![Introducing the badminton overhead – Challenge No.2 - Duplicate - [#36821]](https://badmintonandy.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Badminton-Forehand-Overhead-2-scaled-1.jpg)
Challenges are waiting for players and coaches
Some have negative outcomes
Yet many coaches continue regardless
I asked some coaching friends what they expected – all were negative
We discussed whether they could be avoided
We discussed the challenges that we believe most coaches face when first introducing the overhead, especially young players who are new to the sport.
We identified 5 aspects (unfortunately all negatives) that we expected to happen when coaching badminton overhead.
Crucially, we all seemed to accept that they would be present.
We then started to discuss if it was possible to avoid them rather than just accepting that they would happen. Shouldn’t we plan to avoid the negative outcomes if we knew that there was a likelihood of them appearing? 
Do you already know some of the challenges that you will face
Do you consider how you could avoid, prevent or mitigate them
The conversation that started this mini-series
If you haven’t read the introductory post, click on the image to read more.
It outlines the challenges coaches face and some of the descion they are faced with.
There is also an insight into what happened when I spoke with 2 other coaches about these challenges and how at times, we disagreed!
I’ve outlined some of the thoughts we had during our conversation.
Expectations even before starting
Could you list them
I asked some coaches what they expected to happen in sessions focused when helping beginners start to play overhead forehands.
Those players aged between 6 – 10 yeras old and who have only been playing less than 6 months.
What did they regularly see and think was possible to predict?
After a short discussion, we made a list; most points seemed to highlight negative aspects 
Worryingly, we agreed that coaches (including us) continued to coach as we did, even with the knowledge that these aspects would probably happen.
We knew the problem that we’d face and the challenges the players would experience, but we carried on regardless.
It didn’t seem a sensible thing to do, yet we did it.
What observations would be on your list : positive and negative
The things coaches expect and crucially accept
A variety of techniques appearing – pan-handle grip, throwing issues, footwork problems. Not always, but often in the majority.
Slow learning/development rates – especially when compared to other below-the-shoulder strokes (net, flick, serves, etc)
Variable success -players missing the shuttle, unable to direct or control accuracy, success rates lower than 40%
Confidence & motivation issues – players becoming frustrated at the lack of success
Self-correction – players creating solutions in order to ‘succeed’. Solutions that often hinder future development
Do you see these 5 issues when you coach beginner players?
Maybe you see others that you think should be added to the list
Something to consider
Changing a limiting technique in the future is difficult,
time-consuming, and potentially emotional
How much thought have you given to being delebrate in what you do with beginner players or are you a stand-off coach and ‘” just let them experience things for themselves”?
It’s certainly not impossible to change a beginner’s technique, but it’s time-consuming and challenging for both the player and the coach.
Imagine if by changing how and when you introduce the task of specifically developing overhead you could reduce the likelihood of the problems described in the 5 points above. Plus imagine giving players confidence in their ability to work through challenges that they will face.
If we know that these challenges or issues (I guess it depends on how you see them) are present and likely to occur then should we not try to avoid them, or at least mitigate them and reduce their impact?
Coaches should strive to become experts in practice design. Creating experiences (both technically and mentally) that aid future development yet to happen.
Coaches believing that they are experts in error correction should be secondary to that of practice design. Unfortunately, lots of coach education courses focus on error correction rather than error prevention.
Changing a limiting technique in the future is difficult,
time-consuming, and potentially emotional
A possible solution
Start with different expereinces
If you are currently struggling with the issues detailed here or have just accepted that they arise when starting to coach overheads I want to offer some ideas for you to consider.
I’m not sure how you will react to each suggestion, that’s up to you and out of my control. Maybe they will ‘prickle’ your beliefs and cause a challenge to your thinking.
It’s your decision to choose what to focus on and for how long in each session. I can only offer my thoughts based on my experience and after watching others succeed whilst others struggled.
It’s much more than just bouncing a shuttle
Lots of ideas and practices for you to try
Prevent the classic grips and hitting problems
The first ‘overhead’ stroke and full of experiences
Don’t start coaching overheads with beginner players ,start with other strokes,
create experiences (through practice) that influence and aid in overhead development
Concepts and strategies to think about
- Why not leave overheads until after players have experienced other strokes? Think about all the ‘below-shoulder-strokes’ that you could coach and how these strokes could provide positive technical and psychological experiences.
- Help players become aware of how learning happens. Don’t tell them this, let them experience it and get them to explain their thoughts back to you when the time is appropriate.
- Create a style of coaching that encourages players to become ‘fearless’ and willing to try, even if they fail. When coaching, sometimes appear to ignore errors and enthuse about effort and application. Store the information provided by the players’ failures and amend your practice and style, but without telling them.
- Create a style of coaching that encourages players to become ‘fearless’ and willing to try, even if they fail. When coaching, sometimes appear to ignore errors and enthuse about effort and application. Store the information provided by the players’ failures and amend your practice and style, but without telling them.
- Develop trust and ‘confidence in the coach’ by the way you deliberately design and layer your practices. Become an expert in knowing why you do what you do.
- Set many practices that appear challenging (but are only just above the players’ specific level) and that constrain the opportunity for inappropriate techniques to form (maybe easier said than done!)
- Doing these things will help with
- how to hold (grip) the racket
- develop a throwing action
- develop handcocking
- instil a fearless approach to learning
- establish confidence in the coach and the practice progress
Challenge No.3
![Introducing the badminton overhead – Challenge No.3 - Duplicate - [#36874]](https://badmintonandy.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Badminton-Forehand-Overhead-3-scaled-1-768x430.jpg "Introducing the badminton overhead - Part 2")
Send me a question
I’m always grateful if you have read this far.
If there is anything that you have read that has helped or that you disagree with, then please send me an email.
I promise to read all your comments
It would be great to hear from you contact@badmintonandy.com
![Keep your racket up - Duplicate - [#38056]](https://badmintonandy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/keep-your-racket-up-scaled.webp)
![Introducing the badminton overhead – Challenge No.3 - Duplicate - [#36874]](https://badmintonandy.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Badminton-Forehand-Overhead-3-scaled-1.jpg)
