Racket and ball control games
Ready when: nothing, this is the first card.
What you are learning
A feel for the ball on the racket: holding the bottom of the handle, bumping the ball up on the strings, carrying it, rolling it and bouncing it down. Children who can control the ball on the racket learn strokes much faster.
Words on this card Grip, Strings, Bump-up
- Grip
- How you hold the racket, and the part you hold.
- Strings
- The strung face of the racket.
- Bump-up
- Bouncing the ball up on the racket.
Show it first for the one teaching
- Hold the racket at the bottom of the handle, strings facing up.
- Bump the ball up a little, again and again, and count.
- Rest the ball on the strings and walk round a cone; then bounce it down on the ground with the racket.
Your part while they practise
Count; give a new game when interest drops.
Step by step
- Hold the bottom of the handle.
- Bump the ball up on the strings and count.
- Walk with the ball resting on the strings round the cones.
- Roll the ball along the ground with the racket.
- Bounce it down with the racket.
How much: 5 tries of each 10 min a session 4 days a week
Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.
The game: Carry relay
Carry the ball on the strings to a cone and back, then hand the racket to the next player.
Who plays: 2 or more in teams, or one child against their own time; you time.
How to play, turn by turn
- Turns
- Put a cone 5 m away
- Carry the ball on the strings round the cone and back
- Hand the racket and ball to the next player
- 3 rounds each
- Fair play
- A grown-up carries with the weaker hand.
- Points
- 2 points for each carry with no drop; 1 point for a carry with one drop picked up.
- Fouls
- That carry scores nothing
- Holding the ball on with the other hand
- Gripping near the head of the racket
- Running so fast you bump into others
- Winning
- The team or player with the most points after 3 rounds.
- 2 points for 1 star
- 4 points for 2 stars
- 6 points for 3 stars
Easier or harder
A bigger ball or a plate.
Walk faster, or switch hands.
What you will see, and what to say
- the child grips near the head
Hold the bottom of the handle
End of the grip. - the eyes drop
Eyes on the ball
Watch it.
Self-check
10 bump-ups in a row and a 10-step ball carry.
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 racket control, balance.
awiseathlete.com/sports/tennis/tennis-b1