Parallel play from the back of the court

What this lesson covers

When forced to defend from the back of the court, the parallel shot acts as a primary tool to neutralize the opponents at the net. Because the player at the net is usually facing forward, a ball directed down the line forces them to rotate their shoulders and create space before they can strike. This extra time allows the defensive player to recover their position or reset the point with a lob.

Technically, the defensive player should aim to stay compact. When moving toward the back glass, stepping with the outside foot behind the inside foot helps maintain a profile that allows for both a defensive block or an aggressive strike if the ball sits up. If the ball is difficult, the goal is to block the ball back to the parallel opponent with a flat contact. This avoids giving the net players an easy angle to finish the point. The coach emphasizes that the difference between a high-level player and an amateur is the speed at which they regain composure and confidence after a difficult defensive situation.