Wiggle those hips!
Young children often do not like relays. I came up with the ideal of Wiggle Those Hips one day when music was playing and I was moving my hips to the music. The children could not stop laughing t my dancing abilities. I implemented Wiggles Those Hips into a relay.
Set a cone or basket about 20 yards away. Divide the children into teams and pick a basic skill like bouncing the ball on the racquet. When they run to the cone, they put their racquets and balls down and wiggle their hips. Then they pick up their racquets and balls and return to the line. They love it!
(Originally appeared in ADDvantage magazine, March 1998)
Show me your baby face!
We all want children to have a good time with clinics. Laughing, smiling, and joking around is always a sign kids are having fun. Have you ever played games in which you give the player a second chance? For example when I play a game called “Around the world.” I will give each player a second chance. However, in order for them to get that second chance, they will have to make a baby face. This really works. The parents who are watching the kids get a kick out of it and the players and teachers always laugh.
(Originally appeared in ADDvantage magazine, December 1998)
David Minihan is the author of acclaimed book Coaching Your Tennis Champion
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Monday, October 29, 2007
Ways to Make Your Program Fun
A program is only as fun as you make it. Juniors in the three to ten age range do not enjoy standing in line for three minutes or longer waiting to hit two balls and then go to the end of the line. Players can learn mechanics and work on their motor skills by playing fun games and using teaching aids such as foam balls, the serving doctor and hula hoops. Instructors also play a huge part in making it fun for players. Instructors have to be full of energy when teaching this age group. They are ultimately the one who is responsible for the player deciding whether they like tennis or not.
Using teaching aids to help teach your students is important for the success of your program. Kids will enjoy aids such as the hula hoop, the serving doctor or simply laughing at you because you are wearing a funny hat. The equipment is a vital part of the kids having fun and laughing. Also, with all the equipment spread out on your courts, parents will appreciate your efforts in going to all lengths to make sure their child is getting 100% from you as the instructor.
Kids love to get praise whether it is a “high five” or receiving prizes. Positive reinforcement is the key to instructing children and prizes are a great way to accomplish this. Prizes add spice to the program and keep the children interested and motivated. Recognition really is essential in making your program a success. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing the look on a player’s face when receiving a prize for their achievement. The student will be excited to go home and tell their parents they won a prize! Some prizes can include candy (no gum!), colorful pencils, stickers, t-shirts, trophies, certificates, coloring books for younger children and a new racket.
A lot of drills are only as fun as the instructor makes them. For this age group, the instructors have to be energetic, vocal, and patient. They also need to love kids and give a lot of “high-fives!” Children respond well with instructors who can make them smile, laugh and have a great time. Instructors will make a huge impression on children. We all remember certain school teachers that stood out from the rest whether it was good or bad. The key is that we remember! We do not want the students to remember the sport of tennis as being a bad experience because their instructor was not nice. If an instructor’s attitude is bad it might have a long term affect on the players’ participation in tennis. Make sure all instructors are energetic, look players in the eye, smile, laugh, give “high-fives” and offer plenty of positive reinforcement!
Equipment, recognizing players’ achievements and quality instructors are all extremely important for the success of your program. Say good bye to the days of players standing in line, hitting four balls and having the instructor say nothing or something in a boring tone. The use of fun equipment, giving out tons of prizes and an energetic instructor will be beneficial to your program and will hopefully inspire players to make tennis the sport of a lifetime!
David Minihan, director of tennis, is author of acclaimed book Coaching Your Tennis Champion (Mansion Grove House). He is in his 10th year operating Westwood Tennis Center in Norman, Okla. His junior programming reaches hundreds of students each year and has prepared several for collegiate play.
Using teaching aids to help teach your students is important for the success of your program. Kids will enjoy aids such as the hula hoop, the serving doctor or simply laughing at you because you are wearing a funny hat. The equipment is a vital part of the kids having fun and laughing. Also, with all the equipment spread out on your courts, parents will appreciate your efforts in going to all lengths to make sure their child is getting 100% from you as the instructor.
Kids love to get praise whether it is a “high five” or receiving prizes. Positive reinforcement is the key to instructing children and prizes are a great way to accomplish this. Prizes add spice to the program and keep the children interested and motivated. Recognition really is essential in making your program a success. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing the look on a player’s face when receiving a prize for their achievement. The student will be excited to go home and tell their parents they won a prize! Some prizes can include candy (no gum!), colorful pencils, stickers, t-shirts, trophies, certificates, coloring books for younger children and a new racket.
