Time:
60 minutes
Equipment:
Foam, low pressure or large rubber balls, racquets, beanbags, spots, teaching cable and small net
1. Welcome/roll call (3 min.)
2. Warm-up
Walk the lines (5 min.)
This is a great way to teach the lines of the court and different types of footwork. Have the children follow the leader along the lines of the court, changing forms of locomotion each time they reach a new line. They can walk, jog, march, hop, sidestep, etc.
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
- Ready, set, stretch -- in starter’s block position, first extend the right leg and then the left leg
- Windmill toe touches
3. Motor skills
Hopscotch and roll (5 min.)
Set up a hopscotch pattern for the children to follow using spots or chalk. The instructor should stand several feet in front of the hopscotch pattern facing the children. When the children complete the pattern, they should land on both feet. Then the instructor can roll or bounce a ball to either side of the child, who moves to trap or catch it and then rolls, tosses or throws it back to the coach or at a target across the net.
Throw three in a row (5 min.)
Place three balls along the service line or closer to the net, one at each of the sidelines and one at the T. Have the children start at the ad court doubles sideline, move to pick up the first ball and throw it over the net, run or sidestep to the middle ball and throw it over, and then to the third ball. A parent-coach can quickly replace the balls so the next child does not have to wait.
- Left-handers should go before or after the right-handers and start from the deuce side.
- Place targets across the net or add more balls to keep it challenging.
Caterpillar (5 min.)
Arrange a line in coach-child order, all facing the same direction, shoulder to shoulder. All racquets are held in front. Pass a beanbag or ball to the next person’s racquet and quickly go to the front of the line. Try to go from point to point, such as doubles sideline to doubles sideline. Teams must start over if the ball is dropped. This is a good relay race.
4. Racquet skills
Cable relay (10 min.)
Set up a teaching cable with one dangling ball. Divide the children into two lines, one on each end of the cable. Place spots where children should hit the first groundstroke. Let them hit forehands moving the ball along the cable. A parent-coach can steady the ball between hits. When the child reaches the end of the cable, another child can hit the ball back in the other direction. If you have more than one cable, make it a relay race. Do another set hitting backhands.
Small-net tennis (10 min.)
Place children in doubles-team formation across the small net from targets and the instructor feeding large, soft balls. Children may have more success with balls tossed rather than hit to them. Parents and coaches can help the children count their successful shots over the nets and at the targets, and rotate players into hitting positions. Balls can be fed as forehands or backhands, groundstrokes or volleys, giving the children at least one trial for each stroke.
5. Final game/wrap-up/homework (5-10 min.)
Simon says
Play this game using objects such as tennis racquets, balls, beanbags, etc. Children should only obey the commands preceded by the phrase, "Simon says." Commands may be as simple as, "Jump on both feet," "Run to the baseline," "Hold the beach ball and turn in a circle," or "Shadow a forehand volley." Also, test the parts of the court during the game.
Practice suggestions:
- Drop, hit and retrieve
- Bump-ups and bounce-downs -- keep the ball in the air and dribble it with your racquet or hand
