Modified tennis isn’t new…. the equipment has been around for a long time. Coaches have used parts of this program for years, weather it is the size of the racquet, the compression of the tennis ball, the size of the tennis court or the name of the program. The difference this time is that all these components have been brought together in a much more methodical approach with the ANZ Tennis Hot Shots program for kids aged 3-10.
The capability of the ANZ Tennis Hot Shots program is that it allows players to play quickly and successfully in a smart and fun way. All lessons are constructed around the philosophy of “learning through play” which will keep kids constantly involved and engaged with lots of cooperative partner activities. These activities are used to challenge kids to develop their skills every week. Every phase has different modified equipment, weather it be the racquet, the ball or the size of the court, to support successful and continued development.
So what is the High Performance Tennis ANZ Hot Shots program?
The complete ANZ Tennis Hot Shot program is made up of physical development, developmental practice and competitive opportunities. The combination of these elements will effectively increase the ability to maximise the child’s tennis development, weather that will be social or developmental. The program includes:
- Physical development: Fundamental and Perceptual motor skills (throw, run, catch, balance, strike, jump, tracking, agility, coordination) and various sports.
- Tennis training: group lessons, private lessons and match play.
- Competition: tournaments (Junior Development Series and intra-club) and leagues.
Practice Sessions
The program is made up of two types of practices:
- Development practice: The main focus is the development of tennis fundamentals through the most common game-based situations required for long-term development and success.
- Competitive practice: The main focus is on competing with a tactical theme.
How long will it take to progress from each stage?
Red Ball: The three level program has been designed such that an average player will need 2 years (36 weeks per year) to acquire the skills required to meet the standards for all levels.
Orange Ball: The two level program has been designed such that an average player will need 2 years (36 weeks per year) to acquire the skills required to meet the standards for all levels.
Please note that this is only an average length for kids to progress and meet all the required competencies. Kids that participate in more than one session per week, weather that is a second group session, private lesson, practice with parents or competition will potentially progress at a quicker rate than a child that may only participate once a week during the summer months.
What do we look at during the sessions?
- Technical development:
- Fundamentals (grip, set-up, contact point, hitting zone, recovery)
- Fundamentals (grip, set-up, contact point, hitting zone, recovery)
- Tactical development:
- Game situations (rallying with height, control and direction, decision-making, consistency)
- Physical development:
- Fundamental motor skills (balance, coordination, etc.)
- Psychological development:
- Enjoyment, engagement, social skills, problem solving
How are the sessions set up?
All activities are based around “learning through play.” There are three components to every activity:
- Serve (variation could be an underarm or overarm throw, a self-feed forehand or backhand, or an overarm serve)
- Rally (this could be a simple throw and catch, 3-ball rally or any length rally)
- Scoring (variations could be a using pegs or beanbags after achieving a task, simple 1, 2, 3… scoring, or traditional scoring… 15/0, 30/0, 30/15, etc.)
When will my child be ready for competition?
Once your child is in Orange Ball, High Performance Tennis encourages all participants to play Junior Competition for ETKG Tennis Club in the Eastern Districts Tennis Association.
There are also competitions based around participation at all levels of the ANZ Tennis Hot Shots program (Red, Orange and Green).
Start you tennis journey today by contacting High Performance Tennis and sign up for your FREE Intro Lesson* (*for new participants only).
