TRAVELLERS SPORTS TENNIS COACHING MANUAL

Transcription

1 Travellers Worldwide: TENNIS Coaching Manual page 1 of 18: TRAVELLERS SPORTS TENNIS COACHING MANUAL Issue Date of Issue CR/DR Numbers CHANGE HISTORY No. of Pages 1 30-Nov Pages Changed and Reasons for Change

2 Travellers Worldwide: TENNIS Coaching Manual page 2 of 18: INTRODUCTION... 2 TENNIS COURT DIMENSIONS... 2 WARM UP... 3 Warm up exercises... 3 The ready position... 3 The shots... 3 DRILLS FOR MORE ADVANCED CHILDREN Serving drills Forehand drills Volleying drills General drills Drills for beginners and children aged FITNESS FUN GAMES LESSON PLANS Lesson plan for 6 10 year olds TIPS TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL COACH REFERENCES Introduction As a Travellers tennis Coach you have the opportunity to coach and develop tennis and share your skills to people who may never of learnt tennis before, your placement will make a huge difference to those people you coach and will impact there lives in many ways. Tennis is often seen as an elitist sport but as Travellers tennis volunteer you have the opportunity to coach those people who don t have an opportunity to play tennis. This coaching manual has been specifically designed for your tennis placement incorporating the skills that you will need to have when on your placement. This manual has been designed for the coaching of 4 18 year olds in mind. Tennis court dimensions

3 Travellers Worldwide: TENNIS Coaching Manual page 3 of 18: Warm up Warming up is an important part of the coaching session it avoids injury and teaches the children valuable lessons. As a Travellers volunteer there is a stretching manual available for you on your project. Warm up exercises Jogging Take the children around the courts for a light jog to get them warmed up and mentally ready for the coaching session Warm up activities Have each child perform a series of activities such as: Jumping on the spot Jumping back and forth across a line Jumping jacks Jump from a squat Balance on one foot and hop on one foot The ready position The ready position is fundamental to tennis. It gets your body set up to return serve, play groundstroke and make volleys. It allows you to push off to the ball with maximum acceleration in as short a time as possible. It also starts the shot off technically - if you re ready position is wrong then you have little chance with the rest of the shot. 1. Both hands need to start on the racquet, this allows quick grip changes and stronger, earlier body rotation for the shot. 2. Your feet need to be at least shoulder width apart with your head forwards into the court. Bend your knees slightly, this lowers your centre of gravity and stores energy in your muscles. 3. As your opponent strikes the ball try to bounce onto your toes for extra spring in your legs. The timing of this is crucial. It's difficult to master but if you get it right it will allow you to accelerate in any direction at maximum speed the moment you see the ball. 4. After hitting the ball return to the centre of the court and the ready position as soon as possible. The shots The forehand The forehand is the most common shot in tennis. It is important to teach the correct technique to the children when you are coaching them so that they don t get into any

4 Travellers Worldwide: TENNIS Coaching Manual page 4 of 18: bad habits. 1. Starting from the ready position, drive off from the legs and look to get to the ball as soon as possible. As you push off, prepare by turning both your hands towards the ball. This will rotate the shoulders and upper body away from the ball, storing up energy that will soon be used to create power 2. Look to bring the racquet head back in a loop. Think of a circular type movement as you lift it up as you bring it back then drop it lower as you start to accelerate forwards. 3. The key to producing real power is to fire all your different muscles into the shot in sequence. Start from the legs, then the hips, your shoulder, arm and finally your wrist. If timed right all these different muscle groups will combine to produce huge racquet head speed that will send the ball flying. 4. The forward swing of the racquet should be from low to high. You should be looking to make contact with the ball at around waist height. As you get more confident, have a go meeting it slightly higher. This will enable you to get more power into the shot and get further into the court which will put your opponent under even more pressure. Forehand grip This is the most simple, natural and reliable grip and the one most children you are coaching should adopt. It is known as the eastern grip or shake-hands grip because as you take hold of the racquet it should feel as if you are shaking hands with another person. Curl your fingers around the grip near the base so your thumb and forefinger form a 'V' along the top right edge of the handle. This grip places the palm of the hand directly behind the handle. As you stroke the racquet through on the forehand side, it should feel almost as if your hand is hitting the ball. Advanced forehand grip Experienced players adopt a more advanced forehand grip known as the semiwestern. In the eastern grip the palm sits behind the handle, with this grip it lies underneath. This time your thumb and forefinger form a 'V' pointing into the side of the handle. An easy way to get the children to find this grip is to simply put there racket on the floor and get them to pick it up by the grip. It will feel awkward at first but once mastered, will allow them to return high bouncing balls with more power and aggression than a normal grip. The drop shot As players hit with more power and more top spin, the drop shot has become increasingly effective as a surprise variation. Use this when you have forced your opponent back behind the baseline with a series of deep and powerful shots. Then surprise them with a shot that just goes over the net with some backspin to kill the bounce.

