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Tóm tắt nội dung (trích từ tài liệu gốc): QUICKSTART TENNIS A Guide for Parents and Recreational Coaches White Plains, NY Flushing, NY Boca Raton, FL Written by: Kirk Anderson and Anne Davis with Sharon Cleland and Jason Jamison. Chapter 3 and Gary's Tips by Gary Avischious; Chapter 9 by Marikate Murren. Edited by: E.J. Crawford Illustrated by: Roberto Sabas 70 West Red Oak Lane White Plains, NY 10604 www.usta.com � 2009 by the United States Tennis Association Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher. Published for the USTA by H. . ZIMMAN, Inc. Printed
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QUICKSTART TENNIS
A Guide for Parents and
Recreational Coaches
White Plains, NY Flushing, NY Boca Raton, FL
Written by: Kirk Anderson and Anne Davis with Sharon Cleland and Jason Jamison. Chapter 3 and
Gary's Tips by Gary Avischious; Chapter 9 by Marikate Murren.
Edited by: E.J. Crawford
Illustrated by: Roberto Sabas
70 West Red Oak Lane
White Plains, NY 10604
www.usta.com
� 2009 by the United States Tennis Association Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book
may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher.
Published for the USTA by H. . ZIMMAN, Inc.
Printed in the United States of America.
Contents
Preface ..............................................................................................................v
Chapter 1: QuickStart Tennis: An Introduction ......................................1
Chapter 2: Equipment and Rules for the Developing Player ...............7
Chapter 3: Keys to Coaching Young Players .........................................11
Chapter 4: Driveway, Playground and Wall Tennis..............................21
Chapter 5: Practice Sessions (Ages 5-6) .................................................25
Practice Session 1 Controlling the Ball and Racquet...................................27
Practice Session 2 Sending and Receiving .................................................29
Practice Session 3 Sending and Receiving with Direction ............................31
Practice Session 4 Sending and Receiving with the Racquet .......................34
Practice Session 5 Sending and Receiving with Racquet on the Backhand ..37
Practice Session 6 Rally Skills ..................................................................40
Practice Session 7 Rally Skills with a Partner............................................42
Practice Session 8 Play Day--Tennis Olympics...........................................44
Chapter 6: Practice Sessions (Ages 7-8) .................................................45
Practice Session 1 Racquet Control............................................................47
Practice Session 2 Instant Rally Progression--Forehand ............................50
Practice Session 3 Instant Rally Progression--Backhand ...........................54
Practice Session 4 Forehand and Backhand Rallying .................................57
Practice Session 5 Serve and Return..........................................................61
Practice Session 6 Rally Skills ..................................................................63
Practice Session 7 Volley...........................................................................65
Practice Session 8 Play Day ......................................................................68
iii
Chapter 7: Practice Sessions (Ages 9-10) ...............................................69
Practice Session 1 Instant Rally ................................................................72
Practice Session 2 Rally Skills ..................................................................75
Practice Session 3 Serve and Return..........................................................79
Practice Session 4 The Volley ....................................................................83
Practice Session 5 Approaching the Net ....................................................86
Practice Session 6 Singles.........................................................................89
Practice Session 7 Doubles ........................................................................93
Practice Session 8 Play Day ......................................................................95
Chapter 8: Introducing Your Kids to Tennis the QuickStart Way:
After-School Programs and Camps ......................................97
Chapter 9: USTA Jr. Team Tennis and Its Benefits ............................105
APPENDIX ...................................................................................................111
iv
Preface
What makes tennis fun is being able to rally a ball back and forth over a net with a
partner. The sooner youngsters can rally, the sooner they can actually play the game
and participate on a team. This book is designed to give coaches and parents who work
with youngsters at the beginning stages of development the necessary tools to get
children playing the game during their first practice--tools such as simple lead-up
activities and ways to modify the court, net, racquets and balls.
This first edition of QuickStart Tennis: A Guide for Parents and Recreational
Coaches includes practice plans that are age specific for children 5-6, 7-8 and 9-10.
Each series of practice plans is designed appropriately for the physical, mental and
social skills for that age group. As a coach, you can refer specifically to the series of
practice plans written for the age group you are coaching.
The primary goal of this edition is to introduce children to the game through the
innovative QuickStart Tennis format. QuickStart Tennis includes six specifications,
including age, court size, racquet length, ball weight and speed, net height and
scoring format. This enables youngsters to practice and play real tennis to scale and
allows them to play and learn at the same time--as opposed to the traditional model of
learning the skills before playing the game. Since rallying and playing is much more
fun than standing in line, children will want to continue to learn the game and develop
the skills necessary to play with their friends on a team.
