My first coaching gig, need your advise!

[Lee]

Hey guys,

I will be coaching the son of a family friend, who is 6 years old and just started to play tennis. I have taught beginners before but they were 20, 21 year olds. I have never taught a little kid before so I would like to hear your comments.

Should I just stay in the volley courts and hit short balls with him? Should I feed him the balls and give him some forehand drills? What should I start with? What does the kid need to work on the most?

Help me!

Thanks,
Jason

 

[Aaryn]

mate, just keep him inside the service line (you stand close to the net as well), show him the right grip/technique etc then feed forehands for a while, ur goal is for him to make contact and hit over the net, thats it. Then move on to backhands, maybe volleys if you wana break it up. Remember at that age, they need to have FUn, and practice general hand-eye coordination, so keep it simple and do go overboard with technique.
GOOD LUCK!

 

[AndyP]

At the age of 6 this kid will not be doing much. Like the guy above me said make it a game, practice hand eye coordination and basic technique.

 

[Lee]

Thanks guys. I was thinking about just feeding him baskets of balls with me standing at the service line and him standing in the baseline. Do you think that would be too boring?

I also thought about mini-tennis, like how us tennis players warm up before the matches. Do you think mini tennis would be too challenging for the kid?

Thanks,
Jason

 

[Lee]

At the age of 6 this kid will not be doing much. Like the guy above me said make it a game, practice hand eye coordination and basic technique.

Andy, how exactly should i make this a "game"? Could you please specify? Thanks!

 

[AndyP]

I can't really think of any sort of games you can play, but make sure he is having fun. You want him to enjoy tennis and to want to play it more, so put more focus on him enjoying the lesson than on doing everything perfect.

Also have him practice some ups and downs, just to work on his coordination.

 

[zAllianceBmx]

hey jason

i suggest you keep the kid at the service line while you are near the net feeding him balls.

you can make it a game with a point system and using cones. just set up cones at the service box corners..and tell him for his forehands..he needs to hit the ball passed the cones for a point. 10 points and he wins. he's young so he'll enjoy that. same thing with backhands.

you could bring cookies and tell him he gets 3 cookies for every 10 points. haha

just suggestions

 

[theace21]

Make it fun...Start him at the service line, and toss ball to him. If he hits 5 in a row he gets a prize. Gum, candy or the thrill of using the ball hopper and tube to pick up the balls. Find some balls in different colors and give him bonus points for hitting these...One of the pros at my club teaches all the little kids, and he has a bag of candy and gum that he passes out. My not be PC with all the nutrition people but his lessons are very popular (and expensive)!!

 

[jimiforpres]

There is also a good product that you can use to help him get better. It is a super big foam ball. Some of them have multiple colors so the kids can see the spin. It is easier to hit these balls and keep them in since they are so light and prone to air resistance. That will build his confidence and allow you guys to have some real rallies.

 

[Yuki Kirihara]

It'd be much easier if he had friends with him. Lessons are MUCH better in groups for small children, I have my own and am doing accordingly.

Their interest is focused on competing, and they're having fun at the same time. The attention disappears entirely if they're alone, especially if you're just feeding balls from a basket.

Don't get fancy. Small cues. Make a song, if you want. Just tell them to go from low to high, etc. A coach I know tells the kids to "pat the dog on the head", and then up and through. It works.

It might not be so much tennis, but a bunch of "games". Catching thrown or lobbed balls in a normal cone, organized games of "tag" in, for example, one side of the court, etc.

I set up targets, as well. It's more fun for them if you get odd objects. Brightly colored cones, small things, chairs, anything at all, and have them aim for it.

On another note, it's best if you don't put them all the way back at the standard baseline.