OverHEAD CLEAR & SMASH

 

Overhead Clears

- An overhead clear is a DEFENSIVE SHOT that allows a player time to recover by forcing their opponent to move and increasing the amount of time the birdie is in the air.

- When attempting to hit an overhead clear, you need to make HIGH CONTACT with the birdie above the head.  When hitting the birdie, ensure you are using the proper amount of force to send the bird to the back 1/3 of the court.

Smashes

- A smash shot is a OFFENSIVE SHOT that

- When attempting to git a smash shot, you need to make contact with the birdie in front of your body, striking the birdie with the racquet at a 45 degree angle to the ground in order to direct the birdie quickly into your opponents territory so it cannot be returned.

Due to the similarity of the two skills, we will use the same progressive game structure for both skills.


  1. -Standing on opposite sides of the net with racquets and one birdie, each partner will either be the “passer” and the other the “receiver”.   The “passer” will hit a high arching underhand shot to the “receiver” and then will become the judge.  The “receiver” will hit the birdie back over to the other side of the net attempting to hit the birdie into a designated area (overhead clear) or away from the passer (smashes).


For Overhead Clear:

  1. -The “Receiver” will attempt to hit the birdie into the back third of the singles badminton court (marked using cones) and the “passer” will judge whether the birdie landed in desired region.

  2. -Attempt 10 shots, 1 point is earned for each shot that lands in the desired area, then switch roles.

  3. -To progress or regress the game, decrease or increase the size of the target area.




For Smashes:

  1. -The “Receiver” will attempt to hit the birdie into the “Passers” court area with allowing the “Passer” to return it.  After the underhand clear to the “Receiver”, the “passer” will recover to the “T” or a step back from this recovery location and attempt to return the smash back over the net. Following the underhand clear, each player is only allowed to make contact with the birdie once.

  2. -Attempt 10 shots, 1 point is earned for each shot that lands in the opponents court.



** Allow students to monitor and correct their partners on their form in order to have students cognitively processing the skill during during the role of “Receiver”.

Overhead Clear & Smash - Skill Development

Phase of the Skill & Teaching Cues:


Both skills use the same teaching cues while the only difference is the contact point; Overhead Clear - above the head, Smashes - above and in front of body with contact at 45 degree angle.


Prep Phase:

  1. -Staggered stance, knees bent, weight on back leg, ready position.


Wind Up:

- Transfer all weight to back leg, arm above head, arm bent with racquet touching back.


Force:

  1. -Transfer weight to front leg, high contact, step-through birdie, snap wrist.


Recovery:

  1. -Back to “T” or center of court, staggered stance, knees bent.



Teaching Cutes to Remember:


oready position

ofeet staggered

oback-scratcher

ohigh-contact

ostep-through

owrist snap

ofollow through

orecover to T