In addition to introducing the skills needed by children to play the game success-
fully, this edition has instruction for the coach to make practice sessions safe and fun
for young players. Just as the instruction for kids is age specific, the section and tips
for adults is specific to youth coaches and provides examples on how to be fair, keep
practices fun, put competition in a child's perspective, and even performance and skill
development. This information for youth tennis coaches is new and vitally important
as more children are beginning tennis at younger ages and more adults are coaching
young players and teams.
Each practice session is designed as a team practice that will prepare players for
competition and match play, including USTA Jr. Team Tennis. Coaches can use the first
few practices as preseason sessions and continue through the series as the team tennis
season continues, so the child has an opportunity to practice in a group and play team
matches.
Enjoy this series of practice plans, and have fun getting kids playing this great
game of tennis!
Kirk Anderson, Director, Recreational Coaches and Programs, USTA
Gary Avischious, President, The Coaching Minute
Sharon Cleland, Tennis Director, Midland Community Tennis Center, Midland, Mich.
Anne Davis, National Manager, QuickStart Tennis, USTA
Jason Jamison, National Manager, School Tennis, USTA
Marikate Murren, National Manager, Jr. Team Tennis, USTA
QUICKSTART TENNIS: A GUIDE FOR PARENTS AND RECREATIONAL COACHES v
QuickStart Tennis
Chapter 1: QuickStart Tennis:
An Introduction
Introduction
Many sports have recognized the importance of giving children the opportunity
to learn and play. For young people to be attracted to and succeed in a sport, the
equipment, playing area and competitive structures need to be appropriate.
In the pages that follow, we will provide tools in the form of resources, instruc-
tion and opportunities that you as coaches and parents need to get our youngsters
onto the tennis court and rallying and playing as quickly as possible.
An important component of this is the practice session plans (available in
Chapters 4-7). These plans are written for coaches who are teaching children who
are either new to the game of tennis or at the early stages of development. The activ-
ities are specific to the ages listed in each chapter. Each chapter and each age group
is written in a progressive order so coaches can build a foundation and follow the
progression as skills are developed.
For any coach, it is not uncommon to get a variety of ages in a beginning class or
on a beginning team. You can use this book to find activities that will challenge and
allow kids to succeed by moving forward or even back among the age group sessions.
This book contains a large number of activities. The key is to change the activi-
ties frequently, but don't hesitate to use activities or games the children enjoy from
one practice to another. Just as young children enjoy the same story or movie, they
like the familiarity of their favorite games.
The Needs, Abilities and Characteristics of Young Players
Children are not adults. They will eventually become adults, but only after a
lengthy developmental process. That development takes place throughout childhood
and adolescence. Children, especially those pre-puberty, have specific physical,
mental and emotional needs and abilities that differ greatly from those of an adult.
These specific needs and abilities are highly related to the progress a child can
make in any sport because sport requires technical and tactical competence. The
ability to perform a technical skill is highly dependent on physical development.
Competitive competence depends on tactical knowledge, which relies on a certain
level of mental and emotional skill. Children also learn in different ways from adults,
so teaching approaches must fit a child's needs.
CHAPTER 1: QUICKSTART TENNIS: AN INTRODUCTION 1
Moreover, there are differences in the rate of growth and development among
children of the same age and between boys and girls. Chronological age can be very
different from developmental age, and two children of the same age can be up to
three years apart in developmental terms.
Youth tennis coaches need to recognize the differences between children and
adults as well as among children themselves. Such recognition means adapting to
the way in which children learn to play, and requires an understanding of what is
best for them to enjoy the experience and make progress. In addition, sport has a
responsibility to consider the development of the child as a whole person and not just
as an athlete.
The following section describes the needs and abilities of each age group and
then describes the equipment, scoring and competition, and teaching needed for each
age group to have fun, progress and succeed.
Ages 5 to 6
Characteristics of the Age Group
Children in this age group are small in stature and lack strength. They are
highly active. They are learning how to move and have great difficulty with "fine"
motor skills. Partly because they are young but also because they lack experience,
their reactions and anticipation skills are very low.
Some children of this age have not yet attended school and are only beginning
the process of learning to read, write and count. They tend to be self-centered. They
lack a sense of time and are impatient, become easily bored and have a very short
attention span. They get tired quickly. They imitate and copy. Listening to and
following instructions is very difficult for them. Concepts such as scoring and
winning and losing are not understood yet.
Children of this age can run, jump and land, crawl, twist, hit and kick. They are
developing agility, coordination and balance. They throw with limited rotation and
catch with both hands. They are learning to handle equipment and have slow
reactions and poor tracking skills.
They develop confidence through fun and success, and they are very creative.
They enjoy exploring and copying. They are learning to share, to be part of a group
and think about other people.
Equipment
These children should use 17- to 21-inch racquets, foam balls/Koosh balls/balloons
and small playing areas such as a single service court. (Equipment is covered
further in Chapter 2, on the QuickStart Tennis format.)
