There are three main elements to making a great drill for the beginning tennis player. First off you don’t call it a drill, instead call it a game. When we think about games we automatically associate it with a competition and competition is both engaging and fun. The next important consideration is the difficulty of the drill. You never want to start with something that is too difficult for a new player’s individual skill level because they will become frustrated incredibly easy. It is always the responsibility of the coach or instructor to assess the level at which they think a student can perform. In the case that your judgement is wrong then you need to be able to modify the drill or competition to better fit the student. Don’t try to force a higher level of instruction on the student than they can actually learn from and understand.
Let’s Play a Game
These are the famous words of every tennis coach that is sneakily trying to introduce a drill that his students might otherwise groan at. The positive connotation behind a “game” is only part of the battle though. You need to present the rules and goals of the competition in a way that sounds fun and interesting to the students. Don’t tell them that you are going to play a game that involves standing in one place and hitting 20 forehands in a row. Depending on the age group the name of the game can also be a big selling point. Around the world is possibly one of the most boring tennis drills for beginners I’ve ever seen in my life, but kids all around the world absolutely love it. Give around the world a try and you’ll see what I mean. Rules for how to play the game can be found at TennisShoeView. Any game that you choose should involve lots of moving and interaction with the students.
Small Class Sizes are Better
It’s true you want to have enough students to compete with each other and allow them to interact. You need to be careful about taking on anymore than around six students at once though, because this is point where your students will start going through long periods of waiting before they actually get to hit any balls. A tennis lesson that doesn’t involve hitting a lot of balls isn’t just bad, it’s a tragedy. Don’t allow this to happen to any of your classes as it’s very easy for things to fall out of control when you begin to add one or two more students at a time.
Encouragement and Feedback
Sometimes students don’t seem to respond to feedback, but don’t be fooled. Always providing positive critique of the students play and making small suggestions of how they can improve is an integral part of the instruction process. Give only small amounts of critical feedback coupled with a lot of positive reinforcement and encouraging comments like “good shot!” or “good footwork!”. These basic compliments will build a students self confidence and give them a greater sense of satisfaction at the end of the lesson.