Team Dink Ladder
Four beginners build one shared dink rally — the team counts together toward 10, then 20, then 30 consecutive dinks.
- LevelBeginner
- Players4 Players
- Duration15 min
- EquipmentNet
The Team Dink Ladder takes the most productive beginner drill in this library — the partner dink ladder — and doubles it. Four beginners, two per side, one shared count. The target is not a winner or a highlight; it is thirty consecutive dinks with four different paddles touching the ball. That target sounds modest until you try it, because every extra player doubles the number of ways a rally can end and quadruples the number of decisions in the middle. That is exactly the point. In doubles, the kitchen is crowded, and the earlier you learn to share it out loud, the fewer points you will hand over with two paddles going for the same ball. Start side by side with your partner about a paddle's width apart, and decide before the first ball who takes anything down the middle. Then keep the ball moving around all four players in any order. Communication is not just allowed, it is the drill: "yours", "mine", and "switch" should be audible from the next court. The count is a team count — ten, then twenty, then thirty — and it resets to zero whenever any player nets the ball, hits out, or collides with a partner's swing. The reset rule produces the drill's most valuable moments, because the foursome has to discuss, without blame, what just broke. Most groups find the same pattern: middle balls cause most failures, and unmade decisions cause most middle balls. Ten minutes of fixing that is worth a month of silent half-court rallies. The drill is deliberately forgiving in pace — soft, bounced, walking-speed balls — so a mixed group of beginners can play it together regardless of age or fitness. Climb the ladder twice per session, swap ends in between, and track your best count from week to week. When thirty becomes routine, your group is ready for scored kitchen games.
Equipment: You will need a net.
How to run this drill
Pair up two per side, standing side by side about a paddle's width apart, and decide out loud who takes balls down the middle before the first feed.
Feed the first dink and keep the ball moving around all four players in any order — calling "mine" and "yours" is encouraged, collisions are the lesson.
Count every successful dink as a team; the count resets to zero whenever any player nets the ball, hits out, or takes a partner's ball.
Climb the ladder 10-20-30, then swap ends so both pairs practice both halves of the court.
Sets, reps & pass standard
Sets & reps: 2 x (10-20-30 ladder)
You're ready to move on when: You're ready to move on when your foursome reaches 30 consecutive dinks twice in one session with clear, out-loud calls on every middle ball.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Two players both going for the same middle ball — call "mine" early and loudly, every single time.
- Leaving your partner's side uncovered after you hit — shuffle back to your spot immediately instead of admiring the dink.
- Trying hero angles — at this level the group goal is consistency, and straight, soft dinks build it fastest.
Frequently asked questions
What equipment do you need for the Team Dink Ladder?
You need a net.
How long does the Team Dink Ladder take?
About 15 minutes, typically organized as 2 x (10-20-30 ladder). It is rated Beginner and works for 4 players.
What does success look like on this drill?
You're ready to move on when your foursome reaches 30 consecutive dinks twice in one session with clear, out-loud calls on every middle ball.