How to Plan a Lesson for Tennis

Playing tennis involves skill, mobility, consistency and discipline. But teaching others how to play requires an even higher degree of talent. Learning the craft of teaching, calls for a unique set of skills. Although some tennis players pick up the fast-pace sport easily, teaching a beginner entails a structured planning process that inspires an intense performance from the student and yet still remains fun. Preparation serves as the best guide to teaching at any level. By laying the groundwork you can provide a more engaging lesson that keeps athletes interested in training with you.

Things You'll Need

  • Tennis racket
  • Tennis balls
  • Tennis court
  • Feeding baskets
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Instructions

    • 1

      Determine your goals. Coaching a beginner requires a different approach from teaching a more experienced player. Become familiar with your player's skill level and cater the lesson specifically toward their goals. Beginners need to focus on developing their basic skills such as ground strokes and motor skills, while more advanced players need guidance with strategy and shot selection.

    • 2

      Determine what the tennis player wants to achieve that day. Set aside some time at the beginning of the lesson to ask the student what they want to accomplish or what area they want to improve upon. That allows the student to take a proactive role in the lesson and makes her feel that her input is valuable.

    • 3

      Stress the fundamentals. A guide to good lesson planning is making your player aware of what they are learning, why they are learning it and when they should use it. Briefly explain the rules and etiquette. This sets the stage for a better understanding of what to expect from both you and your student.

    • 4

      Review the basics. For beginners, part of your lesson should involve explaining what the fundamentals look like. If dealing with a novice, demonstrate ready position, different grips for hand strokes, footwork at the baseline and net, hitting stance, swing pattern and serve. For more advanced players, work on ball placement, line of attack, accuracy and consistency.

    • 5

      Make the drills fun. As part of your tennis lesson include ways of keeping the drills fresh and fun. The more enjoyment your students experience during practice the more they will want to learn the game. More experienced tennis players tend to become bored if not challenged enough. Place target makers at various strategic points on the tennis court and feed your student a variety of shots they must return successfully to the indicated spots.

    • 6

      Incorporate match-play scenarios. This helps develop an understanding to the point system and presents opportunities for tennis players to apply what they learned in game-like situations. It also helps the coach evaluate the student's initiating pattern, defense, rallying technique, creative shots and attack method.