I knew, from
watching the U.S. Open racquetball tapes that the top pros would drop the
ball before the first step, the ball would rise, this would give the pros
time to setup the racquet prep, take the first step, and when the ball is on
its descending path, the pros have synchronized and prepared their entire
service motion to time it correctly to hit the ball on its descending path.
I still had a question on how to go about dropping the
ball to allow for maximum extension, because a straight drop would only
facilitates an average racquet extension into the serve, thus limiting
consistency and power. There had to be a way that the pros drop the ball
that would promote maximum extension into the drive serve.
I felt at the time that
sticking the hand straight out to toss the ball affected the entire rhythm
of the drive serve.
I began to formulate questions like: 1. The top pros
must have another way to toss the ball to get maximum racquet extension into
the ball? 2. The top pros must utilize a ball toss that, not only promoted
maximum racquet extension into the ball, it also facilitates synchronization
of the entire service motion into clearly defined sequence of events? 3.
I’ve also noticed that the top pros step diagonally into their drive serve
to take advantage of a greater hip thrust for greater power?
This last
question lead to another important question, "If the top pros use a diagonal
step into the drive serve, the straight hand ball toss is out of rhythm with
the angled two steps approach?"
It was time to make use of the investment I spent on racquetball tapes, I
analyzed U.S. Racquetball Open Championship tapes and broke down in slow motion the top pros drive service techniques. I
analyzed top pros like Cliff Swain, Sudsy Monchik, John Ellis, Mike Guidry
and Tim Doyle. I spent the most time on Swain and Monchik because they were
given the most coverage based on their more successful performances.
