Tennis: Basic Backhand Technique- Progression 1

Intention:  Develop sending and receiving skill through the use of progressive coordination exercises. Players stand facing each other on the inside and outside tramlines respectively (in a ready, athletic, "gorilla position") Players start with one ball and throw the ball underarm between each other. The ball must bounce once before the partner catches the ball. Each player must throw the ball with their right hand and catch the ball with their left. Once the ball has been caught it must be passed between the hands in preparation for the throw. As players master a rhythm, they attempt to increase the tempo.

Intention: Develop sending and receiving skills through the use of progressive coordination exercises. Following progression 1 Players stand facing each other on the inside and outside tramlines respectively (in a ready, athletic, gorilla position) Players have two balls, one ball each, and throw the balls underarm between each other. The balls must bounce once before the partner catches the ball. Each player must throw the ball with their right hand and catch the other ball with their left. Once the ball has been caught it must be passed between the hands in preparation for the throw and free up the left hand for the catch. As players master a rhythm, they attempt to increase the tempo.

Intention:  Develop sending and receiving skills through the use of progressive coordination exercises. Following progression 2 Players stand facing each other on the inside and outside tramlines respectively (in a ready, athletic, gorilla position) Players have three balls, one player starts with 2 and the other with one, and throw the balls underarm between each other. The balls must bounce once before the partner catches the ball. Each player must throw the ball with their right hand and catch the other ball with their left. Once the ball has been caught it must be passed between the hands in preparation for the throw and free up the left hand for the catch. As players master a rhythm, they attempt to increase the tempo.

Intention: Develop basic backhand technique. Players line up on one side of the net with the coach on the other side of the net. Coach feeds the ball to the first player in the line.  Each player hits the ball 3 times.  Shot is a backhand played with a neutral hitting stance and the player is to finish balanced on one foot. Those in the line mimic the shoe of the player playing the ball.  Once the player has had their 3 shots, they then collect 3 balls to return to the hopper before joining the back of the line.  

Intention: Develop a basic backhand technique.  Players in 2 lines on one side of the net, coach on the other side. Coach feeds simultaneously to the players in each line.  Each player hits 3 balls and moves around to the other side of the court and collects 3 balls from the other. 

Intention: Develop basic forehand technique. Players line up on one side of the net set up on a short court. Coach on the other side of the net. Coach feeds the ball to the first player in the line. Each player hits the ball 3 times. Shot is a forehand played with a neutral hitting stance and the player is to finish balanced on one foot. Those in the line mimic the shot of the player playing the ball. Once the player has had their three shots, they collect three balls to return to the hopper before joining the back of the line. 

Intention:  Develop basic forehand technique. Players line up on one side of the net set up on a short court. Coach on the other side of the net. Coach feeds the ball to the first player in the line. Each player hits the ball 3 times. Shot is a forehand played with a neutral hitting stance and the player is to finish balanced with toe facing down. Those in the line mimic the shot of the player playing the ball. Once the player has had their three shots, the collect three balls to return to the hopper before joining the back of the line. 

Intention:  Develop sending and receiving skills through the use of progressive coordination exercises. Following progression 3 Players stand facing each other on the inside and outside tramlines respectively (in a ready, athletic, gorilla position) Players have four balls, each player starts with two balls, and throw the balls underarm between each other. The balls must bounce once before the partner catches the ball. Each player must throw one ball with their right hand and transfer the other ball from their left hand to right hand to then receive the other ball from their partner with their left. As players master a rhythm, they attempt to increase the tempo.

Intention: Explore tactical development- "Over and In" and "Hitting into space" Each player starts the game with 3 lives (can be amended depending on time). Players at the front of the line take it in turns to hit a ball fed to them by the coach.  The players keep their lives if they successfully execute the shot by hitting the ball over and in. The player loses a life in one of the following ways: Hitting the ball out. Hitting the ball into the net. Hitting the ball after more than one bounce. Missing the ball.  Once the player has lost all 3 lives they are in the dungeon (coaches side of the net). If the coach or another player in the dungeon catches the ball without a bounce, the player loses a life. The only way out of the dungeon is to catch a shot from another player before it bounces, thus gaining one life.  The player with the most lives remaining at the end of the game is the winner.  