Practice Sessions
Children need to be taught in small groups of no more than one teacher/helper to
four students (1:4). A ratio of 1:1 or 1:2, using parents or a sibling for added
oversight, is ideal. Sessions should be fun, active and interesting. Coaches and
helpers must be actively involved.
2 QUICKSTART TENNIS: A GUIDE FOR PARENTS AND RECREATIONAL COACHES
Many different activities should be covered in the same session, perhaps in a
circuit of four or five different stations. Don't hesitate to repeat activities from one
session to another. Children like to repeat activities they enjoy.
Teaching should be in very short time spans and highly visual with almost no--or
very brief--explanation. The children learn by copying what they see, meaning that
demonstration is more important than explanation. Children of this age group enjoy
teaching aids and love to explore and to play with various colors and shapes.
Activities such as grips, swing action and rallying over a net can be too advanced
for most children in this age group. The focus should be on a wide variety of skills
such as balance, movement, agility, coordination, throwing, catching and hitting
because this is the crucial age for the child to learn them.
Ask parents to help with "homework tasks" or "take-home activities" that continue
the activities/lessons covered in the practice sessions. Parents then develop a better
understanding of what their children are capable of doing and what they need to
develop.
Length of Practice
A 30-minute time period is optimal for children of this age.
Ages 7 to 8
Characteristics of the Age Group
Fun continues to be of paramount importance for 7- to 8-year-olds. As children
mature physically, neural pathways are becoming established and many gross motor
skills are being developed; for example, throwing has more body turn and weight
transfer. Children of this age group are likely to participate in many activities. This
is important because skills can be transferred between different sports and activities.
Reaction speed is improving but many children find tracking and making contact
with a ball quite difficult.
Concentration and focus are improving, but copying is still the best way for them
to learn, so demonstration is still the key. They seek adult approval frequently and
are learning the concept of winning and losing.
Children of this age group are beginning to cooperate and share with others.
They prefer to be with their own gender and show responsibility through simple
tasks and requests.
Equipment
Children should use 19- to 23-inch racquets, foam or oversized low compression
balls, a net height of 2-foot-9 and a court size of 36 feet in length and 18 feet in width.
Scoring and Competition
This age group should play two-out-of-three games, with each game being the
first player to win seven points. (These matches should last approximately 20
minutes.) Multiple matches in round robin formats works best. Children of this age
like being on and playing as a team.
CHAPTER 1: QUICKSTART TENNIS: AN INTRODUCTION 3
Practice Sessions
Coaching children with a ratio of one coach/helper to four children (1:4) is ideal.
Parents and siblings can show the children what to do and how to do it. Keeping
children with their friends is important. Children 7-8 do best in a very active, fun
and positive environment.
This is the time to introduce children to simple guidelines such as scoring and
calling lines so they begin the process of learning the basic rules of tennis.
Length of Practice
The optimal length for each session is 45 minutes with a short break after 20
minutes.
Ages 9 to 10
Characteristics of the Age Group
This age group is becoming better able to concentrate and focus for longer
periods of time. However, they need to be interested and inspired by enthusiastic and
energetic coaches who are positive and encouraging.
Physically, they have more refined motor skills and, with practice, show fluent
and well-developed skills. The children of this age group are becoming more
independent and are able to understand concepts of winning and losing, even if they
need help in knowing how to cope with them. They are able to share and enjoy being
on teams. Some may be early maturers, especially girls. Players can be taught skills
and positioning at this age and can be taught doubles positioning and tactics.
Players ages 9-10 have improved reaction and anticipation skills and more
rotation while serving and when hitting ground strokes. Their decision-making
skills are developing along with their independence and confidence. They need to be
rewarded for effort and not just ability. They play well with others and prefer to be
with their own gender. They seek and accept adult opinions. They are able to
verbalize their thoughts and feelings.
Equipment
This age group should use 23- to 25-inch racquets, low compressions balls and a
court that is 60 feet long and 21 feet wide (27 feet wide for doubles). The net should
be 3 feet at the center and 3-foot-6 at the net posts.
Scoring and Competition
For match play, scoring is two-out-of-three, four-game sets with the final set
determined by the first player or team to score seven points. Doubles play should be
encouraged.
Practice Sessions
Have team practices in fun and positive environments, and reward effort and
good attitude. Develop skills, good court positioning and shot selection. Keep
practices active and simple.
4 QUICKSTART TENNIS: A GUIDE FOR PARENTS AND RECREATIONAL COACHES
Length of Practice
The recommended time for each practice is one hour, or 90 minutes for practice
and a match.
In the case that you follow a practice with a match, divide the session so that no
more than 45 minutes is devoted to practice. Take a short break and finish with
match play for approximately 45 minutes.
