Skills Competition

1. Organization

  • Try to arrange an even number of teams.

5-8 players per team

2. Volunteers

  • One volunteer/captainfor each team.
  • One volunteer to lead each activity.

3. Activities

  • Choose activities that you have done with the players so they are familiar with the activity.
  • Activities can be found in Rally and Play Book received at USTA Ten and Under or Recreational Coaches Workshop.
  • Activities can be found on the USTA websites.
  • Base the level of activity on the level of your players.
  • Be creative
  • Example: Zip-Zip Rally (rally with movement)
  • Koosh ball pass - with a tennis ball to make difficult.
  • Last activity be a "Team Game" built for fun!

4. Actual competition

  • Each activity is a station
  • Set up each station with appropriate equipment
  • Each team competes against another team at each station.
  • Demo the activity before you begin.
  • Time each activity (2 min) or "First to...(a given number)"
  • Team captain records the score on the score sheet for each player.
  • After stations are completed, play the team game.
  • Relay Races
  • Tag-Team Singles for longest rally.
  • Bucket Head

Ask for 6 volunteers to play the match: 4 Volunteers to lead the stations.

Sample Match: Stations: Self Rallies (Flip Cones)

Toss - Hit - Catch backhands

Knock Out

Tag Team Singles (cooperative)

Sample Season of 10 & under Team Activities

WEEK 1

Team Name / Jacks / Cone Catch / Lobster Trap / Team
Survivor / Roll Ball Tennis Singles / Inch Worm

WEEK 2

Team Name / Tennis Hockey / Self Rallies
(Flip cones) / Toss, Hit, Catch - Forehands / One Bounce
Two Bounce / Throw Ball Tennis / Don't Drop the Egg

WEEK 3

Team Name / Koosh Ball Passes – Backhands / Splat / Team Rallies With a coach / Rally with a partner over a net / Tag Team Singles
Cooperative / Waiter/
Waitress

WEEK 4

Team Name / Toss, Hit, Catch – Backhands / Self Rallies
(Flip cone) / Serve Toss
Bounce off racquet / Pick a Card / 10 Ball Take / Racquet Quickness

WEEK 5

Team Name / Toss, Volley Catch / Wall Rallies / Serve and Trap / Star Catcher / Bulldozers and Builders

WEEK 6

Team Name / Serve To Play / Zip Zip Rally / Knock Out / Star Catcher / Racquet Run

SAMPLE ACTIVITIES

Jacks: The player tosses the ball up and lets it bounce, bumps it up with the racquet one time and catches it - "onesies". The player then attempts to tap it up twice - "twosies" and so on. Score is the highest number of Jacks completed.

Cone Catch: The players stand across from each other either across the net or 8 to 10 feet apart. One player has a cone and the other player a racquet. The player with the racquet drop hits the ball to his/her partner who catches the ball with the cone. When time is called the team with the most catches is the winner, or each team receives one point for every catch.

Lobster Rally/Trap: The players stand 8 to 10 feet apart, with one player holding 2 racquets, on in each hand, and the partner with one ball. The player with the ball (the tosser) makes an easy underhand toss and the player with the racquets (the lobster) catches the ball after the bounce by trapping the ball between both racquets, After trapping the ball, the player turns sideways, drops the ball from the racquets and hits the ball back to the tosser.

Variation: Half pound lobster – player underhand tosses the ball to a partner who traps it on their racquet, then drop hits it back to the partner who catches the ball off the bounce.

Tennis Hockey: Teams stand on two different lines. Two cones are placed about 3 feet beyond the end of the line. Keeping the ball close to their racquets, the players tap the ball (bounce down) along the line trying to keep the ball on the line. (or them must walk on the line) When they get to the end, they must try to score a goal for their team by hitting the ball between the two cones. Each goal is a point for their team.

Self Rallies (flip cone): Players tosses the ball up, let it bounce, bump it up with racquet continuously try to hit a target. Point for every time they hit the target.

Toss, Hit, Catch Forehands: Player underhand tosses the ball to his/her partner who attempts to catch the ball. Switch jobs either at a set time or after a certain number of catches. Points for each catch.

Bull's-eye: Hang hoops and/or banners at different heights against the back fence and have players serve or drop hit balls at the targets. Smaller and more challenging targets can be given greater point value.

Tunnel Ball – Player 1 with out ball turns back to player 2. Player 2 rolls the ball between the legs of player 1. Player 1 runs down the ball & catches it.

Serve-Toss-Bounce off Racquet: Players have a racquet at their feet, positioned where the ball would drop for a serve toss. They must toss the ball and let it bounce. If it bounces off the racquet they win a point.

Serve to Play: Mark 4 serving spots from baseline to net. Partner holds four balls. Server serves one time from each spot. One point for each good serve. Switch jobs after the 4 balls.

Knock Out: Players rally at target of 8-10 cones. Each time they hit a cone, that cone is removed from the cluster. At the end of the time limit the player who has hit the most cones wins. Could also be used to help focus on depth, down the line or cross court shots.

Splat: Rally with partner to a target but this time the target is made up of four tennis balls constructed in a pyramid – if you don’t have enough balls use one ball or a flip cone, poly spot, etc. All balls must be hit up head level and the team scores a point every time they hit a shot that knocks the pyramid down.

Zip-Zip Rally: Players begin at baseline. Partners rally across the alley. As they rally they move towards the net.

Easy: When they reach the net, they tap the ball into a bucket. Point for every ball in the bucket.