5 Travellers Worldwide: TENNIS Coaching Manual page 5 of 18: 1. Ideally the ball that is coming to you should not be too low and will also have a little bit of pace on it - it is very difficult to hit a drop shot of a very slow moving ball. Disguise is vital. You want your opponent to be on their heels expecting a deep powerful shot from you. To do this you need to move up to the ball and prepare as if you were going to hit a topspin drive. You need to set up with a big back swing and shape to hit a topspin shot. 2. Then at the last second change the shot. Shorten your back swing right down and move your racquet head to the ball with a slightly open racquet face. Soften your grip on the racquet and as you hit the shot try to feel your racquet face cushion down the back and underneath the ball. This will take the pace off the shot and will also generate some backspin killing the bounce. 3. Hopefully your drop shot will be so good that your opponent will not reach it at all. Often though they just manage to scrape it back. Because of this you need to follow your drop shot in to the net a little. This way you are in position to kill off any weak return that comes your way. One handed backhand The one-handed backhand looks like one of the hardest shots, but with practice, it can become one of the most satisfying shots in the book. Not only is it a very useful defensive tool but the best tennis players use it as a devastating attacking weapon. 1. From the ready position, twist racquet into your preferred grip as you begin your backswing by turning your hips and shoulders. Step out towards the line of the ball, shifting your weight to the outside foot. 2. Step forward with your inside foot and begin shifting your weight onto it as you start the forward swing. Aim to meet the ball in front of you, preferably at about waist height. Do not wait for it to reach your side. 3. Hit through the ball as you bring most of your weight onto your front foot. Use your whole body - your legs, torso, and body weight should all be contributing to your shot. Do not make your arm do all of the work. Especially important with a onehand backhand is to get extra power by pushing up and forward with your legs as you hit. 4. Keep your weight on the front foot until after contact and remain balanced during the follow-through and recovery. Practice keeping your chin over your leading foot until a second or two after the ball has gone. Do not try to force it - you will hit the ball harder with a loose, quick motion. The racquet head is six times heavier than the ball - let it do the work! Allow your momentum take you into position for your next shot.

6 Travellers Worldwide: TENNIS Coaching Manual page 6 of 18: One-handed backhand grip Place the palm of your hand on top of the handle then move the racquet inwards a quarter turn. The thumb should fall diagonally across the back of the grip, though some players wrap it all the way round. The direction does not matter but it is important the inside of the thumb is touching the flat part of the handle. An easy way to find this grip is to put the racquet under your left arm with the handle sticking out forwards. Grab hold of the grip and pull the racquet out. You should then have the correct grip for a onehanded topspin backhand. 2 Handed backhand The 2 handed backhand gives more power and control on return of serve and on high balls, which are two crucial areas in the modern game. 1. As you start to move turn your shoulders towards the ball, use your wrists and arms to lay the racquet head back. Keep turning until your racquet head is pointing towards the back fence and at about waist height. The further you lay the racket head back the more power you can create. You will notice that top players turn their shoulders so far that their opponent is able to read what is on the back of their shirt. Watch out though - the bigger the turn, the more difficult it is to control. 2. The key from here is to stay relaxed and feel that you are hitting through the ball with your body. If you tense up the shot will feel awkward and you'll just end up forcing the ball with your arms and create no power. A great way to develop this feeling is to practice a few shots just with your left hand (or right hand if you play with your left). This will help you feel the role that the body plays. The role of your arms is largely to transfer the power stored in your legs, shoulders and torso into the racquet. 3. Your footwork is now crucial. As you get to the ball, look to load up on the left foot (right hander) and then transfer your weight forwards onto your right just before you hit. Don't step across with your right foot as this will send you off balance. 4. If you get the footwork right you will feel the shot start from your legs, then rotate the left side of your body through the ball. Combine this with a low-to-high swing with your arms. Sometimes the rotation that you create will be so great that you will start to spin around on the follow through. If this happens you've cracked it, the rotation will create power but will also help you recover back quicker. Two-handed backhand Beginners are encouraged to learn to play shots on the backhand side with two hands. This grip gives extra strength and control than a one-handed grip, especially for junior players. It is also easier to hit top spin. On the downside, it gives you less reach and you need more time to prepare than with a single-handed shot. So it is important if you use a two-handed backhand that you also develop a one-handed slice as another option. The simplest way to form the doubled-handed grip is to hold the racquet with your favored hand in the shake-hands forehand grip, then add the other hand with another forehand grip. Once you have

