Bounce, juggle, catch
Ready when: nothing needed.
What you are learning
A feel for the ball on the racket: bouncing it up off the strings, then down to the ground, and sending it to a partner. Controlling the soft ball comes before any stroke.
Words on this card Racket face
- Racket face
- The flat, strung part of the racket that hits the ball.
Show it first for the one teaching
- Hold the racket flat, face up, and tap the ball up a little, again and again.
- Turn the face down and bounce the ball on the ground.
- Tap the ball gently across to a partner, who taps it back.
Your part while they practise
Count aloud; join in the two-ball games.
Step by step
- Bounce the ball up on the racket face.
- Then bounce it down onto the ground.
- Juggle two balls.
- Side-steps in between.
How much: 3 rounds 10 min a session 3 days a week
Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.
The game: Back and forth
Send the ball to a partner with no bounce, then with one bounce; count the hits in a row.
Who plays: 2 together against their own best.
How to play, turn by turn
- Turns
- Stand 2 m apart
- Tap the ball to each other in the air, no bounce
- Count the hits until it drops
- Then allow one bounce on each side. 3 tries of each
- Fair play
- A grown-up hits with the other hand.
- Points
- 1 point for each hit in a row.
- Fouls
- The count stops
- Two hits in a row by the same player
- Catching with the hand
- A hit that makes the partner move more than 2 steps
- Winning
- Beat your best count.
- 5 points for 1 star
- 10 points for 2 stars
- 20 points for 3 stars
Easier or harder
A bigger, slower ball.
Two balls at once.
What you will see, and what to say
- the ball flies off
Flat face, small taps
Little taps. - eyes leave the ball
Watch it onto the strings
Eyes on the ball.
Self-check
20 bounces in a row on the racket.
Fitness for this
Warm up first: how to warm up, at workonfitness.com. For strength and stretching, its exercise library shows each exercise step by step, with an easier version.
This card trains ball feel, coordination.
awiseathlete.com/sports/soft-tennis/soft-tennis-b2