10 Lesson Plans for Beginning Tennis Players

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Introduction

We are proud to present you the 10 Lesson Plans for Beginning Tennis Players, an

eBook which will guide you through all the steps a tennis coach should go with his

student. Both young coaches and more experienced ones will find this material very

useful as it exemplifies with relevant descriptions and images all the elements a

beginning tennis player should now about.

In just 10 Lessons the student will be able to know how to:

• Have a proper grip

• Execute a forehand ground-stroke

• Execute a backhand ground-stroke

• Rally

• Toss and Serve

• Execute a forehand volley

• Execute a backhand volley

• Hit a tennis overhead

• Play a tennis game

All these and more in an interactive and fun environment.

The eBook is full of great ideas on how to introduce the beginning player to this

wonderful sport, to make his practice exciting and bring variety and fun every time.

At the end of the 10 Lesson Plans you will also find 17 excellent tennis drills and

games that you can use in your classes.

The 10 Lesson Plans eBook will provide you tennis tips on how to coach a young

player, how to detect common errors and much more valuable information.

Get rid of the anxiousness of creating your tennis lesson plans. Find new ideas with

these tested lessons and make your student love tennis.

We hope we gave you an idea on what you can find here and how it is going to help

you. Now, let’s get to action!

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Contents

Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 3

LESSON 1 - Learn Forehand Ground-Stroke ............................................................................................. 8

1. Introduction - 5 minutes .................................................................................................................... 8

2. "First Things First" - 5 minutes .......................................................................................................... 9

3. Ball, Racquet Control and Basic Footwork Drills - 7 minutes ...................................................... 9

4. Water Break - 1 minute ....................................................................................................................11

5. Forehand Ground-Stroke Introduction - 5 minutes .....................................................................11

6. Forehand Contact and Follow-Through - 5 minutes ....................................................................12

7. Pre-Stretch, Contact and Follow-Through - 4 minutes ...............................................................14

8. Backswing, Contact and Follow-Through - 6 minutes .................................................................16

9. Put-It-All-Together - 7 minutes ......................................................................................................20

10. Water Break - 1 minute..................................................................................................................21

11. Practice - 7 minutes .......................................................................................................................21

12. Wrap-Up - 5 minutes ......................................................................................................................21

LESSON 2 - Forehand Review; Learn Backhand Ground-Stroke ..........................................................22

1. Greeting and Warm-Up - 5 minutes ...............................................................................................22

2. Previous Lesson Review - 5 minutes ..............................................................................................22

3. Forehand Practice with Balls - 7 minutes .....................................................................................22

4. Water Break - 1 minute ....................................................................................................................22

5. Backhand (Two-Handed) Ground-Stroke Introduction - 5 minutes ...........................................23

6. Backhand Contact and Follow-Through - 5 minutes ...................................................................23

7. Pre-Stretch, Contact and Follow-Through - 4 minutes ...............................................................25

8. Backswing, Contact and Follow-Through - 6 minutes .................................................................27

9. Put-It-All-Together - 7 minutes ......................................................................................................30

10. Water Break - 1 minute..................................................................................................................30

11. Practice the new learned Backhand stroke - 7 minutes...........................................................30

12. Wrap-Up - 5 minutes ......................................................................................................................30

LESSON 3 - Practice Forehand and Backhand Ground-Strokes; Learn to Rally ................................31

1. Greeting and Warm-Up - 5 minutes ...............................................................................................31

2. Review of the Previous Lesson - 5 minutes ..................................................................................31

3. Changing the grip from Forehand to Backhand and Reverse - 5 minutes ...............................31

4. Practice the Forehand and Backhand Ground-Strokes from the Service Line - 5 minutes...31

5. Water Break - 1 minute ....................................................................................................................33

6. Basic Rally (no backswing) from Service Line; the Coach feeds the Ball - 7 minutes ...........33

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LESSON 1 - Learn Forehand Ground-Stroke

1. Introduction - 5 minutes

A. Greet the new student by name as he/she enters the court (make sure you smile!

:)

B. Present yourself

Tell her how excited you are to be the one to help her learn this wonderful sport of

tennis. Talk briefly about yourself (unless the new student asks you more details)

then ask her what they expect from these lessons. Listen carefully without

interrupting!

Important: At no time, you (as a coach) should wear sunglasses when talking with

your new client (or anybody for this matter).

Coach greeting the student

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2. "First Things First" - 5 minutes

A. Court

Present the environment that tennis is played on: explain the court lines (names and

what they represent - e.g. singles line limits the singles court, service line is the limit

of the service court, net is 3 feet at the middle, etc.), where the point starts from

and the boundaries for singles and doubles.

It is important that the new player will feel comfortable with the court before

he/she begins to learn hitting the ball.

B. Racquet Elements

Explain which is the grip, neck and head (face) of the racquets.