7 Travellers Worldwide: TENNIS Coaching Manual page 7 of 18: mastered that, start to nudge your right hand more onto the top of the grip. This will allow you to hit with more power and spin. Your hands should be bunched up against each other, but not overlapping. The backhand slice Slice is created by the racquet head brushing down the back of the ball. The spin creates a lower, flatter trajectory over the net and makes the ball stay low off the bounce. 1. As with all the groundstrokes the key is in the preparation. For the backhand slice you need to use the continental grip. To find this put the V between your thumb and index finger on the edge of your racquet's frame. Then slide your hand down the frame to the grip - this will be the correct grip. Your spare hand should be holding the racquet lightly at the throat. From your ready position turn both hands and your trunk to the side so that the shoulder of your hitting arm is pointing to the ball. 2. As you turn to your backhand, the shot starts to differ from the top spin. The moment that you see the ball heading to your backhand take the racquet back by turning your shoulders. As you turn, bring the racquet head up high with your non-hitting hand, almost bringing the racquet strings behind your head. 3. As you get in position load the weight onto your back foot and then as the ball starts to arrive transfer the weight onto the front foot and lean into the shot. The racquet swing should be a knifing action down from high to low grating the racquet strings down the back of the ball - this should really make the ball fizz with all the backspin. 4. Try to add to the high to low swing by extending the racquet head out through the ball towards the target. Feel your spare hand extend out behind you as a counter balance to the forwards swing. Volleying The volley is the most demanding shot in tennis. It is the most technically difficult, requires players to be exceptionally athletic and calls for lightning reactions. By coming forwards in the court you are putting huge pressure on your opponent and also opening up all the angles - making winners much easier. It can be a gamble though. You have less time to cover the width of the court. So if your opponent gets in a good shot only exceptional movement and reactions will get you out of trouble. 1. The ready position is crucial. You do not have time to waste by bringing your racquet from the incorrect position. Alter the ready position slightly from the way you would prepare for groundstrokes by bringing the racquet head slightly higher. Move the elbows forward so they're just in front of the body. 2. As you see the ball coming move your head and hands towards the ball. This should bring the racquet head out into position in front of you. If you do this correctly you

8 Travellers Worldwide: TENNIS Coaching Manual page 8 of 18: should feel your upper body go to the ball and your feet following. In emergencies this can turn into a controlled lunge or even a dive. 3. Do not swing the racquet at the ball, the shot should be short and punchy and take place almost entirely out in front of you. Use your wrist and forearm to bring the racquet head down on the ball in a short, sharp action. Make sure that the racquet face is slightly open. The downward action and the open racquet face should send the ball shooting through the court with a little bit of backspin. This will keep the ball low off the bounce making it more difficult for your opponent to pass you. 4. Follow through in the direction you want to send the ball. Then get back into the centre of the court as quick as you can ready for the next shot. Don't worry if you get passed or lobbed a few times. Coming to the net is a very aggressive but slightly risky play. The players that excel at it are exceptionally athletic but also have an attacking gambler's mind set. Serve and volley grip This is the grip to hold the racquet for the serve, volley, sliced backhand and smash. It is known as the chopper grip, because it is the way you would hold an axe. It allows you to swing the racquet head faster when serving, which is how to generate power and spin. To find the grip, hold the racquet as if you were using the edge of the frame as an axe, that should be the correct grip. The V of your thumb and forefinger should be just to the left of the top of the grip. The smash The smash for a beginner can be hard to pick up. Often when you are coaching the children on your placement they will want to hit the ball with the smash as hard as possible without any rhythm it is important to teach them step by step. 1. The moment you see the lob go up in the air you need to turn sideways - as if you were getting ready to serve. As well as turning sideways bring your hands and racquet head up to around chest level with the same grip that you serve with. 2. Keep your eye firmly on the ball and start to adjust position so that the flight of the ball is in line with your body. You also will probably need to start moving back, as you want the ball to come down just in front of you. As you start to move you must stay sideways on, so use side steps and cross over steps to adjust your position. 3. As you start to get into position and the incoming lob is at its' highest point you need to start getting your hands and racquet into position. Try to feel both hands going up together - your non racquet hand should stretch up towards the ball, use your hand as an aid to track the incoming ball. Your racquet hand should bring your racquet back behind you - into the same throwing position that you use half way through your service action.