A lot of drills are only as fun as the instructor makes them. For this age group, the instructors have to be energetic, vocal, and patient. They also need to love kids and give a lot of “high-fives!” Children respond well with instructors who can make them smile, laugh and have a great time. Instructors will make a huge impression on children. We all remember certain school teachers that stood out from the rest whether it was good or bad. The key is that we remember! We do not want the students to remember the sport of tennis as being a bad experience because their instructor was not nice. If an instructor’s attitude is bad it might have a long term affect on the players’ participation in tennis. Make sure all instructors are energetic, look players in the eye, smile, laugh, give “high-fives” and offer plenty of positive reinforcement!
Equipment, recognizing players’ achievements and quality instructors are all extremely important for the success of your program. Say good bye to the days of players standing in line, hitting four balls and having the instructor say nothing or something in a boring tone. The use of fun equipment, giving out tons of prizes and an energetic instructor will be beneficial to your program and will hopefully inspire players to make tennis the sport of a lifetime!
David Minihan, director of tennis, is author of acclaimed book Coaching Your Tennis Champion (Mansion Grove House). He is in his 10th year operating Westwood Tennis Center in Norman, Okla. His junior programming reaches hundreds of students each year and has prepared several for collegiate play.
Player To Watch Program
The Player to Watch program was designed to keep promising juniors from turning to other sports due to a lack of attention
Tennis professionals teaching at a facility where there are a large number of juniors will appreciate this program. A common problem for these facilities is having a huge number of juniors in their development programs. While this is obviously a good problem to have, unfortunately, many juniors tend to get lost in the crowd. The Player to Watch program was established to effectively and efficiently solve this problem. It was designed to prevent promising juniors from turning to other sports due to a lack of attention.
What is the Player to Watch program?In this program, the teaching professional creates a workout schedule for each junior. A monthly schedule is given to the player at the beginning of the season. A tennis activity congruent with each junior’s level of play will be assigned to each day of the month. The following is an example of a one-week schedule:
Day 1: 10 – 11 a.m. / Ball machine1:30 – 3 p.m. / Intermediate drills - Reminder: Open tourney deadline
Day 2: 9 – 9:30 a.m. / Serves 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. / Hit around with a peer1:30 – 3 p.m. / Intermediate drills
Day 3: 10 – 11 a.m. / Private lesson1:30 – 3 p.m. / Intermediate drills
Day 4: 11:30 a.m. – noon / Stroke focus with assistant pro, 1:30 – 3 p.m. / Intermediate drills
Day 5: 2 – 3:30 p.m. / Match day vs. a peer
Day 6: TBA / Open tournament
Day 7: Day off
A good way to distribute Player to Watch fliers to recruit juniors is through high school and junior high coaches. The fliers should be due back within three to four weeks of the start of the program. This will allow you enough time to plan a schedule for each player.
Once all the fliers are returned, you can synchronize the workouts. For example, team two players of equal ability to play a match against each other or team two advanced players to drill each other.
The schedules will also need to be synchronized around the junior’s vacations and other activities. In order to aid in this process and allow their families the flexibility of last-minute plans, schedules should be made for one month at a time, especially in the summer season. The following information should be requested in the fliers in order to complete the schedules with as few conflicts as possible:
Name, address, phone number, school
Dates of junior development drills planning to attend
Dates and times of any private lessons scheduled
Vacation dates
Work or other related time conflicts
Once you have completed the workout schedule, you will need to get the schedule back to the player no later than a week before the workouts begin. You need to make sure you inform the player they need to call you as soon as possible if there is a scheduling conflict.
What is the cost of the program?Charge a flat fee for the effort of compiling a schedule. In addition to this fee, players must pay for usage of the ball machine, private lessons, drills and stroke focus. It is very important the parents understand that the flat fee does not include the additional programs. The following is an example:
Player to Watch program $30 per month
Private lesson $30 per hour
Ball machine $5 per hour
Drills $40 per week
Stroke focus with a pro $5 per half hour
Make sure the cost of each activity they are scheduled for is indicated in the first schedule to avoid a misunderstanding. This will allow them time to eliminate parts of the schedule that are not in their budget. While a parent does not typically eliminate any part of the schedule for financial reasons, there could be potential difficulties with the parent if you do not clearly explain the additional costs involved.
The schedule componentsStroke focus: This tends to be the most popular part of the workout schedule with the juniors. There are a couple of reasons for this. One is the price of $5 per half hour. The majority of teaching pros usually charge $12-$20 per half hour, but this is a great way to show your clients it is not always about money. Charge the players $5 as a “tip” for the assistants to drill them. This is a great way for the assistants to pick up more private lessons in the future. The most important reason for the success of the stroke focus is that it is a teaching pro and not a friend who is drilling the juniors. They are getting valuable instruction as well as avoiding the temptations of joking around. One important note – the only people eligible for the stroke focus are Player to Watch students!
