Drop or Drive
Why this drill
At 3.5 and up, the question is not whether you can drop — it is whether you choose the right third shot for the ball you are given. This drill trains the decision, not just the stroke.
Setup
One player at the non-volley-zone line, one at the opposite baseline, straight ahead on a half court. Feeder has a supply of balls.
The drill
The kitchen player mixes feeds deliberately: some deep and heavy, some short and sitting up. The baseline player must read each ball and respond with the percentage answer — drop the deep, difficult balls; drive the short, high ones. Call your choice out loud as the ball comes ("drop" or "drive") so the decision is explicit. Sets of ten; the feeder scores both the decision and the execution. A driven ball that rises to the feeder's shoulder counts as a good decision executed badly — track those separately. Swap roles every two sets.
One thought to take on court
Low ball, drop it; high ball, drive it — decide before the bounce, not after.