Level Assessments

To participate in a majority of programming at Slate, you must receive a Level Evaluation.

Your Level defines what programming you are eligible to enroll for.

Not all offerings require a Level.

Each bullet point is graded on a 1-5 scale. If the added score reaches or exceeds a certain number, you are eligible to move to the next Level!

Download the app, become a member, and sign-up now!

Beginner and Apprentice

The Basics

Tactical and Technical Parameters

Intern

The Basics

Tactical and Technical Parameters

Manager

The Basics

Tactical and Technical Parameters

____Can hit and direct a medium paced forehand and backhand drive groundstroke to the three zones of the court.

Adapts footwork adjustments stance to situation with either semi-open or square

Fluid backswing to create acceleration and timing Extension through ball and longer finish to increase depth Able to execute groundstrokes on the apex of bounce

____Can serve with medium pace and direction to the forehand and backhand sides of the opponent. Fluid backswing to create more acceleration

Weight transfer from right to left to create more speed and depth

____Can return serve with direction in three zones of the court and increased depth.

Fluid backswing to create more acceleration

Weight transfer forward to create opportunity to quickly recover to NVZ

____Can hit a dead drop off basic return or volley in match play.

Balanced stance to maintain control

Contact out in front for proper extension

Controlled shortened contact to follow through feeling for depth control

____Can consistently sustain a dink rally during match play, often keeping the ball low enough to avoid being attacked.

Wide athletic base to stay alert and balanced

Shuffling footwork side to side to maintain early contact point and balance

Stable wrist and arm to prevent accidental popups ____Can swing volley and overhead on with increased power.

Deeper trophy position on overhead

Throwing motion on overhead for acceleration

Lengthened follow through to increase paddle speed Adaptive footwork for receiving deep and short lobs Non-dominant hand promotes kinetic chain during shot execution

____Can punch, roll, and transition volley with depth and direction.

More speed on the linear extension of the paddle face Maintaining early contact point under more pressure

____Can move to NVZ at appropriate times with better positioning and balanced recovery.

Following the ball at NVZ with athletic shuffling movement Consistent ready position for good focus, readiness, and balance.

Athletic split-step where appropriate

Able to start anticipating opponents’ shot selectionNeede

Director

The Basics

Tactical and Technical Parameters

_____Can use a forehand and backhand drive and serve with light to moderate spin off easier situations.

Low-to-high whipping motion on the foreswing on groundstrokes to create topspin

High to low motion to create underspin

Maintain gross motor rhythm and flow of groundstrokes despite additional fine motor spin skills

Understands situations on when to apply different spins, such as low balls versus high balls

_____Consistently gets return of serve in with increased pace, depth, and direction.

Low-to-high whipping motion on the foreswing on groundstrokes to create topspin

High to low motion to create slice

Maintain gross motor rhythm and flow of groundstrokes despite additional fine motor spin skills

_____Can live dink and sustain dink rallies with height and depth control (3-4 in a row), directing to opponents’weaker side. Adding light spin when going crosscourt to increase difficulty for opponent with altered paddle pathways

Accurately adjust footwork and lower stance for shorter and deeper dinks

_____Can make offensive plays when appropriate with swinging volleys and speed-ups.

Coil and uncoiling motion with unit turn to better use kinetic chain to create paddle speed

Topspin with upward thrust and whip

Adapted follow through path to encourage proper depth

_____Can 3rd shot live drop off both deep and short balls to the lett and right side of the court.

Situational adjustment steps forward and back to ensure consistent early contact point

Paddle pathway adjusting for depth and spin control to ensure ball bouncing in NVZ.

_____Can reset, punch, roll, and transition volley with medium paced shots.

Shortening or lengthening paddle pathway to create appropriate depth

Can add topspin on knee to stomach-high balls with low to high extension.