Match days: Every teaching pro knows the importance of match play. It is not as difficult or time-consuming as you might think. As mentioned earlier, once you get all the fliers back, pair players of equal ability to play each other. You will also find that adults will enjoy playing against your juniors.
Tournaments: Putting tournaments on the schedule is a tremendous plus. However, make it the players’ responsibility to send in their applications for each tournament. Schedule tournaments that will be a good fit for each particular player to play in based on level and scheduling conflicts. You might also make note on the schedule of the other Player to Watch players who are participating in that same tournament in case they are interested in a car pool. The greatest advantage of scheduling tournaments for the players is that it ensures the juniors play in the required amount of tournaments to receive a ranking.
Miscellaneous Activities: The remaining parts of scheduling are quite easy. Serves, ball machine usage, and “hit around with a friend” go a long way. You could also add a conditioning program with weight and endurance training.
Player to Watch – A benefit to high school coaches. At the end of the season, grade each player and give his or her high school coach a report. The following is what you should include in the coaches report:
Work ethic grade (Did that player show up for everything on his or her schedule? If not, did they call and cancel? Did they give 100 percent to everything on the schedule?)
Results of match days
Tournament results
CONCLUSION: Note player improvements and the specific areas where he or she needs to develop further
The high school coaches, as well as the junior high coaches, will appreciate your efforts. It is a great way for the coaches to know who played during the summer (or whatever season you chose) and who did not. If the high school coach requires their players to play a certain number of tournaments, the Player to Watch schedule will help the players make sure they fulfill the requirements, and the school coach will be informed of the results.
Chart the players and post it on a bulletin board. A chart is a great way of getting students interested in what the other players are achieving. Reward each player points for his or her efforts on the court. Everyone will receive points in this program as long as they show up and complete the scheduled activities. The chart gets kids excited and their competitive juices start flowing. Juniors can earn bonus points by playing additional matches, drilling, attending stroke focuses, etc., outside of their scheduled activities.
While this program requires some time and effort, it does not require as much as you would think. Plus, the rewards are greater than the effort required. It is fantastic to see your tennis center or club full of junior players excited about the game. In addition, not only will the Player to Watch program bring players to your tennis facility, but now you will also have a tool with which to monitor their progress. If the director of junior development at your facility gets too busy, an assistant pro can help make the monthly schedules. A certain number of players can be assigned to each pro. This is a proven program that has had a great deal of success. Give it a try – you will be impressed, as will be the parents, the players and the school coaches.
David Minihan, director of tennis, is author of acclaimed book Coaching Your Tennis Champion (Mansion Grove House). He is in his 10th year operating Westwood Tennis Center in Norman, Okla. His junior programming reaches hundreds of students each year and has prepared several for collegiate play. This article was originally printed in ADDvantage magazine, February 2002.
Tennis professionals teaching at a facility where there are a large number of juniors will appreciate this program. A common problem for these facilities is having a huge number of juniors in their development programs. While this is obviously a good problem to have, unfortunately, many juniors tend to get lost in the crowd. The Player to Watch program was established to effectively and efficiently solve this problem. It was designed to prevent promising juniors from turning to other sports due to a lack of attention.
What is the Player to Watch program?In this program, the teaching professional creates a workout schedule for each junior. A monthly schedule is given to the player at the beginning of the season. A tennis activity congruent with each junior’s level of play will be assigned to each day of the month. The following is an example of a one-week schedule:
Day 1: 10 – 11 a.m. / Ball machine1:30 – 3 p.m. / Intermediate drills - Reminder: Open tourney deadline
Day 2: 9 – 9:30 a.m. / Serves 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. / Hit around with a peer1:30 – 3 p.m. / Intermediate drills
Day 3: 10 – 11 a.m. / Private lesson1:30 – 3 p.m. / Intermediate drills
Day 4: 11:30 a.m. – noon / Stroke focus with assistant pro, 1:30 – 3 p.m. / Intermediate drills
Day 5: 2 – 3:30 p.m. / Match day vs. a peer
Day 6: TBA / Open tournament
Day 7: Day off
A good way to distribute Player to Watch fliers to recruit juniors is through high school and junior high coaches. The fliers should be due back within three to four weeks of the start of the program. This will allow you enough time to plan a schedule for each player.
Once all the fliers are returned, you can synchronize the workouts. For example, team two players of equal ability to play a match against each other or team two advanced players to drill each other.