Intention: Develop basic forehand and backhand technique. The group is divided into two- "Hitters" and "Fielders". Hitters execute the drill, whilst fielders collect balls.  Change roles after each player has 5 turns.  Coach feeds simultaneously to the player at the front of each queue.  Each player hits five balls (outside shot) and moves off the court and returns to the back of the opposite queue (players will alternate between forehand and backhand on each turn). NB: Coach must continue to reinforce key teaching points. 

Intention:  Assess forehand technique whilst developing the principles of rallying. Players start on their various courts. Each of which has a designated score that is progressive (eg 5, 7, 9) and at the discretion of the coach. Where space is limited, courts can be divided in half or thirds to create stations. One player ('The Sender') starts each rally with an underarm throw to a target area on their partners side of the court, which is situated half way between their partner ('The receiver') and the net. The 'receiver', who is positioned roughly two racket lengths behind the target area, attempts to catch the ball after one bounce. The 'receiver' now becomes the 'sender' and attempts to throw the ball back, using an underarm action, to a target area on their partner’s side of the court, which is positioned roughly half way between their partner and the net. The pair must then continue to throw and catch the ball (after one bounce) using an underarm action until they achieve the score for their designated court/station. If the rally breaks down in any way, the pair must start the rally again from zero on the court/ station they are on. If the players successfully achieve the score for their designated court (or station), they progress upwards (one station) and 'Budge' the pair on the higher station down. If either of the pair lands the ball directly on the target area they automatically progress upwards (one station) and 'Budge' the pair on the higher station down. When a pair achieves the designated score on the highest (top) court they are awarded 1 'golden' point. When a pair successfully achieves a 'golden' point, they attempt another one until they are 'budged'. The game ends when a pair reaches a pre-set number of 'golden' points. Alternatively, the pair with the most 'golden' points at the end of a pre allocated period of time is the winner.

Intention:  Assess forehand technique whilst developing the principles of rallying. Players start on their various courts. Each of which has a designated score that is progressive (eg 5, 7, 9) and at the discretion of the coach. Where space is limited, courts can be divided in half or thirds to create stations. One player ('The Sender') starts each rally with an underarm throw to a target area on their partners side of the court, which is situated half way between their partner ("The receiver") and the net. The 'receiver', who is positioned roughly two racket lengths behind the target area, with a racket, attempts to hit the ball after one bounce to a target area on their partner's side of the court, which is positioned roughly half way between their partner and the net. The pair must then continue to throw and hit the ball (after one bounce) until they achieve the score for their designated court/station. If the rally breaks down in any way, the pair must start the rally again from zero on the court/ station they are on. If the players successfully achieve the score for their designated court (or station), they progress upwards (one station) and 'Budge' the pair on the higher station down. If either of the pair lands the ball directly on the target area they automatically progress upwards (one station) and 'Budge' the pair on the higher station down. When a pair achieves the designated score on the highest (top) court they are awarded 1 'golden' point. When a pair successfully achieves a 'golden' point, they attempt another one until they are 'budged'. The game ends when a pair reaches a pre-set number of 'golden' points. Alternatively, the pair with the most 'golden' points at the end of a pre allocated period of time is the winner.

Intention:  Assess forehand technique whilst developing the principles of rallying. Players start on their various courts. Each of which has a designated score that is progressive (eg 5, 7, 9) and at the discretion of the coach. Where space is limited, courts can be divided in half or thirds to create stations. One player ('The Sender') starts each rally with a forehand to a target area on their partners side of the court, which is situated half way between their partner ('The receiver') and the net. The 'receiver', who is positioned roughly two racket lengths behind the target area attempts to hit the ball back with a forehand, after one bounce to a target area on their partner's side of the court, which is positioned roughly half way between their partner and the net. The pair must then continue to rally (after one bounce) until they achieve the score for their designated court/station. If the rally breaks down in any way, the pair must start the rally again from zero on the court/ station they are on. If the players successfully achieve the score for their designated court (or station), they progress upwards (one station) and 'Budge' the pair on the higher station down. If either of the pair lands the ball directly on the target area they automatically progress upwards (one station) and 'Budge' the pair on the higher station down. When a pair achieves the designated score on the highest (top) court they are awarded 1 'golden' point. When a pair successfully achieves a 'golden' point, they attempt another one until they are 'budged'. The game ends when a pair reaches a pre-set number of 'golden' points. Alternatively, the pair with the most 'golden' points at the end of a pre allocated period of time is the winner.