Why Poaching is Overrated
Bill Previdi
From my over forty years as a player and coach I have learned that most players, especially at the club level have a lot of anxiety about poaching. There is a reason for this: poaching is greatly overrated.
The reality is that if you understand the principles in the System, you don't need to be a great poacher to be a great net player and a great doubles player. In fact you will be better off without excessive poaching.
For most players poaching is a source of worry and frustration. There are many factors that make poaching challenging.
Players worry about not doing enough poaching. They worry about doing too much poaching and aggravating their partner. They also worry about what happens if they poach and end up missing an easy ball.
To poach successfully you need the right set up from your partner, usually a serve or return of serve. A lot of players don't serve well enough to set up their partner consistently. On the return many partners stand too far back to be able to pick off the first ball with a successful poach.
You should almost always be ahead in the game when you poach. At the very least you should be even.
It's too risky to poach when you're losing. If everything else is going so badly that you want to try something different just to change your luck that rarely turns out well.
To poach consistently you need to have good timing. If you leave too early you will give the poach away and your opponent will have time to change his mind and hit down your alley. If you leave too late you distract your partner and look completely inept which only helps your opponents.
Another problem is that the partner can give away the poach as easily as the net player. I find this to be the worst problem when poaching on a serve. The server is so anxious to cover for their partner that they lean towards where they're going giving the receiver a heads up.
I would say that 90% of the time when I pass down the line on a return it's because the server tipped me off as to the plan. The funny thing is that they never catch on. They just think I'm a good guesser.
Finally, you need to move properly to cut the ball off. Most players wait too long to make a move and wind up moving toward where the ball is going to wind up, not cutting it off close to the net.
What does poaching mean when you look at it through the principles of the System? The key to the System is learning how to cover your own area. Poaching is going outside of your area of responsibility to take balls in your partner's area.
The problem for most players is that they don't cover their own area well enough. Either they are camped out in the alley, or making unwise forays onto their partner's side.
The key to the System is understanding what balls to cover on both sides of your body without being too conservative or too aggressive. Let's work on learning that and then learn how to poach with confidence when it's appropriate.
The Ropes
The fundamental skill in covering the court correctly is understanding where your opponents are hitting from and the path of their shots based on this.
To do this you can create the range of angles you will face using cones and ropes. Put a cone where you opponent would be.
Next, put cones on your side to signify the area you're responsible for on both sides of your body. Finally, run a rope from the cone on the opponents' side to each of your cones. Your area of responsibility is between the ropes.
The way to learn your responsibilities is simple. Stand in your area and make sure you can always touch both ropes with your racket. That's the optimum place for you to be.
This is a fantastic way to get a real feel for the balls you're supposed to take. Most players that I work with are amazed to learn that the balls they should take are not that far away from them if they're in the proper position.
They also realize that there will always be balls that they can't get when their opponent hits a great shot in any direction. And it's important to realize that's ok. Players don't win matches on a small number of great shots.
Also notice that it's easier to touch both ropes as you get closer to the person hitting the ball. When your opponent is about to hit, face them and make a split step toward them.
Making a split step toward the ball will also get your weight moving forward so you're ready to pounce instead of going sideways.
Your exact distance from the net will be determined by where they are on the court. But you should always be able to be close enough to touch both ropes once they've hit the ball.
Now study your opponent's tendencies. Most players can only hit one or, at most, two shots well in any situation so that will help you and your partner understand what's coming and how you're going to defend against it. Even if you've never played a team before you will see their tendencies as the match goes on and it will make it easier for you to anticipate their next move.
Now try poaching once when you're way ahead in a game, 40 love or 40-15. Move forward aggressively when the ball bounces on their side and look to cut it off as soon as you see it. Don't worry about your alley, if they hit a winter down the line you're still ahead.
Poaches when you are ahead are low risk. Whether they successful or not, they still create a layer of concern for your opponent.
They not only have to focus on hitting their shot, they have one eye and part of their brain on you too. Your potential poach is now a factor in every point, even if you never take another ball.
Another situation to try the poach is on second serve returns when the opponent's second serve is weak or if your partner has an especially effective return. When your partner is about to hit the return, move forward well into the service box so you're in better position to start the poach. If you start at the service line like most players do you will rarely have time to get to get the ball in time or position to make a decisive volley.
Remember all he opportunities to poach should be based on your evaluation of the overall match situation—the score, your partner, and your opponent. Be creative and change your position based on these factors and don't just stand in the same place all the time.
The bottom line is that by using the System, knowing your position and responsibilities and having a partner who knows how to set you up, you will be able to win even if you aren't able to do a lot of poaching. It will make you more confident at covering your own responsibilities and more capable of going beyond that from time to time.