Hard: When they reach the net, one player goes around the net post and now the rally continues across the net, when they reach the end of the net again the other player goes around the net post and they continue to rally down the alley. The rally never stops even when players are going around the net post.

Team Games

Team Survivor (Jail): Players line up on one side of the net (the island), and drop and hit a ball over the net - or hit from a toss made by a coach. If the ball goes over the net, the player stays on the island and goes to the end of the line. If the player misses, he is off the island and goes across the net, where he will try to catch a ball. If he catches the ball in the air, everyone on his team gets to return to the island. If the ball is caught after one or two bounces, only that player goes back to the island. The team that has the most survivors at the end of time wins the game. Variation: Players must hit the ball over the net and in the court. If they miss they go to the net post closest to them. If the next teammate hits the ball over the net and in the court they can return to the island. If the next player misses, they, too are at the net post. The team that has the most survivors at the end of time wins the game.

Roll Ball Tennis (Singles): Players/ teams roll the ball back and forth using racquets

Players are teamed up (A1 and A2, B1 and B2) and facing each other on opposite sides of the barrier tape. This can also be done without barrier tape. Each team starts with one ball that they roll back and forth (A1 to A2, B1 to B2). When time is called the team that has rolled it back and forth the greatest number of times is the winner .or each team receives one point for every rally.

For younger players you can adjust the distance or set a specific goal for number of rallies.

One Bounce-Two Bounce: One player tosses the ball underhand over the net and calls out "one" or "two". The other player must allow the ball to bounce that number of times before trapping the ball. Point for every successful trap.

The Hardest Game in the World – For advanced players that have the urge to blast the ball. Rally a ball back and forth, but you call out a number, and the players have to let the ball bounce that many times before hitting it back. Builds control in your players. Throw Ball Tennis: Simulates real match conditions and strategy. Two players are on each side of the net on a 36-foot court. Players throw a playground ball (or foam ball) underhanded and turned sideways over the net. The opposite player must catch it and throw it back after the ball bounces one time on the court. To make this game easier, they can be allowed multiple bounces before catching and they can move closer to the net, marked by a poly spot or donut, before throwing back over the net. Play can be a continuous rally or let them play points to see if they can toss the ball in the court and away from the opponent.

10 Ball Take: Competitive rally game. Each pair has a hoop at the back of their court with 4 balls in it. When the coach says "go" they rally to 10 (must be consecutive shots). When they reach 10, one player runs and takes a ball from one of the other pair's hoop and puts it in their own hoop to indicate success. The game continues. At the end, the pair with the most balls in their hoop is the winner. Variation: less than 10 shots

Bucket Head: One player from each team is on the opposite side of the net holding a bucket in position over their head. Teams are given 60 seconds to hit balls, one player at a time, to the designated "bucket head" who must position themselves to catch the balls. The team with the most balls captured in the bucket wins. For safety have the players hold the buckets in front of their chest.

Pick a Card: Coach has a deck of cards. Players are partnered with a teammate. One players picks a card. If the card is "red" they must hit that many forehands in a row. (Ex: 3 of hearts means 3 forehands in a row) If the card is "black" they must hit that many backhands in a row. When they completed the rally, go to the coach and get another card. Team with most cards at the end of time (or when cards are gone) wins. Variations: Remove cards that may be too "high" for students or make the facecards more difficult shots. (Ex: alternate forehand & backhand 10 times)

Star Catcher: Quick games of singles or doubles are played on each court. (ex. best 2 of 3 points). Extra players wait on deck outside the playing area. As soon as players finish a game, they come off the court and get back in line. People that are first in line quickly fill the open courts as they become available. Players tell their captain how many points they won from each 'mini-match'.

Relays

Inchworm: Teams of 4-6 players line up shoulder starting at the baseline and holding their racquets in front of them. The person at the end of the line starts with a bean bag, koosh ball or tennis ball on his/her racquet face and passes it to the next person in line. As soon as a player passes the ball he/she must run to the front of their line. The first team to “inch” to the net and back wins.

Don't Drop the Egg:Teams are lined up at the baseline with one tennis ball per pair of players. An empty bucket is placed near the net. The first two people in line start by sandwiching a tennis ball between the faces of their tennis racquets. The line advances in pairs and each pair moves forward to drop the ball in the bucket. The first team to finish dropping all its balls in the bucket wins.

Waiter/Waitress: Players form lines on the baseline facing the net. Players run, one at a time, with the tennis ball on their racquet around a cone and back to their team before the other team. Team that completes the relay first wins. Variation: Carry more than one ball.

Bulldozers and Builders: Teams have 5-7 cones placed in a line in front of them. Partner one runs and turns over the cones, (bulldozer) then runs to tag their partners and the partners then runs to set the cones back up (builder). Team that completes the relay first wins.

Racquet Run: Players start at baseline. Racquet 3 feet behind baseline. 1ball per player spaced between baseline and net. Player one runs and picks up ball one and places it on the racquet, player two gets the second ball and so on. Team that completes the relay first wins.

Frogs in a pond – In pairs, provide each pair with two spots or donuts for “lily pads”. The objective is for both frogs to make it to the other side of the “pond” (designated area of your choosing). Player 1 is the Lily Pad Frog, and Player 2 is the Jumping Frog. Player 1 lays a lily pad in front of player 2. Player 2 jumps on it. Then Player 1 lays the second lily pad out in front of Player 2, on which she jumps. Player 1 gets the first lily pad and continues to the sequence until they reach the other side of the pond. Encourage communication as to how far the lily pad should be thrown, etc. Increase difficulty for older students - make them hold a racquet with a bean bag or ball balanced!