9 Travellers Worldwide: TENNIS Coaching Manual page 9 of 18: 4. Keep your head still and your eyes firmly focused on the ball. As the ball arrives throw the racquet head up to meet the ball as you would in a serve. Don't try to hit too hard though - timing is the key. The incoming ball will have plenty of pace on so a cleanly struck shot will generate more than enough pace to win you the point. The serve To be successful in the modern game players have to have an effective serve. They have to be able to hit the ball hard but also with amazing accuracy. The more points you can take on your serve with service winners and aces, the harder you will be to beat. 1. It is the one shot in tennis that you are in total control of, so do not waste the opportunity by rushing. Spend time getting your set-up right and getting your mind focused on what you are trying to do and where you are trying to hit the serve. Line your feet up with where you want the ball to go. Have your front foot at an angle but have your back foot running parallel to the baseline. Point racquet forwards to the target and use your spare hand to balance by lightly supporting the throat of the racquet. The grip should be the chopper grip. This can be difficult to begin with, so it is fine to have a slight forehand grip, but move it around as soon as possible. 2. The key from here is balance, timing and rhythm. Raise your hands up together just a short distance then bring them down together. As you do this start to turn your body away from the court so that you are sideways onto it. You also need to be transferring your weight from your front to back foot. Try to feel a smooth, co-ordinated action, all the different parts of your body should be working together not against each other. 3. Once you have made the sideways turn and your hands have reached their lowest point, you need to separate your arms and bring them back up in different directions. Your left arm should be straight to enable you to accurately throw the ball up in the correct spot. The ball should be slightly in front of you and to a height about six inches above your outstretched racquet. Bring your right arm back into a throwing position. This is the most difficult part of the action because at the same time as co-ordinating your arms you need to transfer your weight from your back foot on to your front. 4. As the ball reaches the top of the throw up, accelerate the racquet head at the ball in a throwing action. Look to reach up to the ball as you hit - the higher you make contact the more power you can generate. 5. Follow through across your body, then look to recover quickly ready for your next shot. The slice serve The first spin serve to develop is the slice serve or 'slider'. It happens when the racquet face brushes around the side of the ball. The resulting spin takes the ball out wide

10 Travellers Worldwide: TENNIS Coaching Manual page 10 of 18: which often means the receiver has to run right out of court to return the ball. It is all down to where you put the ball in your throw up. 1. To hit a slice serve the ball needs to be in front of you. If you place it a little more to the right (to the left for left-handers) can also help generate more spin. 2. As you accelerate to hit the ball, slide the racquet face around the outside of the ball. You should hear a different sound as the strings brush across the ball imparting the spin. 3. Try to stay relaxed as you hit the ball. Try to feather the ball and glide the serve rather than bite into it. This will help you get more swing and angle. The power serve All the best servers hit the ball with immense power. The key to serving really fast is to transfer all the power you can create in your body into racquet head speed and then into the ball. The key to transferring power effectively is balance and timing. Work on the children establishing a smooth rhythm then build up the speed gradually. 1. If you want to hit with more power you need to throw the ball further in front of you. This will help get your body weight moving forwards into the court. As your left arm starts to move up drive your left knee forwards, feel the hand and knee move together. This will start to drive your body weight forwards into the court. It also means your legs will be slightly bent too. 2. As the ball reaches the top of the throw up, drive your legs up and forwards to the ball. This will transfer power from the legs into the shot and will also give you more height allowing you to hit the ball even harder. Work on developing your throwing action. As you turn your body away from the court, move your elbow back into a throwing position, making sure that your shoulder is open and feels slightly stretched. 3. As you go to hit the ball your body and elbow start to move first, this leaves your hand and the racquet trailing behind. To maximize power on the serve, hit the ball with only a small amount of spin. 4. To create this flatter, more powerful serve ensure the racquet face squares up to the ball on impact. This is done by turning your hand and forearm out slightly as you accelerate to the contact point. This squares the racquet face up and also creates even more head acceleration. Make sure you have got the right grip throughout the serve as it is fundamental to how this works. 5. Don't waste all that power. Let the momentum carry you onto the court. When the children have mastered the serve and are more confident encourage them to follow up their serves into the net ready to kill off the return with a volley.

