Time:
60 minutes
Equipment:
Racquets, foam or low pressure balls, spots, teaching cables and small nets
1. Welcome/roll call (3 min.)
2. Warm-up
Run the lines (5-10 min.)
Pupils line up at the baseline and doubles sideline. 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.
Walk or jog the lines once and then run the pattern.
Slow stretches: (3 min.)
Have the students count aloud during the following stretches:
- Neck rolls -- roll your head six times to the left and six times to the right
- Swing both arms -- do six rotations to the left and six rotations to the right
- Roll dominant wrist -- do six rotations to the left and six rotations to the right
- Ready, set, stretch -- in starter's block position, extend the right leg, then the left leg and hold each for six counts
3. Motor skills
Crossover step and catch (5 min.)
This drill emphasizes footwork to teach children a crossover step and knee bend. The child faces a parent-coach, who tosses or rolls a ball to the child’s backhand side. The child must turn and use a crossover step to catch the ball with his or her dominant hand. The child tosses the ball back to the coach, who tosses it to the child’s forehand side. Again the child should turn and step across to catch the ball in the dominant hand.
- As a progression, first toss high, slow balls and progress to faster, lower tosses.
4. Racquet skills
Shot of the day -- volley review (5 min.)
1. Demonstrate and have the class shadow groundstrokes with tracking footwork. Move from one stroke directly into the other, such as -- shuffle, shuffle, turn/step/hit forehand -- shuffle, shuffle, turn/step/hit backhand.
2. Demonstrate and have the class shadow volleys. The same footwork patterns used with groundstrokes can be used for the volley, such as "shuffle, shuffle, turn/step/punch."
Volley footwork progression on dangling balls (10 min.)
Hang up to five dangling balls on each teaching cable and place spots to indicate hitting zones behind each ball. Do drills first with the forehand volley and then the backhand volley. In all drills, stress contact point in front of the children as they:
1. Hit a stationary ball. Have pupils do this with quick shot rotation from forehand to backhand to forehand as the coach steadies the ball between hits
2. Hit a ball swung gently by a parent, who catches the ball between hits. The child rotates quickly from forehand to backhand as smoothly as the parent and child can perform the task
3. Gently hit balls using lots of rapid footwork and attempting to make consecutive volleys alternating between forehands and backhands
- Good drills for this are "10 Club," "20 Club," "30 Club" and "World Record."
Pig (5 min.)
Children line up and take turns coming to a spot on the court to hit. An assistant coach tosses a ball to each child, who attempts to hit a volley or groundstroke to a target. Each time a child misses, he or she is given a letter. For example, after the first miss, the child is given a P. After the second miss, the child earns an I. On the third miss, the child gets a G and is out of the game (PIG). The last remaining player is the winner.
5. Playing skills
Small-net tennis (15 min.)
A good ratio for this game is one assistant or parent-coach who can control the ball well to four or six students. The coach stands across the small net from two players who share the court as a doubles team. The coach should alternate feeds to the players, who stand near the net for volleys. Remind the children to keep on their toes between balls. Feed balls so the children must move in either direction. After a specified number of balls played or minutes, the doubles team can be replaced with a waiting team.
- Excellent games for rotation are "5 and You’re Out," "10 Club," "20 Club" and "World Record."
- Spots can help children understand their positions on the court.
- A parent-coach can help keep waiting children occupied at a safe distance.
While playing Small-net tennis, rotate some players to courts to play King/queen of the court.
King/queen of the court
Place up to six small nets on a full-size court. Place one child on each side of the net to play singles points. A parent-coach supervises each court. Play can begin with students drop-hitting or the coach tossing in the ball to players alternately. The two can play 1 point or for 2 out of 3 points, depending on how many children are waiting. Points should be played cooperatively and as consistently as possible. The winner stays on the court and his opponent is replaced by another pupil who was waiting at a safe distance.
6. Review/homework (3 min.)
Practice suggestions
Parents should participate with children on homework assignments, and everyone should warm up with standard exercises.
- Bump-ups with a bounce with or without a partner
- Wall tennis -- stress getting ball back with control, consistency and some footwork
- No-net tennis -- practice volleys and groundstrokes with tracking footwork
