Key notes from Mark Tennant’s presentation at the 2018 International Coach Symposium in Orlando, Florida

The Scene in 2018

1. When I was a kid, playing computer games involved moving from one level to the next, usually as fast as possible. The first few levels were usually easy and a bit boring; the higher levels were uncharted territory, with new challenges.
2. Now when kids grow up, their tennis also provides them with levels of different challenges. But there’s one huge difference; you can’t progress through the levels as quickly as possible and expect kids to develop lifelong skills as the challenge gets tougher. Developing those skills takes time, years in fact. Kids and computer games just aren’t the same.
3. So what’s the challenge when progressing players from red to orange?
   1. The court area increases by 94% at orange compared to red. That’s a lot more running, a lot more changing direction, and a lot more space for the opponent to hit into
   2. It’s not just your player that’s growing. The opponent is getting bigger, faster and stronger too
   3. The orange ball is smaller than the red ball and struck by a longer racket. Expect the orange ball to fly faster
   4. If kids can’t play well – that means rallying and serving consistently and with sound technical basics – with another child of similar ability on the red court, why do we think that they will be able to do it on the bigger orange court?
4. The end of red is the start of orange. There is nothing in between. Make sure you develop the basics on the red court first. If not, they will find it physically, mentally, technically and tactically tough to continue to develop on the orange court. Teach kids to be resilient and to adapt with a less-than-perfect game, rather than to be mechanical robots.

Let’s make some commitments to our coaching. Remember, this is about you being honest with yourself. Only you will know if you are really committing to what follows!

The Orange Court Player

The orange court needs players who can play a dynamic all court game against another child of similar ability, where they can control direction, height and depth with all key strokes, with the ability to serve to create and advantage. If that’s what we need at orange, that’s what we need by the end of red.

Preparing For The Orange Court

Beware Of Facebook!

On social media, I see endless videos of kids standing still, playing mechanical strokes from a sanitized easy feed. That isn’t tennis!

Activity #1 – play an open rally with another player of similar age and ability, starting with a serve. Aim to play every groundstroke with two feet on the court, and demonstrate your ability to move, hit and recover/reposition.

Commitment #1 – ensure that you require players to move, hit and recover/reposition in every drill. Anything other than that isn’t tennis.

Directional Control Off Both Sides

Can your player control the direction of the ball down the line and cross court off the forehand and the backhand? The ability to do so demonstrates movement between shots, the ability to position and control the body before the strike, then to direct the ball to the target.

Activity #2 – Anchor one player at the baseline to be the feeder. The second player moves side to side at the baseline, alternating forehand cross court and backhand down the line to the target (remember to change to backhand line and forehand cross too!). Players who can perform this drill in a rally demonstrate their ability to control direction off both sides.

Commitment #2 – emphasise directional control with the forehand and backhand and the ability to move between shots. Do not let kids hit up and down the middle of the court.

Height Control Off Both Sides

Can your player control the height of the ball off the forehand and the backhand? Can they hit a 2 trajectory (twice the height of the net) in a rally, and a 3 trajectory (3 times the height of the net) when required to do so? The ability to control height demonstrates the ability to control the body, the path of the racket and the angle of the racket face

Activity #3 – Let the players play a cooperative rally cross court using the following trajectories:

• Both players hitting 2
• Both players hitting 3
• One player hitting 2 and the other hitting 3
  Remember to challenge this off the forehand and the backhand side, and make sure players recover after each shot!

Commitment #3 – emphasise height control with the forehand and backhand. It will be invaluable when players need to attack and defend.

Game Sense When Defending

Does your player know when they are in attacking, neutral and defensive positions? We spend most of our time teaching players to rally and not to miss, then to attack. But do we teach them to defend? Players will not be able to play the orange court well without a defensive game. Can your player control the height of the ball off the forehand and the backhand in defensive situations? Can they hit a 3 trajectory (3 times the height of the net) when pushed deep? The ability to control height in defence demonstrates the ability to recognise when the player is defending, and the ability to control the body, the path of the racket and the angle of the racket face

Activity #4 – Let the players play a rally cross court using 2 and 3 trajectories.

• When either player receives a ball which lands inside the service line, respond with a 2 trajectory and continue the rally
• When either player receives a ball which lands behind the service line, respond with a 3 trajectory to buy time and reposition.

Remember to challenge this off the forehand and the backhand side, and make sure players recover after each shot!

Commitment #4 – Teach kids that defending is a fact of life. They can’t always attack or win! Get them to use height off both sides when they think they are being pushed back or wide.

Serve and the Hunter’s Instinct

Players who progress to orange without serving well will be at an immediate disadvantage. The returner has the advantage. Serving well means:
• A continental grip either in place or well on the way
• A fluid rhythmical action allowing the player to accelerate the racket
• Starting to understand the impact of the shot on the opponent
• A hunter’s instinct on the third ball

Activity #5 – Serve to create the advantage, and aim to win the serve in 2. If the server cannot win in 2, the returner gets the point.

Remember to challenge this off the ad side and deuce side, the forehand and the backhand side, and make sure players recover after each shot, and especially after the serve!

Commitment #5 – Prioritise the serve. Encourage players to see the serve as an advantage and to take a hunter’s instinct to the third ball

Closing Remarks

1. Equip players for the next level and for what’s about to come. Understand the challenges and help prepare the kids for it. We need resilient kids who can play a less than perfect game, not mechanical robots
2. Tennis is a dynamic game of attacking and defending. Teach it that way
3. Prioritise the serve. It won’t get better by avoiding it, and players who progress to orange without a proficient serve are at a mental, tactical and technical disadvantage
4. Commit to the 5 commitments above, and prepare your players for what’s about to come

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