11 Travellers Worldwide: TENNIS Coaching Manual page 11 of 18: The top spin serve The top-spin or 'kick' serve is created by the racket face brushing up the back of the ball. It creates a serve that loops higher over the net and then dips down into the court. It can be a very deceptive serve as the ball will swing from right to left in the air (for a right hander) but as it bounces the spin will bite into the court and it will kick high and to the right. This makes it ideal as a second serve as the looped flight path makes it safe yet the kick on the bounce forces the receiver back and usually on their weaker backhand return. 1. To hit the kick serve you have to have the correct chopper grip. If you nudge it a bit further around the grip to a slight backhand grip then you can generate even more spin on the ball. Bring the ball placement back slightly and to the left (right if you are left handed), almost as if you were trying to land the ball on your head. 2. As you go to hit the ball, arch your back more. Hold your sideways turn longer and accelerate the racket head up the back of the ball. Your swing path should be more in line with the baseline rather than forwards into the court. 3. Do not worry where they go to begin with. Look to create the loopy trajectory and develop it from there. Drills for more advanced children Serving drills Serving To Cones 1. Take six tennis ball cans or cones and set them up as targets. Place three targets in each service box. One should be located at the corner of the service line and the middle line on the deuce side. One should be placed in the middle of the box and the other should by place where the sideline meets the service line. The targets should be placed in the same places on the other courts as well. 2. Let the children in turn practice hitting the targets around balls each and get them to count how many targets they hit. At the end see who hit the most and there you can have a winner. Getting the children to serve at these targets will give them something to aim at when they are playing a match. Forehand drills Forehand Crosscourt 1.Each child starts in the center of the court on the baseline. 2.The ball is fed to the other child s forehand, and then the two children rally the ball back and forth crosscourt. If the children are right-handed, they hit from the deuce court. If the players are left-handed, they hit from the add court. Remember, this drill is designed to work specifically of the forehand. The better the children become at hitting crosscourt, the harder they can hit the ball.

12 Travellers Worldwide: TENNIS Coaching Manual page 12 of 18: 3. To vary it a bit when the children become better you can make them play a game in which the first child to reach eleven wins the game. Volleying drills Hit To One Corner-Net 1.One child stands on the deuce side on the baseline. 2. The other child stands in the center of the court on the service line. 3. Either child can feed the ball. 4. The child at the net should only hit to the deuce side. 5. The child on the baseline should move the other child at the net around. The goal is to get the net player a good workout while improving there volley skills. The person on the baseline should hit under control so that the rally is able to be maintained. 6. After five minutes, the child on the baseline should move to the add side and then the drill is repeated. After five more minutes, rotate and let the man who was on the baseline now volley. Drop shot drills 1. Get the children to line up in one line on the base line in the middle of the court 2. One ball at a time feed a shot into the children s side of the court 3. The first child in the line has to get quickly to the ball and make a drop shot back over the net 4. Once the child has made there drop shot they then go to the back of the queue and then the next child goes. Backhand Cross-Courts Backhand shot drills 1. Each child begins in the center of the court on the baseline. 2. The ball is fed to the other child s backhand. 3. The other child then hits the ball cross-court to the opposing player's backhand and then they rally back and forth. If the players are right-handed, they stand in the add court. If the players are lefthanded, they stand in the deuce court. 4. The better the children become at rallying cross-court, the harder they can hit. 5. A way to vary it is for the children to play a game in which the first player to reach eleven wins. The game is played only cross-court. This drill stresses developing the backhand, so use only that stroke. General drills 20-Ball Suicide 1. One child stands in the center of the court on the baseline.

