First, have someone toss a few balls for you to demonstrate the backhand volley.  As you volley the balls explain what you are doing.  Emphasize that while you have hit the ball out of the air, you haven't really taken a big swing at it.  All you have done is position your racquet face so it was parallel to the net and perpendicular to the flight on the oncoming ball.  This is nothing more than "show the logo" to a ball that you intend to hit before it bounces.  As the ball approaches, you step forward and firmly meet it.  You didn't need to swing, just step in and let your racquet do the work.

Since the tendency in a two-handed backhand volley is to hit like a two-handed backhand groundstroke, I try to get the kids to think that they are really hitting a left-handed volley.  Unless they grasp this concept, it will be very difficult to get them to hit with a high-to-low motion on the volley, and they will not generate any backspin on the ball, which is critical for controlling the volley.   You can demonstrate this by having someone toss a few balls for you to hit with your regular forehand volley.  Then switch hands and have them toss a few balls which you will hit with your left hand, using the exact same high-to-low stroking pattern that you used for your forehand volley.

Explain to your students that the volley swing motion on the backhand is the same as the forehand, but now the left hand is doing most of the work and the right hand is on the handle primarily for support and stability.  Again, hit a few more backhand volleys for them, this time with both hands on the racquet handle.

I think it is a good idea to have the students do this opposite hand volley, too.  Have them put their racquet in their other hand and pretend they are left handed and doing a perfect left handed forehand volley.  Let them do it correctly a few times.  Now have them put their dominant hand back on the handle and do an air stroke with both hands on the handle, but focusing on the left hand performing its left-handed forehand volley role.  Later in the lesson, after they have learned to hit a proper two-handed backhand volley, repeat this little exercise to reinforce this notion.

Next, line them up in a couple of rows and take them through the stroke.  Here are the key features:

*  Ready position, dominant hand on the bottom of the handle, cradle the racquet  with non-dominant hand.

*  slight pivot and shoulder turn (unit turn) toward the ball to their non-dominant side.

 * simultaneously placing their other hand on the racquet handle above their dominant hand.

* they can use an Eastern Forehand for their non-dominant or top hand; their dominant hand should shift slightly

   to a Continental or Hammer Grip.

* as they complete the unit turn, they open up racquet face about 15 degrees

* the racquet face and left palm are parallel to the net--"Show The Logo"

* racquet is at about 45 degrees from vertical and about a hand-span from  student's nose. 

* wrists are locked, with bottom wrist straight and top wrist in laid-back position

   (both wrists stay in this position throughout the stroke)

* head and shoulders are facing the left net post (or about 45 degrees to the net)

* player next steps softly with right foot toward the net while weight shifts onto front foot

   (player remains facing right net post)

* forearms and racquet are solid unit, with no movement of the wrist 

* forearms thrusts forward and slightly downward to make contact with the ball  (wrist locked). 

* elbows can be slightly bent or locked at contact.

* think of leading with the lower edge of the racquet 

* contact is inside the front plane of the body, preferably near the right hip. 

* racquet head can be viewed as giving a mild karate chop to the ball as weight shifts forward into the shot

* this downward stroking of the ball puts backspin on it, which is necessary for control of all volleys

* forward thrust and weight shift should be smooth and controlled

* once the ball is struck, the racquet stops its forward downward swing and the  player returns immediately

   to ready position.

Like the forehand volley, you will have to physically guide the students' hands and arms through the stroke.  Again, divide the players into two groups, one on each side of the net.  One group will toss the ball, the other will work on their volleys.  First set balls or Ralleyballs work best with this drill.

Make your tossers drill instructors.  They command the hitters to assume a ready position, pivot, and show the logo.  The presented racquet will be the tossers target.  When the hitters have performed as instructed, the tossers then toss the ball.  The hitters volley the ball gently back to the tossers so they can catch the ball.  Have the tossers toss underhand and fairly high on their tosses to make it easier for the volleyers to hit the ball.

You need to stand behind the hitters.  It is a little more difficult with the backhand volley, because if you are right handed you will need to guide the racquet and arms with your left hand.   Put your right hand on their right shoulder and reach around and grip their racquet handle just above their grip; if there is no room on the handle, try to put your hand over and around theirs. 

Help your hitter follow the instructions of the tosser, getting the racquet into the show the logo position with both wrists locked.  Now, as the ball is tossed, you do most of the stroking action on the volley.  Have the student relax his grip and arm and just try to get the feel for the stroke.  Your successful volleys will have good back spin and will be crisp.  Do this several times with each student, even those who look like they are doing it well enough on their own.  Once you have helped all the hitters, the groups can rotate and exchange roles.   Assist this new group of hitters just like the previous group.

I usually take a water break about here, then bring them all back, and go over again the key features of the volley.   Have them go through the toss and volley routine once more.  This time it should go faster, as many will have picked up how to do it correctly and you will only have to spend time with those having difficulty.  

Make sure they get this notion of downward striking of the ball because it is the elemental motion of the  the slice groundstroke, the drop shot, and,  in a related way, the serve. These are strokes that they will need later to be successful in tennis.   Do the toss and volley drill again a few days later or as necessary to ensure that most of the kids can volley correctly.

What do you need to watch for in the two-handed backhand volleys?  As mentioned above the biggest problem is the students will want to stroke the backhand volley in the same way they stroke their backhand groundstroke.   This results in a swinging volley on all shots taken out of the air.  Shots that are mid-court and below the level of the net will generally go into the net or sail long.  They need to have a downward movement of the racquet to put backspin on most of their volleys.

One of the primary causes of not stroking downward on the ball is the right elbow is raised to about shoulder level.  This opens the racquet face too much and prevents a downward swing.  The ball gets slapped rather than stroked when this happens.

Students often have problems with the backhand volley because they are too anxious to hit it and stretch forward to meet it rather than wait for the ball to come into their hitting zone.  The hitting zone on the two-handed backhand volley is somewhere between the front and back planes of the body while facing the net at about 45 degrees.  Failure to let the ball come into this hitting zone results in a racquet face that is too open and the ball will pop up on them. The students need to be patient and wait for the ball to get closer, or they need to take a step or two forward so they meet the ball when it is in their hitting zone.

The article in this issue, "Getting a Feel For The Forehand Volley," uses a stool or chair to restrict movement on the volley so the player can concentrate on the key features of the stroke.   You might try this with the two-handed backhand volley as well.

Another problem is the tendency of the students to be too wristy on the stroke.  The wrists are locked throughout the backhand volley.  The back of the dominant lower hand and the palm of the non-dominant upper hand should face the net throughout the stroke. 

Watch that your students only take their racquet back as far as is necessary to get the racquet parallel to the net, and no farther.  Excessive take back or twisting of the racquet away from the parallel position will result in slap-shots at the volley, rather than backspin-producing downward stroking of the ball.

Good two-handed backhand volleys are rare, even among accomplished players.  It is not that the shot is that difficult to execute, however.  The reason you see so few good backhand volleys with the two-hander is that the players were not taught how to hit the backhand volley properly.  You as coaches and teachers have a good opportunity to correct this situation by teaching the correct and proper technique of this stroke to your young students. 

For more on the two-handed backhand volley click here.