Teaching Tools and Equipment for Instructing the Developing Player
Each practice plan has a list of the equipment recommended for that session.
Using the appropriate equipment allows young players to rally and play more effec-
tively, especially as the ability to rally and play relates to the weight, length, speed
and size of the equipment used.
It is highly recommended that all children have their own racquet, not only for
the practice sessions but also for the take-home activities. These racquets should be
the appropriate length based on the size of the player. The best way to measure for
racquet length is to have a child stand up straight with his or her arms at their sides.
(See page 9 for an illustration.) The distance from the tip of their fingers to the
ground is the length the racquet should be.
Foam balls and oversized felt-covered balls are used on a 36-foot court. (Court
dimensions are explained further in Chapter 2.) Foam balls are light, safe and bounce
well. They are ideal for indoor use, especially if courts are set up on smooth surfaces.
They are also recommended for safety reasons if there are lots of kids in a small space.
Oversized low compression felt-covered balls may be more appropriate for outdoor use,
especially in windy conditions. Many of these balls are approved by the International
Tennis Federation (ITF) and fall under the Stage 3 or "Red" classification.
A low compression ball is used on a 60-foot court. This ball is a standard size felt-
covered ball, but is softer, lighter and moves slower through the air than the tradi-
tional tennis ball approved for a full-sized court. The ITF approves these low
compression balls as Stage 2 or "Orange" balls.
Other equipment listed makes learning easier and fun for kids and offers variety
to the practice sessions. This equipment is available from all major tennis manufac-
turers and much of it can be obtained from sporting goods, department and toy
stores. Many times a substitute can be created from items found around the house.
Below is a list of equipment with a description and some possible substitutes:
Cones: These are colorful plastic pylons used as obstacles or targets. Substitute
with shoe boxes, tennis ball cans or pyramids created by tennis balls.
Koosh balls: A ball made up of colorful rubber strings bound together to form a
ball, available at most toy stores. Substitute with beanbags or sock balls.
Playground balls: 10- to 12-inch textured inflated rubber balls. Substitute with
beach balls, volleyballs, soccer balls or basketballs.
Poly spots and donuts: Colorful flat rubber, non-slip spots and circles for on-
court marking. Substitute with carpet squares or sidewalk chalk.
CHAPTER 1: QUICKSTART TENNIS: AN INTRODUCTION 5
Portable nets: Several portable net systems are available and come either in
individual pieces that need to be joined to construct a frame for a net, or with all
pieces attached by an elastic cable so they easily fit together and pop up so the net
can be attached to the frame. A simple substitute would be to use caution tape or
surveyor tape tied to the net, fence or chair.
Throw-down lines: Flat non-slip rubber strips approximately 2 inches by 24
inches that can be used as temporary lines for courts. Substitute with sidewalk
chalk, a chalk snap line, masking tape or painter's tape. (Use a tape that will not pull
up the court surface or leave a residue on the court.)
6 QUICKSTART TENNIS: A GUIDE FOR PARENTS AND RECREATIONAL COACHES
QuickStart Tennis
Chapter 2: Equipment and Rules for the
Developing Player
The easier it is for kids to play tennis, the greater the chance that they'll stick
with the game over the long haul. And the chances of retaining them are higher if
they achieve early success and have fun playing.
That is the basis behind QuickStart Tennis. In an effort to engage children at the
beginner level, other sports bring their games down to scale, from a smaller
diamond for Little League baseball to a shorter goal and smaller ball for basketball.
For tennis, the answer is the same. In QuickStart Tennis, children will play on
courts that are either 36 or 60 feet long, depending on their age and development,
and with racquets that are shorter than the standard 27 inches for adults. Also,
children will start by using a foam ball or an oversized low compression felt ball that
bounces lower and moves through the air slower than the traditional felt ball.
Overall, there are six specifications to QuickStart Tennis--court size, age of
player, type of ball, racquet length, net height and scoring--that allow children to
learn and play tennis to scale. It is critical that all six specifications be used at the
same time for the complete development of the child as a tennis player, and to create
consistency for competitive play throughout the United States.
Age Court Size Racquet Ball Net Height Scoring
8 and 36' x 18' Up to 23" Foam and 2'9" Best of 3 games
under � first to 7
oversized low points
compression
(Red Ball)
9-10 60' x 21' singles Up to 25" Low 3' Best of 3 sets �
first to 4 games
60' x 27' doubles compression with third set
first to 7 points
(Orange Ball)
Court Size
Thirty-six feet is the width of a regulation court, including the doubles alleys.
On a 36-foot court, the doubles sidelines are the baselines and the singles sidelines
are the service lines. A center service line should be marked between the two regula-
tion sidelines. The width of the court is 18 feet and the regulation service line and
baseline are used as sidelines.