13 Travellers Worldwide: TENNIS Coaching Manual page 13 of 18: 2. The other child has a bucket of balls and stands in the middle of the court anywhere from the baseline to the net. 3. The child with the bucket of balls feeds the balls to the other player. 4. The goal is to make the child on the baseline run as much as possible. Each ball the child successfully runs down and hits in the court is plus one. Each ball he or she misses or cannot retrieve is minus one. 5. Once the child has had 20 balls fed the drill is complete and swoop the feeder and the hitter. Cross-Court And Down The Line 1. Both children begin in the center of the court on the baseline. 2. One child is going to hit cross-court, and the other child is going to hit down the line. 3. The way to make the drill work is for both players to hit at a medium pace and under control. Once both players try to hit too hard there are no rallies. 4. One player feeds the ball cross-court and the other player returns the ball down the line. 5. The player who fed the ball shuffles his feet and returns the ball cross-court. If the drill is done properly, both players will be very tired after this drill is complete because both players are doing a lot of running side to side. After a few minutes, the player who was hitting cross-court should go down the line, and the player who was hitting down the line should go cross-court. Down The Lines 1. Each player begins in the center of the court on the baseline. 2. One player feeds the ball down the line to the other player. That player then returns the ball down the line and the two players rally back and forth. 3. One person should be hitting forehands and the other person should be hitting backhands. If one player is right-handed and the other is left-handed, then the both players should be hitting only forehands. 4. They can also play a game where the first person to eleven wins. 5. Once the players complete this drill, they can switch sides. The player who hit backhands before should now be hitting forehands, and the player who hit forehands before should now be hitting backhands. If one player is right-handed and the other player is left-handed, both players should now be hitting backhands. Hit To One Corner-Baseline 1. One player stands in the middle of the court on the baseline. 2. The other player stands in the deuce court on the baseline. 3. The player standing in the deuce court is able to hit anywhere on the court and the player in the center of the court should only hit to the corner in which the other player is standing. The goal is to have one player move side to side while still keeping the ball in play. 4. After five minutes the player in the deuce court moves to the add court and the drill is repeated. After five more minutes, have the players switch sides so the other person will get to work on his accuracy and stamina.

14 Travellers Worldwide: TENNIS Coaching Manual page 14 of 18: Two On One With One Person On The Baseline 1. Two players stand at the net and the other player stands in the center of the court on the baseline. 2. The two players feed the ball the one player and the two sides rally back and forth. 3. The goal of the drill is to move the player who is alone from side to side while still keeping the ball in play. The players at the net get to work on the consistency of their volleys. The lone baseline player gets a good fitness work-out, while also working on hitting the ball on the run, cross-court and down the line. 4. After 5-10 minutes, the players rotate clockwise and a new player is by himself. 5. After 5-10 minutes, rotate again so the other player is able to be by himself. 6. The two players at the net should attempt to keep the baseline player moving while also keeping the ball within reach. Do not smash winners from the net. Drills for beginners and children aged 5 10 High-Five Volleys 1. Have children stand very near the net. Show them how to touch their racquets to your hand in a high five, then how to use the same motion to "high five" the ball. 2. When they have got use to that then you should introduce the balls. You should stand close and toss balls so the children can tap them over the net. Count the repetitions aloud and rotate children quickly. Racquet balance drills Get the children to balance a ball on the racquet strings while holding the racquet with: Two hands One hand Palm up Palm down While: Standing on one foot Squatting Rolling the ball around on the racquet, changing directions Walking to you Bump-up tennis With the ball get the children to control it with their racquets to do the following skills: Bump-ups with a bounce, drop the ball and bump it up after the bounce, then let it bounce again and bump it up Bump-ups - bump the ball and keep it from hitting the ground Downs - use the racquet to dribble the ball

15 Travellers Worldwide: TENNIS Coaching Manual page 15 of 18: 3 strikes volley/ground shots 1. Position the children at the net for groundstrokes or volleys. 2. Throw the children the ball and count how many the child can get over the net before missing three. 3. Call "hit" for those children who need help with timing. If the child gets five, move him or her back one step from the net. 4. Do forehand and backhand groundstrokes and volleys separately. Fitness Run the lines The children line up at the baseline and doubles sideline. Depending on the age and ability of the group you can make them do it a number of times or set them a time to finish to really work on there fitness. The pattern is as follows: forward along the doubles sideline to the net, sidestep across to the singles sideline, backward along the singles sideline to the service line, sidestep across the service line almost to the T, up the center service line to the net, sidestep to just across the center service line, backward along the center service line to the service line, sidestep to the singles sideline, up to the net, sidestep to the doubles sideline, backward along the doubles sideline, and sidestep across to the center hash mark Ball pickup relay Place three racquets with equal distance between the relay team and the net one racquet on the baseline, one on the service line and one at the net, if you do not have enough racquets then simply place the balls. Place two balls for each child on the racquet at the baseline. Runners take a ball from the racquet at the baseline and run to place it on the first racquet. They return to the baseline to pick up another ball, bring it to the racquet at the net and return to tag the next person in line. The relay can be run in reverse to return all the balls to the baseline. To make it more longer add another racquet for each line and one ball for each person in line. Tom and Jerry 1. Divide the children into 2 teams 2. One team starts at one side of the net the other at the other side of the net 3. On the word go the first 2 children from each team have to run around the court until they get back to there starting point of the net, the idea is to catch the other team member