The schedules will also need to be synchronized around the junior’s vacations and other activities. In order to aid in this process and allow their families the flexibility of last-minute plans, schedules should be made for one month at a time, especially in the summer season. The following information should be requested in the fliers in order to complete the schedules with as few conflicts as possible:
Name, address, phone number, school
Dates of junior development drills planning to attend
Dates and times of any private lessons scheduled
Vacation dates
Work or other related time conflicts
Once you have completed the workout schedule, you will need to get the schedule back to the player no later than a week before the workouts begin. You need to make sure you inform the player they need to call you as soon as possible if there is a scheduling conflict.
What is the cost of the program?Charge a flat fee for the effort of compiling a schedule. In addition to this fee, players must pay for usage of the ball machine, private lessons, drills and stroke focus. It is very important the parents understand that the flat fee does not include the additional programs. The following is an example:
Player to Watch program $30 per month
Private lesson $30 per hour
Ball machine $5 per hour
Drills $40 per week
Stroke focus with a pro $5 per half hour
Make sure the cost of each activity they are scheduled for is indicated in the first schedule to avoid a misunderstanding. This will allow them time to eliminate parts of the schedule that are not in their budget. While a parent does not typically eliminate any part of the schedule for financial reasons, there could be potential difficulties with the parent if you do not clearly explain the additional costs involved.
The schedule componentsStroke focus: This tends to be the most popular part of the workout schedule with the juniors. There are a couple of reasons for this. One is the price of $5 per half hour. The majority of teaching pros usually charge $12-$20 per half hour, but this is a great way to show your clients it is not always about money. Charge the players $5 as a “tip” for the assistants to drill them. This is a great way for the assistants to pick up more private lessons in the future. The most important reason for the success of the stroke focus is that it is a teaching pro and not a friend who is drilling the juniors. They are getting valuable instruction as well as avoiding the temptations of joking around. One important note – the only people eligible for the stroke focus are Player to Watch students!
Match days: Every teaching pro knows the importance of match play. It is not as difficult or time-consuming as you might think. As mentioned earlier, once you get all the fliers back, pair players of equal ability to play each other. You will also find that adults will enjoy playing against your juniors.
Tournaments: Putting tournaments on the schedule is a tremendous plus. However, make it the players’ responsibility to send in their applications for each tournament. Schedule tournaments that will be a good fit for each particular player to play in based on level and scheduling conflicts. You might also make note on the schedule of the other Player to Watch players who are participating in that same tournament in case they are interested in a car pool. The greatest advantage of scheduling tournaments for the players is that it ensures the juniors play in the required amount of tournaments to receive a ranking.
Miscellaneous Activities: The remaining parts of scheduling are quite easy. Serves, ball machine usage, and “hit around with a friend” go a long way. You could also add a conditioning program with weight and endurance training.
Player to Watch – A benefit to high school coaches. At the end of the season, grade each player and give his or her high school coach a report. The following is what you should include in the coaches report:
Work ethic grade (Did that player show up for everything on his or her schedule? If not, did they call and cancel? Did they give 100 percent to everything on the schedule?)
Results of match days
Tournament results
CONCLUSION: Note player improvements and the specific areas where he or she needs to develop further
The high school coaches, as well as the junior high coaches, will appreciate your efforts. It is a great way for the coaches to know who played during the summer (or whatever season you chose) and who did not. If the high school coach requires their players to play a certain number of tournaments, the Player to Watch schedule will help the players make sure they fulfill the requirements, and the school coach will be informed of the results.
Chart the players and post it on a bulletin board. A chart is a great way of getting students interested in what the other players are achieving. Reward each player points for his or her efforts on the court. Everyone will receive points in this program as long as they show up and complete the scheduled activities. The chart gets kids excited and their competitive juices start flowing. Juniors can earn bonus points by playing additional matches, drilling, attending stroke focuses, etc., outside of their scheduled activities.
While this program requires some time and effort, it does not require as much as you would think. Plus, the rewards are greater than the effort required. It is fantastic to see your tennis center or club full of junior players excited about the game. In addition, not only will the Player to Watch program bring players to your tennis facility, but now you will also have a tool with which to monitor their progress. If the director of junior development at your facility gets too busy, an assistant pro can help make the monthly schedules. A certain number of players can be assigned to each pro. This is a proven program that has had a great deal of success. Give it a try – you will be impressed, as will be the parents, the players and the school coaches.
David Minihan, director of tennis, is author of acclaimed book Coaching Your Tennis Champion (Mansion Grove House). He is in his 10th year operating Westwood Tennis Center in Norman, Okla. His junior programming reaches hundreds of students each year and has prepared several for collegiate play. This article was originally printed in ADDvantage magazine, February 2002.
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