Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-03-29
TENNIS PLAYERS
SHOULD ADOPT
VOLLEY BOARDS
Fine Points Can Be Re-
hearsed Without Worry
Over Opponents Attack
By WILLIAM T. TILDEN, 2D
tGermantown Cricket club ~


The volley board is at last beginning to
be recognized as an important adjunct
TO tennis development. 1t is slowly gaining
its right place in Philadelphia.
a year ago the only thing one knew of
volley boards around the city was hearing
few people bemoan their fate that they
had no place to practice strokes and then
recalls the New York clubs and their
boards Nothing like n board was seen
here and last year there seemed no chance
of getting one.
But goodness me, how times have
changed If one may quote n certain
song. In less than six months plans have
been completed for the installing of four
volley boards or their substitutes. Gym
wyd Club is putting one in. West Phila-
delphia and Franlsford High School both
have volley practice in their gymnasiums.
Germantown Academy is putting up n
board SO feet long in it's field: 1t is hoped
that before the end of this season all the
clubs will have this most necessary means
of obtaining practice.
Not long ago while talking to a prom
nent tennis player, in fact, man who
has held the national title. the question
Of volley boards came up. This man said
that he believed player could learn more
about strokes and footworlS by play
ing against volley board than by actual
competition. This seems like a pretty
sweeping assertion, but when we consider
that In actual competition you must con-
centrate on winning the point while
against volley board you need only
think about the power of your stroke and
position of your feet, we will agree with
this statement.
The best way to practice against vol.
ley board is to play pat BALI in perfect
form DO not "slug" against volley
board. First because 1t tends to make you
careless with the actual shot that you hit
hard. and. second because the ball re-
turns to you so quickly from the board
you have not time to think of position and
stroke.
A volley board Is an asset to acquire
steadiness, accuracy and form 1t is to
correct faulty footwork; 1t Is to soldify
your game ; IL is not to make you brilliant
brlliancy must be acquired on the court.
When practicing against n volley board
pick out n certain shot and try and make
it certain number of times without miss
ng-say 10 straight forehand drives, then
10 backhand drives, Stick to 1t until you
can do 10 any time you wish. Then raise
the limit to 1G, and so on up.
Where It is impossible to find a regular
Volley board. any place with a fiat wall
and level ground will answer very well.
The side of n house and Il gravel drive
formed the basis for one well-known play
er's game. Another tells me he used q
stable door: another Il wall in the top
floor of his house still another used to
break all the windows in n certain room
while trying to learn Williams forehand
drive.
People are likely to break quite few
things when they try that shot The
safest place to be when some one is prac-
ticing Williams stroke Is usually the op-
posite court.
We could cite many queer and often
amusing means of getting excellent tennis
practice on substitute volley boards So
ioin the ranks of the volley-board enthu-
siasts and ask your club to get one. If
it doesn't, then hunt for substitute, But
the time is shortly coming in Philadelphia
when voIley boards will be as universal
as tennis courts themselves.