16 Travellers Worldwide: TENNIS Coaching Manual page 16 of 18: 4. When the first child gets back he hands over to the next child who runs around the court and so on until all the children have had a go 5. Depending on numbers you can make the children run around twice or 3 times to work on there fitness Fun Games Balance relay 1. Divide the class into teams. 2. Each team should have only one racquet, and one ball. 3. The first person in each line starts the relay with the racquet, balancing the ball on the strings while running to the net. 4. When the player reaches the net they turn around and come back passing the racquet with the ball to the next person and the relay continues until everyone has had a turn. Red light/green light 1. All children begin at the baseline or fence and you stand at the net. 2. When you call "green light," the children move as quickly as possible to the net. 3. When you call "red light," the children must freeze. 4. The children must perform a racquet skill while moving forward, such as balancing a ball on their racquets or doing ups or downs (they must catch the ball to freeze). Timed rally 1. Get the children into pairs and place each pair on half small net. 2. Set a stopwatch for 30 seconds or a minute as the pairs begin to rally. 3. When a pair misses, hits the net or the ball does not go in, they must freeze until time is up. 4. The last teams still rallying when the time expires win. As the children improve, the time can be increased. Lesson Plans Whilst on your placement having a good lesson plan will help with how well your lesson goes. Below is an example of a lesson plan that you could adapt to your tennis lessons whilst on your tennis placement. Lesson plan for 6 10 year olds Time: 60 minutes 1. Introduction and plan of the session (3 min.) 2. Warm-up Follow the leader (4 min.) The leader moves along the lines of the court, being sure to tell the children the names of the lines. As the children follow, the leader changes forms of locomotion at each line, instructing them to: Walk fast Jog High step or march Side shuffle Hop on one foot, alternating Slow stretches (3 min.) Have the children count aloud as they do the following stretches: Neck rolls -- roll the neck six times left and then six times right

17 Travellers Worldwide: TENNIS Coaching Manual page 17 of 18: Arm swings -- do six rotations forward and six rotations backward with each arm Ready, set, stretch -- in starter's block position, extend the right leg, then the left, and hold each for six counts Wrist rolls -- do six rotations forward and six backward; first the right wrist, then the left 3. Motor skills Red light/green light (5 min.) Bump-up tennis -- solo (5 min.) 4. Racquet skills Shot of the day -- forehand drive (15 min.) Demonstrate the forehand drive with limited specifics, such as sideways stance with racquet back. Show how the next progression will be done so children can imitate you 5. Playing skills ( 15 mins ) Let the children rally between each other with 4 or 6 players on a court. 6. Conclusion and cool down (3 min.) Let the children go for a slow jog around the court and do some stretches. Recap on the session you had reminding them of the key teaching points. Tips to become a successful coach Be patient For many of the children this will be the first opportunity to play tennis. Language barriers and there ability may be frustrating but it is important to be patient when coaching. Repeat the exercises If the children do not understand the exercise or correct stroke then repeat it until they do understand. Skipping it because they do not understand or can not do it will not help them when they are trying to learn how to play tennis. Demonstrate the exercise yourself Almost all of the children will of not seen the proper way to play a shot before in there life, explaining a technique will often be very hard for them to understand. The best way to explain a technique is to demonstrate it yourself. When you are coaching you should be prepared to demonstrate how to do a particular shot if the children can not master it. Speak Clearly When you are coaching it is important that you speak clearly and in a loud voice if coaching to a large group. Also ask the children if they understand and don t be afraid to repeat yourself if they do not understand which they often don t because of your accent. Concentration Children s concentration spans are known to be less than adults. Having the full concentration of the children will increase the value of all exercises considerably. Be realistic, let the children have some fun time as well as serious coaching, especially those of a younger age whose attention span will be less than the older children. Children practicing there shots will also increase there confidence for playing. References

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