CHAPTER 2: EQUIPMENT AND RULES FOR THE DEVELOPING PLAYER 7
The 60-foot court is a three-quarters-sized court using the existing regulation
net, while the baseline is moved 9 feet inside the existing, regulation baseline. The
sidelines are moved in 3 feet on each side for singles, and the existing singles
sidelines are used for doubles. The regulation service court is used as the service
court for 60-foot tennis.
The narrower sidelines on the 60-foot court develop youngsters' abilities to move
forward and close out points at the net. Young players also find it easier to anticipate
a ball moving to the side of them, and the 60-foot court encourages them to learn
how to "read" the height and depth of the incoming ball. If the court width was the
regulation 27 feet, children would have to cover a distance almost the equivalent to
an adult playing singles on a doubles court, and side-to-side ground strokes would
become the most dominant shots.
36-foot Court 60-foot Court
Age
Children ages 8 and under play on the 36-foot court and use the specifications
recommended for a court measured from doubles sideline to doubles sideline. They
will enjoy tennis on a court where they can rally, recover and play points when the
ball stays in play for several hits.
Children ages 10 and under play on the 60-foot court and use all of the specifica-
tions recommended for this court, which is three-quarters the size of a standard
court. These children are mature enough to play a complete game on a three-quarter-
sized court, and they will develop technique, shot selection, rallying skills and the
ability to hit and recover on a 60-foot court. By reducing the size of the court to 60
feet, children 10 and under will be able to compete in both individual and team
tennis events on a platform that fits their size and suits their abilities.
8 QUICKSTART TENNIS: A GUIDE FOR PARENTS AND RECREATIONAL COACHES
Ball
Foam and oversized felt-covered balls perform better based on court size,
racquet length and the height of the child. Using the correct ball and racquet is
critical so children can hit with full strokes and strong grips.
For the 36-foot court, foam balls are lightweight, move more slowly through the
air and have a lower bounce. They can be easily hit and controlled with shorter and
lighter racquets. An alternative to the foam ball is an oversized felt-covered ball,
which is especially useful outdoors. It is helpful in that the ball--which moves
slower and bounces lower--can be hit at the right height and the right speed in
relation to the child. Otherwise, extreme grips become the norm as children adjust to
consistently hitting balls above their heads. The International Tennis Federation
(ITF) has official specifications for this ball that classify it as a Stage 3 or "Red" ball.
For the 60-foot court, a low compression, lightweight, felt-covered ball is ideal. It
moves slower through the air and the bounce height is lower. The ITF has official
specifications for this ball that classify it as a Stage 2 or "Orange" ball.
Racquet Length
Children will play much better if they use a racquet that is the appropriate
length. A child using a racquet of the correct length will be able to control the swing
pattern and angle of the racquet face. Ultimately, with the right racquet, he or she
will be able to control direction, height, distance, spin and power.
Children on the 36-foot court will generally use racquets up to 23 inches in
length. On the 60-foot court, racquet length should not exceed 25 inches. These
racquets are readily available, are to scale based on the height of the child and allow
the child to develop racquet skills so they can hit with various speeds and spins. (These
junior racquets have weight and grip sizes proportionate to the racquet length.)
Racquets that are too long are difficult for a young-
ster to control. These longer racquets also have more
power, and thus children cannot hit with full strokes.
To measure for the correct length, have the children
stand straight with arms at their sides. The racquet
should be no longer than the distance from the finger-
tips to the ground.
These short racquets, varying in length from 17 to
23 inches, are usually made of aluminum; they are
lightweight and have small grips.
As children grow taller and stronger, so should the Racquet Length
racquet be longer and stronger. Children on a 60-foot
court using low compression balls can begin with
aluminum racquets but also have the option of using
stronger and more powerful graphite composite
racquets that are 23 and 25 inches in length. (A
standard racquet is 27 inches.)
CHAPTER 2: EQUIPMENT AND RULES FOR THE DEVELOPING PLAYER 9
Net Height
The 36-foot court uses a net height of 2 feet, 9 inches; this is more appropriate to
the height of a child 5 to 8 years old and is the height of many temporary nets. No
adjustments need to be made when using the 60-foot court and the regulation net
that is 3 feet high at the center strap (and 3-foot-6 at the net posts).
Scoring
Young children need shorter matches based on their age, energy level and atten-
tion span. Children 8 and under play the best-of-three, first-to-seven point games.
The server gets two serves and each player serves two points before changing
servers.
The 60-foot match for 9- and 10-year-old children consists of two-out-of-three,
four-game sets with the final set determined by one first-to-seven point game. The
serve rules are the same as regulation tennis.