Can add slice for lower balls with cutting catching feel

Adaptive weight transfer and footwork adjustment to maintain consistent contact point

_____Can sustain a faster volley firefight (3-4 shots) at the NVZ, covering body shots.

Quick contact to follow through pathway to keep pace and adjusting depending on height of ball

Fast recovery and focus after each shot

_____Stronger understanding of court positioning and the opponent, with athletic movement and footwork to the NVZ line. Adjusts distance from NVZ line depending on offense or defense Good decision making on when to move forward or stay back at baseline to NVZ line.

Heel off ground in adjustment steps

Good deceleration to recovery and wider ready positions

Able to stack with stronger player covering middle

Able to start anticipating opponents’shot selection

Vice President

The Basics

Tactical and Technical Parameters

____Can play with moderate to high amounts of underspin and topspin on serve, return, and 3rd shot.

Weight transfer creates natural follow through step on the appropriate four stances

Adapted swing path to ensure proper depth

Can receive faster balls and send spins while maintaining previous ball controls

Starting to take time by hitting on the rise on appropriate situations ____Lobs are better placed with height and depth to prevent overheads.

More vertical pathway and open paddle face to add topspin Can adjust dink or volley to become a lob by adjusting paddle parameters

Can add underspin when pulled out wide to ensure consistency ____Increased power, direction, and court coverage on overheads and swing volleys.

Crossover step on deep lobs to allow proper contact point Trophy position with body preparation fully loaded on high power shots

Quick and loose throwing motion to further increase paddle speed Full follow through to the non-dominant side

____Maintains a consistent, reliable, and variable dink, differentiating between different spins based on situation. Can add spin in all directions for live ball dinks with playful paddle motions

Balanced weight transfer to permit focused accuracy

____Understands situations which are attackable or not in a dink rally, altering pace of rally at appropriate times with better-hidden speed-ups. Explosive paddle speed and weight transfer while maintaining similar dink preparation

Upward whipping motion and paddle curving path to create topspin Adapts paddle face and extension to ensure accuracy

____Can roll, flick, and transition volley a variety of shots with different spins.

Athletic and balanced footwork on transition volley to create more power and topspin

Fluid weight transfer and cross steps on lower balls with transition underspin volley

Ball absorption and underspin feel to create drop volleys when opponents are back

Kinetic chain from ground up allowing more power and control

____Can reset hard shots at NVZ and midcourt to prevent opponents from finishing the point.

Quick and accurate paddle face preparation to allow accurate resetting balls Low athletic ready position and recovery cycle to keep pace

____Understanding opponents’weaknesses and is capable of directing play toward them in all overarching play situations.

Uses the first three shots of point to set up offensive opportunities Consistently exposes the weaknesses of the opponents in the NVZ situations ____Appropriately adapts positioning and knows when to be defensive, then reset back to the NVZ.

Maintains balance and athleticism with low base moving up and back when transitioning from defense to offense

Accurately adjusts stride length depending on situation

Strong movement from split-step with quick acceleration

Adaptive positioning and stacking to permit the stronger player to dictate play

President

The Basics

Tactical and Technical Parameters

Strong command of the five ball parameters of all foundational shots to appropriate situations (height, direction, depth, spin, and speed).

1. 1. Adapting paddle parameters to maintain ball controls in increasingly difficult situations
  2. Knees bent and athletic base and movement on all situations
  3. Non-dominant hand usage permits maximum application of kinetic chain
  4. Maintaining ideal contact points despite advanced movement and shot making

Able to topspin lob off more difficult and appropriate situations.

1. 1. Faster paddle speed with loose wrist and high twitch pronation
  2. Can adapt footwork and stances for wide or deep balls and maintain shot control

The serve is weaponized and can force errors, directing with angles and variety.

1. 1. Paddle lagging and snapping forward to create higher power and heavier spin
  2. Can adjust swing to be more compact to create sharper wide angles
  3. Can use a swiping, slicing motion to create a sidespin serve option
  4. Can adapt swing to be more vertical to create a looping heavy topspin serve

Forehand and/or backhand drive is weaponized, and can be used as a successful hard shot, or a dipping heavy spin dropshot, both slice and topspin.

