An Introduction to the Serve and Volley Tactic in Tennis

Serve and Volley
Image: optimumtennis.net

Keefe Gorman is an experienced wealth advisor with Merrill Lynch in New York. Beyond his activities as an advisor and managing director at Merrill Lynch, Keefe Gorman enjoys leading an active lifestyle. He is particularly fond of playing tennis.

Tactics individuals can implement on the tennis court include the serve and volley play. A typical exchange between tennis players involves the server beginning the point and both players remaining at the back of the court until an error or winner has been hit, or until one player can move into the net and end the point with a volley. Once the dominant style of play in tennis, the serve and volley is now used as a change of pace or surprise tactic in which the server immediately moves forward and, ideally, finishes the point at the net within one or two strokes following the serve.

There are a number of components to a successful serve and volley play. For example, a fast, powerful serve can sometimes overwhelm the returner and produce a weak reply that makes for an easy volley. On the other hand, a skilled returner can use the pace against the server and hit a return winner before the opponent has made more than a few steps toward the net. In many cases, a more effective play is a wide, slicing serve or a kick serve into the body, either dragging the returner far off of the court or jamming his racket to prevent a strong return.

The surface of the court can also influence the outcome of the serve and volley play. On a grass court, for instance, balls stay low to the ground after the first bounce. Slice serves are particularly effective on grass, further enhancing the tactic on a grass court. On the other hand, clay courts are less forgiving to slice because they produce high bouncing balls that allow the returner to take his time and measure a perfect passing shot before the server has positioned himself at net.

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Helpful Tips to Become a Better Mountain Biker

Mountain Biking
Image: rei.com

Keefe Gorman is currently working as managing director of investments at Merrill Lynch. He graduated in 1984 as a Vilas Scholar from St. Lawrence University with a bachelor of arts in economics. For hobbies, Keefe Gorman of Merrill Lynch enjoys wakeboarding, motorcycles, water skiing, and mountain biking.

A few tips will help someone become a better mountain biker. When riding through corners, down rock faces, and up steep inclines, it’s crucial to move on the bike. While climbing, shift body weight forward. Shift all weight back while descending to keep balanced and to avoid being pitched over the handlebars. Also, rather than slamming on the brakes, feather them. This technique helps control speed while riding the trail and will allow for more effective stopping.

In addition, which bike one chooses is important. Often times, a bike is purchased because of the brand and specifications. However, what is most vital is to purchase the right bike for someone’s body size and skill level. It’s important for someone to know how they ride now and how they want to start riding in the future. A specialty retailer can help find a bike that is a perfect match for someone’s style as well as to the terrain where someone lives.

The Song Mountain Race Team – Creating Great Skiers

Song Mountain Race Team
Image: songraceteam.com

Keefe Gorman serves as managing director of investments for Merrill Lynch in New York. In addition to his work with Merrill Lynch, Keefe Gorman is an avid skier and a member of the Song Mountain Race Team.

The Song Mountain Race Team is a nonprofit organization that develops alpine ski racers. Working in conjunction with the Central New York Ski Racing Foundation, or CNYSRF, the organization prepares athletes for success by focusing on several key areas. First, it concentrates on the athletes’ physical and technical abilities to give them the stamina and skills to race. The Song Mountain Race Team also focuses on the mental side of competition, knowing that world-class athletes must prepare their minds as well.

Children between the ages of 5 and 12 can join the Racing Rabbits & Coyotes team, which places a strong emphasis on fun. This team gives children an introduction to ski racing, with 50 hours of training and the chance to participate in real timed competitions. Older children can join a more intensive racing team, which trains four days a week and competes locally and throughout the state.

A Brief Synopsis of USSA’s Freestyle & Freeskiing Sport Committee

US Ski and Snowboard Association
Image: ussa.org

Considered among the best brokers in the United States by Barron’s Magazine, Keefe Gorman leads as managing director of investments at Merrill Lynch. Aside from Merrill Lynch, he enjoys snow skiing. Keefe Gorman, a former professional, maintains membership with the US Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA).

The USSA offers five sports committees dedicated to planning and developing snow programs for its members. Among the groups is the Freestyle & Freeskiing Sport Committee (FFSC), which works in partnership with USSA and its chief executive officer to shape activities.

The FFSC consists of USSA freestyle and freeskiing members who are eligible to represent the group in a variety of capacities, including freestyle or freeskiing program director; aerials, moguls, or skicross subcommittee chairs; and USSA board, International Ski Federation (FIS), or divisional representatives. With the exception of at-large members and athlete representatives, each role serves a two-year term. All have similar goals of instilling policies and strategies that promote the sports of freestyle and freeskiing and comply with FIS regulations. Committee members must meet, at minimum, once a year to discuss programs and vote on amendments.

Downhill vs. Cross-Country Skiing

A wealth an investment advisor at Merrill Lynch, Keefe Gorman has been listed by Barron’s magazine as one of the country’s top brokers and investment advisors on numerous occasions. Prior to joining Merrill Lynch, Keefe Gorman took part in the United States professional ski tour.

While the major difference between cross-country and downhill skiing is fairly obvious, there are a number of technical strengths and physical requirements associated with the sport’s two primary disciplines that may be overlooked by the casual skier or television viewer.

The difference begins with the skis themselves, which are attached to the boots of a cross-country athlete only at the toes; a downhill skier is fully attached to the skis by bindings. Additionally, downhill skiers require a greater amount of technical training to prepare themselves for the high speeds involved in the sport. Cross-country skiers, meanwhile, focus primarily on endurance training, since the movements involved with uphill, downhill, and level-terrain cross-country skiing are more natural to the body. Cross-country skiing is also a less expensive sport than downhill skiing, and in the United States there are far more areas available to cross-country skiers than there are alpine ski resorts.