Optimally, children should play in small teams, where the result of their match
counts as a point for the team. Any singles tournament should be round robin,
compass draw or a similar format that enables as many players as possible to play as
many matches as possible. (See the appendix for more on compass draws.)
Note: QuickStart Tennis is designed for players 10 and under. However, teaching
techniques incorporating foam balls, low compression balls, shorter racquets and
smaller courts can be applied to beginners at any age level. Also, the 60-foot court is
very effective for senior players to play singles or doubles.
10 QUICKSTART TENNIS: A GUIDE FOR PARENTS AND RECREATIONAL COACHES
QuickStart Tennis
Chapter 3: Keys to Coaching Young
Players
Coaching 101
In this book, we will spend much time focusing on how to rally a tennis ball and
consequently play tennis, but it is important at the outset to look at what it means to
play. Not just play tennis, but play itself. We'll explore what it means to play and to
have fun and what makes things fun for a child. Without this understanding and
framework, we could produce mechanically sound tennis players yet not give
children the tools they really need to continue in tennis or other sports--or to be
successful in life.
Buttoning Your Shirt
Have you ever buttoned your shirt wrong? Maybe you were in the dark, or you
were in a hurry or you hadn't had your morning coffee. Somehow you ended up
with one more button than you had a hole for. What happened? At which button did
you do wrong? Was it the last one where you discovered your error? No, it was the
first one. And then you just continued along, doing what you normally do. It seemed
to make sense. It felt right. It's what everyone else does. It's how you always do it. It
is how it's done. But if you start out wrong, you're going to end wrong.
Youth sports are like buttoning your shirt. If you start out wrong, you're going
to end wrong. You may miss teaching something really important in the beginning
stages, and as you go along, one button after the next, you get to the end and
wonder what happened.
� "This is what the other coaches are doing."
� "It's how you've always done it."
� "This is what parents expect."
� "If we're going to win, this is what we've got to do."
� "This is the way my college or high school coach treated me."
� "I'm just teaching a bunch of kids; how hard can it be?"
It's not hard. You just have to pay attention--and be intentional--in the early
stages. You have to start out right to get the results you and the kids want. What do
kids want? Why do they start tennis and why do they quit? It's important to under-
stand these questions--and answers--before you even think about picking up a
tennis racquet.
CHAPTER 3: KEYS TO COACHING YOUNG PLAYERS 11
Child Sports Statistics to Know
There are three statistics that make up the 70/80/90 rule of teaching kids. The
first alarming statistic is that 70 percent of kids drop out of youth sports by the age
of 13! Seventy percent! And tennis is no different. You can have tons of kids in your
junior program, but if you keep doing what you've always been doing (buttoning
your shirt without paying attention to how you start), 70 percent will be gone by age
13. Why? Adults! We're it! The top three reasons kids drop out of sports are because
of us--coaches and parents. Despite our best intentions, we are the reason that kids
quit.
Top Three Reasons Kids Drop Out of Youth Sports:
1. It's not fun anymore
2. Parental pressure to perform
3. Unmet coaching expectations
You can take those reasons and boil them down to two primary components:
pressure and performance. This is the sad state of youth sports in America, and
tennis is no different. If we don't change what we do, what we've always done, and
how we do it, we're going to keep getting the same results, with 70 percent of kids
checking out.
The 80 percent statistic is that kids (yes, even a 6-year-old) can remember with 80
percent accuracy what was said to them by a coach. Coaches, on the other hand, can
only remember with 20 percent accuracy what they have said to children. The
summary of the study on why kids drop out of youth sports, by University of
Washington Ph.D. researchers Frank Smoll and Ronald Smith, is that "coaches are
blissfully unaware of what they say to children and the impact it has on kids."
� "I didn't say that."
� "I wouldn't have said that."
� "Who are you going to believe: me, or a kid?"
� "They're just making that up."
Really? Statistics show they're not. Children are four times more likely to have an
accurate recollection of what we said than what we "know" we said. That's scary! We
have the best intentions. We want to do and say the right things. But sometimes in
the heat of the battle or the afternoon sun, with a dozen or so little kids running
around, when they just aren't cooperating, again, we say something trying to
restore order. It may not be abusive, but it may not be the thing our kids need to
stay active and involved in tennis, or even sports in general.
The 90 percent stat is that 90 percent of kids would rather play on a losing team
than sit on the bench of a winning team. Kids want to play; they want to be involved.
They don't want to sit around or wait in line for their turn. They want to be actively
involved and engaged. Too often it's an adult model of scheduling, performance and
competition that is imposed on kids and that influences how they experience youth
sports.
