Tennis lessons for beginners can be a challenge, but instructors know how to work with children of all levels and experience. The following tennis techniques for kids can help build their hand-eye coordination, confidence with hitting the ball, and better handling of the racket. As they practice these drills they will become better at the sport, more confident in their abilities, and more excited about the matches at tennis summer camp. Here are some tips and techniques a tennis camp instructor can provide your child.
Tennis Serve Drills for Kids
The Frying Pan
Starting with the basics of tennis, such as hand-eye coordination, is often necessary for beginners. More experienced players may take this for granted, but hand-eye coordination is fundamental to the success of players. To perform this drill, have players hold their racket in their dominant hands as they would hold a frying pan, and place the tennis ball on the face of the strings. Then, have them move the head of the racket slowly up and down until the ball starts to bounce on the strings. Once it bounces, have them keep bouncing it as long as they can. It may take some players longer to do this successfully than others, but as the saying goes, practice makes perfect! Once they are comfortable, have them twist the racket 180 degrees in their hand between bounces to further develop their hand eye coordination.
The Dribble
The dribble is simply a reversed version of the frying pan. Instead of bouncing the ball up into the air, they will drop the ball to the ground and hit the ball with the racket towards the ground. Have players do this dribble as long as they can. Depending on the type of racket, players may need to hold the handle higher up to the ring or lower down, to reduce the shock on their wrists and forearms. To make this drill more challenging, have players increase the speed of the bounce, slow it down, and then repeat.
Simple Forehands and Backhands
For this drill, position the player at one end of the court at the centre of the service line where the lines connect. As they get into position for either a forehand or backhand, you should stand slightly in front of and four to six feet away from the player and encourage them to find the right grip for them. Then, demonstrate how each swing should be performed. When they are ready, toss one tennis ball at a time so it bounces once in front of the player at waist height and have them hit a ground stroke. Switch to the other side and toss and have them demonstrate their other swing. Alternate positions to the right or left in front the player and have them practice their forehands and backhands. This drill is more complex than the previous two, but it is important for strengthen the players’ coordination, and building their confidence with making contact with the tennis ball.
Hit and Catch
Have the tennis student stand at the centre of the service line in the forehand ready position. Then, stand on the same line about halfway between the net and the service line. Toss the ball to the player’s forehand and have them hit it back to you so you can catch it with a cone. This will teach the player how to aim their forehand shot in a certain direction.
Forward and Backward, Forehands and Backhands
Stand on the centre service line a few feet from the net. The player still stands at the centre of the service line on the other side. Toss the ball directly at them so they do not have to move as much and then toss the ball a bit shorter so the player must move forward to hit their shot. Keep tossing shorter balls to encourage the student to move forward to the service line, and then toss further to encourage them to step back to return the shot. Footwork is very important for this drill. You can also switch this up and alternate lengths of your throw so the player has to predict the ball’s landing and move themselves to send it back to you.
Improve Your Child’s Technique at Bayview Village Tennis Camp
There are many more tips and tricks to improving your child’s tennis abilities such as simple service motions, toss and block volleys, and split-step volleys. These drills and more are performed and taught by instructors at reputable summer tennis camps and will improve your child’s coordination, teamwork, and physical abilities.
At Bayview Village Tennis Camp, your child will benefit from working with some of the best certified instructors in the Greater Toronto Area. Our team includes Tennis Canada-certified instructors who work to teach kids not only how to have fun, but also how to play smart and safe. Even beginning tennis students will have a great time as they get the attention and training they need, and the support and encouragement to boost their confidence. For more information about the junior and advanced summer tennis programs, call us at (905) 889-7293 or e-mail pnielsen889@rogers.com.