Time:
60 minutes
Equipment:
Low-pressure, foam or large rubber balls, racquets, beanbags, spots, teaching cable, targets and small nets
1. Welcome/roll call (3 min.)
2. Warm-up
Walk the lines (5 min.)
Pupils line up at the baseline and doubles sideline and follow a coach along the lines of the court, learning the names as they go. The pattern is as follows:
- forward along doubles sideline to the net
- sidestep across to singles sideline
- backward along singles sideline to service line
- sidestep across service line almost to T
- up center service line to net
- sidestep to just across center service line
- backward along center service line to service line
- sidestep to singles sideline
- up to net
- sidestep to doubles sideline
- backward along doubles sideline and sidestep across to the center hash mark
Slow stretches (2 min.)
Do the following stretches six times each, counting aloud to keep the class in sync:
- Roll neck left and then right
- Circle arms forward and backward
- Raise hands to sky and bend down to touch toes
- Windmill toe touches
3. Motor skills
Parts of the court test (5 min.)
To test the children’s memory of court parts, line them up along the fence. Direct the children to walk, jog or run to the part of the court you call out, including the baseline, service line, T, singles and doubles sidelines, net, net strap, net post and fences.
Ball pickup relay (5-10 min.)
Place three racquets equidistant between the relay teams and the net: one racquet at the baseline, one at the service line and one at the net. For safety, lay racquets with the handles pointing toward the net. Place two balls for each child and parent on the racquet at the baseline. Each child, or child and parent-coach alternately, takes a ball from the baseline, runs and places it on a racquet at the service line, returns to the baseline for another ball and runs to place it on the racquet at the net. Upon returning to the baseline, the individual tags another player and the process is repeated until everyone has a turn. Run the relay again to return the balls to the baseline.
Balance drill (5 min.)
Have the children balance a beanbag on their racquet strings and walk forward, backward, right and left at the coach’s signal. Then have them follow a leader around the court.
4. Racquet skills
Backhand demonstration (5 min.)
1. Demonstrate and have the children shadow the forehand drive as previously practiced.
2. Demonstrate and have the children shadow the backhand drive, beginning with the body turned sideways and the racquet back, ready to swing.
Backhand progression on teaching cable (10 min.)
Hang up to five dangling balls on each teaching cable. Place spots to correctly position children. Stress the contact point in front as children:
1. Hit a stationary ball; parent-coaches steady the ball after each hit
2. Hit a ball gently swung by a parent-coach, who catches the ball between hits as the child prepares to hit again
3. Gently hit consecutive balls with a controlled, compact stroke
- Count successful hits to keep the children motivated.
- Good drills for this are "3 Club," "5 Club," "10 Club" and "World Record.
Small-net tennis (10 min.)
Place children in doubles-team formation on one side of the net to practice forehands and backhands. A coach positioned across the net with targets feeds (tosses) balls, letting children know if it is coming to their forehand or backhand. Have parents count for their children as they are successful hitting balls over the net and at the targets, and rotate children into hitting positions.
- Count "3 Club," "5 Club," "10 Club" and "World Record."
5.Wrap-up/homework (2 min.)
Practice suggestions:
Balloon bump-ups
Drop and hit forehands
Practice forehands and backhands with parent
