DEVELOPING TENNIS PLAYERS Ages 4-11

PLAYER AGE 4-6 YEARS 6-8 YEARS 7-10 YEARS 9-11 YEARS

• RED court (36’x18’) or smaller • RED court (36’ x 18’) • ORANGE court (60’ x 21’) (60’x27’ doubles) • GREEN court (78’ x 27’) (78’ x 27’ doubles) • Tape as net • 2’9” net or tape as net • 3’ net • 3’ net Court and ball • Red foam and red felt ball • Red ball • Orange ball • Green ball • Larger ball can be used as a teaching aid

Player-centered Fun, active, relaxed, inclusive, positive with frequent Fun, active, relaxed, inclusive, positive and Enjoyable, active, inclusive, positive with progressive Enjoyable, active, inclusive, positive learning and environment changes of activity encouraging with emphasis on learning new skills development of existing and new skill base reinforcing of new and existing skills

Coach/ player ratio 1:4 1:6 1:4 1:4-6

Goals to fit stage of To develop basic skills of movement, catching, To develop athletic skills, technical and game skills for To develop tennis-appropriate athletic, technical, To combine tennis-appropriate technical, tactical, development throwing and hitting the tennis environment game and competitive skills physical and psychological skills for competition

PLAYER DEVELOPMENT

Agility, dynamic balance, bilateral coordination, Agility, dynamic balance, complex coordination, linear Athletic Running, jumping, hopping, twisting, turning, stopping, Agility, dynamic balance, complex coordination, multi- skipping, hopping, throwing/tossing and catching speed, speed of coordination, strength, flexibility, starting, static balance, catching with two hands directional speed, strength, core strength flexibility. development away from body with either hand, flexibility, strength. footwork.

• Handling the racquet • Tracking the ball with increased anticipation of • Developing understanding of pace and spin on ball bounce position flight • Forehand and backhand (racquet speed and change • Handling racquet • Increasing understanding of height, depth and width • Forehand and backhand (stance grip, shape of shot, of spin, hit ball at top of bounce or falling) • Increasing understanding of ball flight (height, depth of ball flight types of spin) Technical • Serve (stance, speed, spin on second serve, and width) • Basic forehand and backhand (GPS: Grip, • Serve (grip, stance, arm action, placement to move opponent, hit ball to rise off court) development • Hitting on forehand and backhand side Preparation, Swing Path) rhythm, contact, rotation, types of spin) • Service return: hit rising or falling ball • Underhand or overhand serve • Overhand serve (grip, stance, arm action, • Service return: with change of direction • Approach shot to hit high or low volley rhythm, contact) • Approach shot to volley • Service return • Overhead • Basic volley

• Forwards, sideways and diagonally forward Multi-directional movement including diagonally Developing balance in different movement patterns Movement, loading and recovery in all directions Movement • Basic recovery movement backwards with loading and recovery

Competitiveness, focus, simple goal-setting, self- Concentration, willingness to learn, learning to make Love of the sport, teachability, concentration, problem Psychological motivation, confidence, learning to make decisions, Trying new challenges, effort, following instructions choices, respectful, understanding rules, coping with solving, becoming confident, making choices, learning developing self-reliance, understanding winning and development winning and losing, learning to solve problems fairness, taking responsibility losing

• Consistency and accuracy of depth with variety of pace and spin • Consistency of depth with change of pace • Improved anticipation skills of opponent to increase • Ability to change pace and spin • Consistency of depth shot options • Groundstrokes consistent to different zones of court • Serve with accuracy to move opponent Tactical • Accuracy to move opponent • Developing understanding of outcome of opponent’s • Serve consistent into service court • Able to change direction of ball • Positioning to take ball on fall or on rise. actions on ball development • Basic positioning • Positioning and recovery • Developing groundstroke strength • Developing strengths: use pace and direction to • Developing strengths move opponent • Introduce transitioning to net • Recognition of opponent’s weakness on short ball • Developing ability to control the point

• Reactive to opponents shots with improved • Singles: increasingly proactive with decision- • Reactive • Reactive to opponent’s shots shot selection making • Learning to rally, serve and return serve • Able to rally, serve and return serve Game development • Singles: able to hold the baseline • Doubles: changing positions, role of the net player, • Able to score with help • Able to score by self • Doubles: communication, basic positions, use of angles both players to the net

• Learning to share • Learning to compete against other players • Respecting partners and opponents, coaches and Social / behavioral • Learning to say thank you • Learning to cooperate with and help other children • Learning about tennis officials. Can acknowledge others’ success. Happy • Like to be with friends • Learning to consider other people • Helping other players in the group and sharing to work with their own gender development • Are center of their world • Learning through familiar activities • Happy to be with their own gender. Able to help and • Can accept adult opinions as important • Need variety of short, new and familiar activities listen to the coach • Can verbalize opinions /thoughts and can explain well

PRACTICE

• Small groups • Small groups Small groups Small groups Practice format • Perhaps individual • Perhaps individual

• 75 minutes group 30 minutes 45 to 60 minutes 60 minutes Length of sessions • 30-60 minutes individual

Frequency of Up to two sessions with optional additional • Group: Up to three times per week • Group: Up to three times per week Up to two times per week sessions competition day • Individual: Once per week • Individual: Once per week

Individual sports and activities that develops agility, Individual and team sports and activities that develops Other sports and Individual and team sports and activities, with Individual and team sports and activities, with balance, coordination, running and sending and agility, balance, coordination, running and sending and emphasis on enjoyment and skill learning emphasis on enjoyment and skill learning activities receiving skills receiving skills

COMPETITION

Frequency of • Maximum 40 competition days per year • Maximum of 60 competition days per year Structured, but flexible program Structured, but flexible program competition • Unlimited practice matches • Unlimited practice matches

• Play Days • Team Tennis • Team Tennis • Parent and child sessions • Team Tennis • Local/state competition • Individual state/sectional competition Type of Competition • Cooperative games • Local competition • Short sets, timed matches and round robins • 2 out of 3 “short” sets/round robins and compass draws