable.
Can choose a drop, target and forward movement to suit the ball and opponent’s response occasionally, but cannot sustain it through a series.
Can choose a drop, target and forward movement to suit the ball and opponent’s response at moderate pace with predictable difficulty.
Can sustain the ability to choose a drop, target and forward movement to suit the ball and opponent’s response under pressure, with variation and small adjustments.
Can consistently choose a drop, target and forward movement to suit the ball and opponent’s response in real, competitive play.
Player Development
Connect this shot to your development
Connect what you learn to your match play: choose a situation, try the practice suggestions and review what you notice afterwards.