1. 1. Paddle lagging and snapping forward to create higher power and heavier spin
  2. Adapting paddle parameters to create dipping spins or deep power drives
  3. Load and explode footwork to increase kinetic chain on the higher power shots
  4. Maintaining accuracy and direction despite increased athletic application

Ability to vary and adjust dink with good placement, heavier spins, and high consistency.

1. 1. Adapting footwork in all directions with cross steps and low athletic base
  2. Harder cuts with underspin with subtle lag and snap to increase spin rate

Able to block hard volleys and overheads directed and drop them in NVZ to reset point.

1. 1. Soft pillow hands that catch the ball on the paddle with underspin
  2. Contact point out in front despite high speed of opponent’s shot
  3. In midcourt, can reset power shots with low blocking motions

Able to attack and finish points with powerful swinging volleys and overheads.

1. 1. Explosive leg and core drive to further increase paddle speed
  2. Paddle lagging and snapping forward to create higher power and heavier spin
  3. While maintaining high explosive power, can hit the open court
  4. Can jump at NVZ to hold ground on overhead

Can cover the court with balanced, strong footwork and solid positioning and recovery.

1. 1. Uses the four stances on proper situations to create optimal balance and weight transfer
  2. Can slide to decelerate and change direction
  3. Adaptive paddle ready position in defensive midcourt situations

Able to Ernie, ATP, inside out, tweener, and other trick shots in appropriate situations.

1. 1. Explosive leg drive, speed, and balance for Ernie’s and ATPs
  2. Excellent command of fast-twitch paddle control to ensure consistency under pressure

Can adjust style of play and game plan according to the opponent’s strengths and weaknesses.

1. 1. Using specific shots to accurately attack in neutral situations
  2. Effectively uses patterns to bring imbalance to opponents in neutral situations
  3. Capable of anticipating opponents’ shots and patterns more accurately

Professor

The Basics

Tactical and Technical Parameters

Expert control of the five ball parameters using mastered paddle techniques in all play situations with excellent understanding of advanced tactics to create offensive situations.

1. 1. Heavy spins available with full kinetic chain applied
  2. Passing shots with very high power possible with full kinetic chain applied
  3. Maintain control of all five parameters while receiving difficult situations

Able to adapt and plan strategies against strong opponents, successfully picking at their weaknesses despite tough situations.

1. 1. Using specific shots to accurately attack in difficult situations
  2. Uses patterns to bringing imbalance to opponents despite difficult reception

Able to receive highly difficult power shots and counter them offensively.

1. 1. Receives a power shot at NVZ and sends with explosive paddle extension to win point
  2. Receives a power shot at NVZ and absorbs with underspin dropshot to win point
  3. Receives a power shot at midcourt and digs out with blocking motion to drop into NVZ
  4. Receives a power shot at baseline and counters with power and direction to win point

Attacking shots such as overheads are highly varied and are often unable to be returned.

1. 1. Adaptive footwork to create perfect contact point
  2. Full kinetic chain and unit unload to create power put aways
  3. Adds sidespin to create sharp angles to win point

Dinks are varied and are often heavily spun, breaking down strong opponents and forcing pop ups or higher bouncing balls which are subsequently and consistently put away.

1. 1. High energy vertical flicks to create heavy topspin despite short court
  2. Can effectively place and spin dinks off the most difficult positions, even if off balance
  3. Highly accurate paddle angle and pathway to hit very specific targets

Able to effectively attack and defend from difficult positions on the court.

1. 1. Excellent acceleration and deceleration into any stance to set up and cover the court
  2. Can stretch and effectively lob, pass, or drop off of shots that would normally be winners
  3. Adapting paddle technique to maintain spin and power on full sprint

Unforced errors and poor shot selection is very rare.

1. 1. Consistency maintained despite full kinetic chain on very offensive shots
  2. Accidental placement to opponents weapons is rare

Positioning and athletic recovery is mastered, with expert usage of alternate serving and returning positioning strategies, as well as anticipation of the opponents.

1. 1. Stacking consistently used with proper and accurate recovery and movement
  2. Split-step and explosive weight transfer off first step allowing full court coverage
  3. Recovery positioning is excellently placed in all situations