12 QUICKSTART TENNIS: A GUIDE FOR PARENTS AND RECREATIONAL COACHES
Opportunities to Respond
The more opportunities you provide children to play, the better they will become
at their chosen sport. The more they stand in line, waiting, watching and listening
rather than moving, running and doing, the fewer opportunities they have to
respond and learn. Sure, there will be times when you are instructing while they are
watching and listening, but those times must be kept in balance and out-weighed by
tons of time for them to play tennis. Experience is the best teacher. Let them experi-
ence every aspect of tennis. Create environments where children have as many
opportunities to respond as possible.
Teach Kids to Think
As you will learn later in this book, tennis is an open skills sport in which there
are no set plays. There are a multitude of decisions to be made, fluidly and in a split
second. It's a lot like driving a car. There is some skill involved in making the car go
left and right, but the critical element is in the decisions that go along with that.
When to slow down or speed up, when to pull out or when to wait, and being
prepared for what the other driver might do are all examples of the importance of
learning to think that come with driving a car. But these decisions are independent
of the skill and the actual mechanics of making the car go.
You can have players with great shots but poor shot selection. They can be very
fast but always too close to the ball. They can be good volleyers but approach the net
at the wrong time. It is important that we teach kids to think at all ages and stages
of development. Too often as adults, coaches and parents, we order kids around the
court, telling them what, when and how to do something. In the process, they
become too reliant on a coach or parent to be able to handle situations on their own.
For the kids who we do teach how to think, they become the smart players--those
who "just know" where to be on the court and what shot to hit. Generally, they are
in the right place at the right time. We often label these types of players as gifted,
but most often they have been taught to think and react on their own at an early
age. Give the kids you coach space to learn and space to make mistakes.
Making Mistakes
Mistakes are part of learning. They are to be expected. From children to pros,
everyone makes mistakes. Even you make mistakes. When was the last time you
tripped or bit your tongue? These are basic life functions, yet we sometimes make
mistakes even in the simplest of tasks. Tennis is no different. You will sometimes
make mistakes on the simplest of shots. The key is to determine when mistakes are
just mistakes, and when they are a sign that something else is going on.
When children keep making the same mistakes, it is generally a sign that they
have not learned the desired skill or strategy properly. Taking that a step further,
they generally have not learned it because we have not taught it effectively. They are
not trying to annoy you, ignore your instruction or think they are smarter than
you. They are kids. Often we adults do not provide age-appropriate instruction or
activities. One of the biggest mistakes that adults make in teaching children is
failing to understand the difference between showing them a skill and actually
teaching them. The more we just "show and tell," the less learning takes place and
the more reliant they become on our instruction.
So if the ultimate goal in the performance spectrum is not to make any mistakes,
how do you get there? The key is understanding that the opposite of making
mistakes is not perfection. If you focus on NOT making mistakes, you will create
fear, as well as a protective, cautious player. When children--or adults for that
CHAPTER 3: KEYS TO COACHING YOUNG PLAYERS 13
matter--focus on not making mistakes, they are more likely to make them. Embrace
mistakes. Allow them. Encourage them. Understand your part in the children's
mistakes and adjust your instruction. And after you have done everything you can,
expect that they will make some more.
Fun
What makes things fun? Why do you do what you do? Why do kids do what they
do? Is there a difference between what is fun for you and fun for them? Certainly.
Fun, or play, is different for everyone. The best definition of "play" is something
done for the enjoyment of the doer. That's it. It's that simple. Two people might be
skiers: One likes to jump off cornices into deep powder bowls, while the other likes
safe, groomed runs. Who's having more fun? The person jumping off cornices may
be hoopin' and hollerin' as he/she jumps, but the other person loves being outside in
the winter, the crisp mountain air followed by a warm hot chocolate at the end of the
day. They are both having fun doing what they love to do.
Tennis is no different. Who has more fun playing tennis: a 3.0 player or a 4.5
player? They both can have fun. Because we are in the business of helping people get
better, we can too easily move toward saying the 4.5 player. However, it is incorrect
to think that skill proficiency equates to more fun. The same is true in coaching
children. Girls--and boys--"just wanna have fun." Coaching beginning tennis means
helping kids have fun and it happens to be on a tennis court. There is a paradox of
play that says the more you make it about skill acquisition and performance, the less
fun it will be and the more likely kids are to drop out. The more fun you make it--
without focusing on performance--the more children like it and the better they will
perform.
Video Games & Skate Parks
Several years ago if you were to ask kids, "If you weren't playing tennis, what
would you be doing," they would have said playing. Now they say playing video
games. Therefore, our beginning-level teaching experience with kids is of the utmost
importance. It is this first encounter with tennis that can set the stage for kids
becoming-- and staying--athletic and moving. While we would love for them to
continue in tennis, our first priority is to create an environment that is fun and
filled with movement. The more you equate fun with doing and movement, the more
likely a child will be to stick with tennis and, ultimately, perform better.
