Movement skills/concepts

Underhand serve/strike with a short implement (bat/racquet) to target, and receiving a ball.

Set-up

• Racquets/bats, balls.
• A large square in a hard area is divided into four, with a semicircle in one corner (square 1) as a service area.
• Each group of five–six has a player with a bat/racquet at each square; the other players are waiting.

Activity

The player at square 1 drops the ball in the service area and hits to any other square. The next player lets it bounce and hits to any square. When a ball misses a square, the player who hit it gives their racquet to the next waiting player, who joins in at square 4 while the other participating players move towards square 1 to fill the gap. The player at square 1 then serves.

The ball must be hit upwards at all times.

• side on to hit
• eyes on ball
• repositioning with every hit

Variations

Vary area and equipment: Divide the square with four benches to act as nets, and increase the size of the squares.

Introduce umpire: Use a waiting player as an umpire.

Vary skill: Strike with the hand(s).