Coaching children 10 and under with a disability in a multi-sport program

This paper reports on a review of an Australian-based physical education program (including tennis) for children with a disability aged 10 and under. Key features of, and strategies in, this program are highlighted. Implications for coaches to provide inclusive and modified programs for children aged 10 and under are discussed.

Building foundations for the future: A case study with LTA Youth

This article discusses modern challenges experienced when developing tennis players including low levels of physical literacy. It then outlines the needs of a young child and learning strategies that can be used. A brief overview of some practical strategies for engaging early years participants, using a player-centred approach, are shared using examples from LTA Youth with explanations of how each exercise integrates key principles to attract and retain early years participants.

Características cognitivas y emocionales en jugadores de tenis en etapa de descubrimiento (4 a 6 años)

La huella que el entrenador/a deja en un niño/a en sus primeras interacciones con la raqueta es crucial y determinante en cómo este experimentará el deporte en etapas posteriores. A través de este artículo expondremos características cognitivas y emocionales que consideramos que el entrenador/a ha de conocer en pro de contribuir a un desarrollo tenístico, social y emocional pleno de sus alumnos/as. Acompañadas todas ellas de sugerencias de aplicación a las sesiones de pista.

Le discours interne optimise les effets positifs de l’imagerie mentale lors de l’apprentissage du service chez des debutants

L’objectif de cette étude exploratoire était de tester les effets, au cours d’un stage d’une semaine, d’une combinaison d’imagerie mentale (s’imaginer se voir réaliser un service) et de discours interne cognitif (portant sur les instructions pour servir) sur le pourcentage de réussite et la qualité technique du service de joueurs débutants au tennis dans le but d’apporter des recommandations pratiques aux entraîneurs. Les résultats montrent une amélioration supplémentaire de la performance des services quand l’imagerie mentale est associée au discours interne.

El empleo del tenis para la adquisición de competencias transversales en los Centros de Educación Primaria

El principal objetivo de este artículo es dar a conocer la potencialidad del tenis en la escuela, más concretamente en la Educación Primaria, para el desarrollo la mejora de aspectos tan importantes como el rendimiento académico o el desarrollo físico-motriz afectivo, emocional y social. En este sentido, se exponen, a modo de ejemplo, juegos para desarrollar temas transversales, como la igualdad de género, la educación para la paz, la educación para el consumo responsable y el desarrollo sostenible, y la educación para la salud.

Cornerstones of teaching tennis for children aged four to six years

The first tennis training stage, which usually takes place between four and six years of age, cannot simply follow an adult training regime with quantitatively reduced loads. Training should account for children’s cognitive, emotional, social, physical and motor development. This article highlights the cornerstones of early tennis teaching, including fundamental motor skills, which help to develop more complex motor actions, and motor abilities, especially strength fitness, which determines posture, jumping, running and throws. This is achieved through fun plays and games, which should include various coordination tasks providing motor experiences and develop more complex actions in future.

Contribución del tenis a la alfabetización motriz de los 4 a los 6 años

El tenis contribuye a la alfabetización motriz de sus practicantes ya desde las primeras etapas de formación. La adaptación del material, el espacio y la metodología deben permitir que el deportista aprenda de manera sencilla y cercana a sus aptitudes que están en proceso de desarrollo progresivo. La coordinación general y específica juegan un rol relevante en todo este proceso ya que van a permitir al deportista una mayor y mejor capacidad de adaptación y resolución a nuevas situaciones de aprendizaje, y esto lo podemos facilitar con prácticas polideportivas. También debemos tener en cuenta los aspectos sociales y emocionales que acompañan a todo proceso de mejora en el tenis, respectando los ritmos y estilos de aprendizaje de cada deportista.

Skill transfer through multi-sport play: A tennis and hockey example

The concept of “skill transfer” is introduced with the sports of ice hockey and tennis as examples. Skill transfer is addressed with a backdrop and understanding that it is based on existing concepts that have been researched significantly over the past few decades. They include Physical Literacy, Early Sport Specialization and Long-Term Athlete Development. Specific commonalities and skill benefits are highlighted. This inclusive, unified approach may serve as a catalyst to a better understanding of the benefits of skill transfer as well as the benefits of learning physical activities through two sport examples on multiple surfaces.

Emotions in young tennis players: a new tennis-specific scale

To understand and assess responses related to the inadequate management of emotions in tennis competition, it has been developed the “Scale Perception Emotion Tennis” (SPET). This article will describe how the SPET tool could represent a first step in the direction of increasing awareness of the players and could be used by the coaches to compare their perception of the player’s emotions with the one of their athletes.

Practical coaching applications for children in the four to six-year-old range: Perspectives from the USTA’s American Development Model

The principles discussed in this article have been designed for junior players of all ages and abilities, and therefore, are translational to 10 and under tennis. These are the same principles that are represented in the USTA’s American Development Model (ADM). The theory behind the principles will be represented and then practical applications will be put forward that are pertinent to 4-6-year-olds and speak to long-term athletic development. The overall premise of the ADM is to attract, engage, and retain young players (4-6 years old) and keep them playing for a lifetime.