Have you been to a skate park lately? They're packed. Why? Why are skate parks
so crowded and, for the most part, baseball and soccer fields are empty, except for
organized activities? The difference is adults. There aren't too many adults hanging
out at skate parks, while they line the sidelines of other venues for games and
practices. The United States Olympic Committee Athlete Development Department
believes the best athletes in the country are at skate parks. Why? There are no
coaches. Skate parks are filled with self-motivated athletes. There is no one telling
the kids how to do certain tricks. Just kids teaching kids. They will work on
something for hours, or even days. They'll figure it out by trial and error. And then
they'll get it. They flip the board over once in the air. They will celebrate their
achievement briefly, and then some other kid will show them how to flip it twice.
Then they'll work on that. All without an adult guiding them, telling them what to
do, showing them how they are doing it wrong, or getting in their face about not
trying hard enough. The kids will even say its fun. It's fun because they are
learning at their own pace, moving, risking, hanging out with friends, challenging
one another, laughing and, at the deepest level, playing.
14 QUICKSTART TENNIS: A GUIDE FOR PARENTS AND RECREATIONAL COACHES
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[Cuối tài liệu]
8 Player Compass Draw Sheet
APPENDIX 117
16 Player Compass Draw Sheet
118 QUICKSTART TENNIS: A GUIDE FOR PARENTS AND RECREATIONAL COACHES
32 Player Compass Draw Sheet
APPENDIX 119
Resources
Suppliers of Tennis Equipment
The following companies and vendors are suppliers of junior racquets, short
courts, teaching aids, transition balls and entry-level tennis kits.
Dunlop Sports Group America
116 South Pleasantburg Drive
Greenville, SC 29607
888-215-1530
864-552-4000
864-552-4032 (fax)
Email: customerservice@dunlopsports.com
www.dunlopsports.com
Gamma Sports
200 Waterfront Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
800-333-0337
412-323-0335
800-274-0317 (fax)
tsr@gammasports.com
www.gammasports.com
Gopher Sport
220 24th Avenue NW
P.O. Box 998
Owatonna, MN 55060-0998
800-533-0446
800-451-4855 (fax)
www.gophersport.com
Head/Penn Racquet Sports
306 S. 45th Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85043
800-289-1497
602-269-1492
602-484-0533 (fax)
askus@us.head.com
www.head.com
Prince Sports, Inc.
1 Advantage Court
Bordentown, NJ 08505
800-2-TENNIS
609-291-5800
609-291-5902 (fax)
www.princetennis.com
120 QUICKSTART TENNIS: A GUIDE FOR PARENTS AND RECREATIONAL COACHES
Oncourt Offcourt
6301 Gaston Avenue, Suite 650
Dallas, TX 75214
88-TENNIS-11
214-823-3078
214-823-3082 (fax)
info@oncourtoffcourt.com
www.oncourtoffcourt.com/
Rocky Mountain Sports (Tretorn)
650 South Taylor Avenue
Louisville, CO 80027
800-525-2852
303-444-5340
303-444-7526 (fax)
info@rmsboulder.com
www.rmsboulder.com
Wilson Racquet Sports
8700 West Bryn Mawr Avenue, 10th Floor
Chicago, IL 60631
800-333-8326
773-714-6400
800-272-6062 (fax)
racquet@wilson.com
www.wilson.com
Books
American Sport Education Program, Coaching Youth Tennis, 3rd edition.
Champaign, IL, Human Kinetics, 2002.
United States Professional Tennis Association, The Complete Guide-USPTA
Little Tennis. USPTA, Houston,1998.
United States Tennis Association, Friend at Court: The USTA Handbook of
Tennis Rules and Regulations, 2007 edition. USTA, White Plains, NY, 2007.
United States Tennis Association, Illustrated Introduction to the Rules of
Tennis, 2nd edition. USTA, White Plains, NY, 2006.
Videotapes
Backboard Tennis, United States Tennis Association, White Plains, NY, 1998.
Games Approach to Coaching Tennis, United States Tennis Association, White
Plains, NY, 2002.
Teaching Group Tennis, United States Tennis Association, White Plains, NY, 1998.
APPENDIX 121
Organizations
Professional Tennis Registry
P.O. Box 4739
Hilton Head Island, SC 29938
800-421-6289
United States Professional Tennis Association
3535 Briarpark Drive
Houston, TX 77042
800-877-8248
United States Tennis Association
70 West Red Oak Lane
White Plains, NY 10604
914-696-7000
For more information on the different programs found in this book--including
QuickStart Tennis, Jr. Team Tennis and more--go to USTA.com or call the USTA
National Office at 914-696-7000.
122 QUICKSTART TENNIS: A GUIDE FOR PARENTS AND RECREATIONAL COACHES