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 Strategies, the Fist to the Ceiling, the Sidearm Kill, the Paddle Kill, 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 examine the Why, How, When, and How to Practice the Down the Line Kill.
The Down the Line Kill is an effective rally-ender struck between a few inches to two feet high on the front wall that slides down the side wall. The Down the Line Kill can be struck with a sidearm or underarm stroke
Why Hit the Down the Line Kill
- Forces your opponent to move from the middle of the court
- Allows you to take front court position
- Creates a difficult retrieve for your opponent
- Can be used as a kill or pass
How to Hit the Down the Line Kill
- Square stance: feet, shoulders, and hips should be parallel to the side wall – if you try to hit this shot with an open stance, you will not consistently convert
- Step with front foot at 45 degrees towards the side wall
- Can be hit with the side arm stroke or the underhand stroke
- To hit with the side arm stroke:
- Contact point below the waist – ideally around the knee or lower
- Arm and hand should be extended away from your body at contact
- Get behind the ball – push off your back foot and transfer your weight towards the target
- Right hand down the right or left hand down the left: use the natural hop
- Right hand down the left or left hand down the right: use the reverse hop
- To hit with the underhand stroke
- Contact point below the waist – ideally around the knee or lower
- Arm and hand should be close to your body at contact
- Get behind the ball – push off your back foot and transfer your weight towards the target
When Hit the Down the Line Kill
- The down the line kill can be effective regardless of the court position of your opponent
- Ideally, strike the down the line kill down the line furthest from your opponent
- Hit the down the line kill with your opponent behind you
How to Practice the Down the Line Kill
Self feed
- Stand at the service line and drop the ball in front of yourself: let the ball drop to your comfortable kill shot level, bend your knees
- The ball should bounce twice before reaching the short line without touching the side wall
Off the wall feed
- Toss the ball underhand off the middle of the front wall, or off the front wall/side wall
- Square yourself to the side wall, let the ball drop, strike the shot either sidearm or underhand, and the ball should bounce twice before the short line without touching the side wall
- Set goals: Aim for a number of down the line kills that are challenging and attainable, perhaps starting with 8 out of 10
Watch the WPH Coaching Center’s Down the Line Kill HERE
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David Fink
WPH Master Instructor