On a windy day in Boca Raton, Florida last month, Syracuse head coach Younes Limam had a feeling the weather conditions would create trouble for his team. So, before SU’s matchup against Florida Atlantic on March 13, Limam told his players to “trust their feet, move their feet,” because wind makes the balls move in funky directions.

Will Hicks, SU’s assistant athletics director for athletic performance, was there listening to Limam. That’s when he had an idea.

As Limam spoke, Hicks thought back to a drill he utilized with the SU football team in the early 2000s. The exercise begins with Hicks dropping two tennis balls in front of him. The players then grab the balls, one in each hand, before they bounce on the ground twice. Prior to the match, the players gathered to try it out. Hicks believed that the drill could guide the Orange tennis team to a win, even in unfavorable conditions. And it did.

Hicks’ ball-dropping drill is a mix of increasing reaction time while expanding movement and focus. It’s become central to the pre-game ritual for No. 25 Syracuse (14-3, 6-3 Atlantic Coast). Since its introduction to the team’s weekly routine three weeks ago, the Orange has gone 5-1, including wins against No. 44 Clemson, No. 48 Louisville and No. 3 Georgia Tech.

“When you’re moving during the drill you got your juice,” Hicks said, “and it makes everything you do much better.”

There are two parts to the exercise. The first component focuses on the team as a whole, while the second is more individualistic. Players gather in a circle, either in the middle of Manley Field House or on center court before the match. Hicks tells the team to “get rowdy.” Players clap their hands and yell at one another. It’s a boost for the team, Hicks said, and gets everybody involved.

One player gets singled out, and she must line up parallel to Hicks. While the rest of the team cheers on, Hicks yells out a number, usually one to four, to signify the number of claps the player must enact before grabbing the balls. A couple of seconds later, he drops two tennis balls in front of the participant. The goal is for the player to grab the balls one-handed — without letting them bounce twice. Whether they catch the balls or mistime their grab, the partaker must run to the back of the circle and keep their feet moving.

“The energy is infectious,” Hicks said.

Daily Orange File Photo

Before its place in women’s tennis, Hicks carried out similar “get off” drills for defensive linemen on the football team. Linemen would get in a stance and attempt to catch a tennis ball that was dropped by Hicks. He toyed with the height of the drop and how far away the player would have to be from him. One of the first participants in it was Syracuse football legend Dwight Freeney.

“I’d drop it one yard away from (Freeney),” Hicks said, “and gradually get back to keep him on his feet. It’s the same type of philosophy with tennis. You see it, react to it, and get to the point where you don’t even think about it.”

There are several benefits to the drill. For one, it keeps the central nervous system focused and forces a person to expect constant feet movement, Hicks said. On that same note, Limam said it can modify a player’s attitude and can keep their body from getting cold before a match. Players like sophomore Miranda Ramirez enjoy the challenge because it keeps them “mentally sharp and pumped up.”

While Hicks’ job is to prepare SU tennis players for the mental and physical toll of a tennis match, his willingness to mirror his practice schedule with coaching input has helped the team tremendously, Limam said.

“If you build it for success,” Hicks said, “you get more with sugar than you do with others. You get a great player.”

Published on April 3, 2018 at 11:57 pm

Contact KJ: kjedelma@syr.edu | @KJEdelman