C. Grips

Do short introductions of the main grips (continental, eastern forehand,

semi-western and western grips; eastern and semi-western backhand grips). Let the

player know that she does not have to remember them - just the ones she will learn

- based on her feel when holding the racquet (discussed later).

3. Ball, Racquet Control and Basic Footwork Drills - 7 minutes

A. You and your new student position about 6 feet from the net facing each other

(having the net between the two of you). Toss the ball back and forth catching it

after one bounce and moving side to side (from one doubles alley to the other and

back) - see the graphic below:

Tennis Drill – “Toss over the Net”

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I am not a fan of showing the students points/spots on the palm that should be

placed on certain grip bevels. The grip for the racquet should be based on what feels

right for the player with the emphasis that the strings should be facing forward at

contact.

B. Having talked about the grip, show the student a few forehand swing

demonstrations without and then with hitting the ball (bounce and hit).

6. Forehand Contact and Follow-Through - 5 minutes

Have the student position at the service line in an open stance (feet and hips facing

the net), holding the racquet at contact point (out in front, strings facing forward

and tip to the side). You are on the other side of the net, inside the service court.

Feed gentle balls to the student instructing her to begin her swing from the contact

position (no backswing), push the incoming ball then finish with the racquet over the

opposite shoulder (see pictures below this text). Emphasize the hand knuckles close

to the ear (palm facing out) and dominant elbow elevated (pointing forward) on the

finish.

Forehand Contact Point

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5. Backhand (Two-Handed) Ground-Stroke Introduction - 5 minutes

A. Demonstrate the Two-Handed Backhand by dropping balls and hitting them over

the net. Explain that it has most of the elements that she/he practiced during the

forehand except some like: both hands on the racquet, different grips etc.

B. Show your student the proper grip: right hand (if right handed) is holding the

racquet in a Continental grip and left hand, which is the dominant hand for

backhand, in an Eastern grip (see picture below).

6. Backhand Contact and Follow-Through - 5 minutes

Have the student position at the service line in a square stance (sideways to the net),

holding the racquet at contact point: out in front, strings facing forward and tip to

the side (see picture below). You are on the other side of the net, inside the service

court.

Feed gentle balls to the student instructing her to begin her swing from the contact

position (no backswing), push the incoming ball then finish with the racquet over the

opposite shoulder. Emphasize the left hand's knuckles close to the ear (palm facing

out) and elbows elevated (pointing forward) on the finish.

Two-Handed Backhand Grip

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Repeat the action until the student feels comfortable with the motion (about 25

times).

Backhand Contact

Backhand Follow-Through

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LESSON 4 - The Serve

1. Greeting and Warm-Up - 5 minutes

A. Discuss the previous lesson and answer questions that the student might have

according to the last meeting.

B. Warm-Up: a few exercises - hand-eye coordination, movement involving catching,

tracking and throwing tennis balls.

2. Serve Introduction - 5 minutes

A. The coach explains the importance of the serve and does a few serve

demonstrations from the baseline.

B. The student is instructed where the serve is delivered from and to.

3. Ball Toss - 5 minutes

A. Tossing the ball properly is essential for a good serve delivery. The Coach explains

and demonstrates some of the elements that allow a proper toss control: hold the

ball gently in the finger tips, tossing arm extended and relaxed, smooth lift of the

ball, release above eye level, opening the palm just before the let-go-of-the-ball to

avoid the wrist flick, etc.

B. Student toss practice (see picture below).

Ball Toss Release

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Repeat the preparation phase until it feels comfortable.

B. Footwork, Preparation and Catching the Ball:

You, the coach, should be on opposite side from the student, having a basket of balls

ready; the student is inside the service court, in ready position.

Let her know that you will begin feeding some high balls over the net toward her; she

should turn sideways as soon as she will see the ball going up, let the ball bounce, get

into the trophy pose then catch the ball with the non-dominant hand, moving

sideways.

Repeat the action about 5 - 10 times emphasizing that the hands should only come up

in the "trophy pose" only after the ball bounces.

c. Footwork, Preparation, Catch and Serve:

Do the previous action but this time, after catching the ball she will toss it and

execute a serve anywhere inside the opposite court.

Repeat until it feels comfortable, emphasizing the forearm pronation (wrist snap) at

contact (see picture below).

Overhead Preparation

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Footwork and Movement Drills

12. Spider Web

The player starts at the baseline center and at command, she shuffles sideways to

the left corner (of the baseline and singles side line), then shuffles along the baseline

to the other corner (right). She gets back to the baseline center from where she

sprints to the left corner of service line and singles side line; from there she back

pedals back to baseline center. She sprints straight ahead to the service-T (center

line and service line); back pedals to the baseline center. One more sprint to the

right corner of the service line and singles side line; back pedal to the baseline

center.

Repeat this patter 2-3 times depending of player's athleticism and conditioning.

Note: Do this drill as fast as you can; it is great for speed and stamina.

Tennis Drill – “Spider Web”

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