WPH Press
The WPH Coaching Center has discussed Coaching, How to See a “Fast Ball,” The Six Walls, The Most Important Shot, The Diet, What Separates Paul Brady, The 3-Wall Power Serve, Doubles Strategy and much more. The WPH Coaching Center will continue to examine the various strategies and shots that will make you a better handball player, as this week’s WPH Coaching Center will dive deeper into doubles strategy with our esteemed panel of experts.
On the Coaching Center’s Doubles Strategy Part II, our esteemed panel of doubles champions discuss if a team can be stronger with mismatched abilities and the role of the right-side player.
The Coaching Center: Doubles Strategy Part I HERE
Can a team with one strong player and one role player be stronger than a team of two strong players?
We see it happen in basketball all of the time, Michael Jordan carried a group of largely role players to six championships, LeBron has done the same for the past two decades. What about handball?
Multiple-time 3-Wall and 4-Wall pro national doubles champion and Hall of Famer John Bike, Jr.
“I can remember the Turkey Shoot tournament in Santa Rosa. I teamed up with Tati (Silveyra) and we lost to the Dunne brothers (Mike and Rich) in the semis. I took another loss to the Dunne brothers at the Nationals with Tim Labey (a top 10 pro) and lost again with David Wyrsch (a top 5 pro).”
A few years later The Bicrowave teamed with Mark Shelgren and beat the Dunnes, then shortly after teamed with Ed Grossenbacher and beat the Dunnes, proving that one star with a role player can be a more effective combination.
Multiple-time 3-Wall and 4-Wall pro national doubles champion and Hall of Famer Fred Lewis
“That depends. In my lifetime there have been very few good right side players compared to great left side players.
Lou Russo was a great left side doubles player as was Paul Haber. They both had more success with so called weaker right side players.
On the other hand, great doubles teams including Jacobs/Decatur, Alvarado/ Roberts, Lewis/Pfeifer included two great players.”
What is the role of the right side player?
The right side player is generally responsible for the grunt work – diving, digging, and blasting the ball, similar to a rebounder in basketball or an offensive lineman in football.
Multiple-time 3-Wall and 4-Wall pro national doubles champion and Hall of Famer John Bike, Jr.
“The ideal right-side partner is always in the opponent’s way, and out of his partner’s way.”
Multiple-time 3-Wall and 4-Wall pro national doubles champion and Hall of Famer Fred Lewis
“The right side player needs to hit controlled driving shots and ceiling shots, while the left side player needs to be able to end volleys. Lots of communication and teamwork is required.”
Multiple-time national Masters 3-Wall and 4-Wall champion and WPH Wrap Around author Dr. Dan Zimet
“The right-side player covers most of the short shots, and court position is often restricted to the front-right. For the right-side player, not getting in the way often becomes the prominent goal, as summarized by a frequent lament of the stronger left-side player, “don’t stick out your left hand!” The right side/front court player should be quick, able to play great offense, be able to end rallies with fly and re-kills, able to wait for the right opportunity with getting “cold,” constantly moving to cover the next shot, communicate well, and able to shift into the backcourt when the left side/rear-court player is caught in the front.”
Canadian legend and multiple-time national doubles champion Merv Deckert
The right-side player has position, generally being in front of his opponent, to fly pass or fly kill shots. A good right-side player will be able to execute these rally-ending shots at a high percentage for a doubles team to be successful.
Thank you to our esteemed doubles panel of John Bike, Jr., Fred Lewis, Dan Zimet, and Merv Deckert for discussing doubles strategy.
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer