Longtime XCP assistant coach Francis Hartojo, who will assume head-coaching duties this fall, put the campers through their paces in XCP’s Activity Center.
Helping Hartojo were his two assistant coaches this fall, Karina Magana and Laura Forbes, as well as a handful of team players who were juniors last year.
The girls had varying skill levels, but all showed some promise.
Hitting the bird and moving about the court were among the basic fundamentals that Hartojo tried to pass on.
Quite a bit of time was spent on “teardrop’’ volleys, where players hit the bird as high and seep as close to the back line as possible.
Having a good grip on the racket and good footwork (particularly on backpedaling) also were emphasized.
“We have some girls who have been picking things up pretty well. They are starting to get the idea,’’ said Hartojo, who also is an instructor at a facility in Mesa. “Some of the players go into this not really realizing all that is involved, that badminton can be a physical game. There can be a lot to learn.
“We are watching the footwork, the overhead shots, the “tears’ and “smashes,’ also a few finesse-type shots. There also is the competitive aspect.’’
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