Racket skills

You’ll need

Tennis rackets
Tennis balls

To watch in full screen, double click the video

Before you begin

Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Additional help to carry out your risk assessment, including examples, can be found here. Don’t forget to make sure all young people and adults involved in the activity know how to take part safely.
Watch the video above to see how you can deliver this session. Skip to 06:06 to see this specific activity.
The person leading the activity should have enough markers for one per participant, and they need to be put out in pairs, around three metres apart, before you start.

Play the game

The person leading the activity might want to demonstrate the following instructions before sending the participants to play.
Everyone should find a partner and be facing each other on the markers.
In each pair, one person should have a tennis ball, and the other should have a tennis racket.
The person with the tennis ball should first roll the ball towards their partner, who rolls it back to them by touching it with the racket.
Next, the person with the tennis ball should throw the ball underarm so that it bounces in front of their partner. The person with the racket should then tap the ball up in the air, let it bounce on the ground, and then catch it again between their hand and the racket.
Finally, the person with the racket should drop the ball in front of their body, allow it to bounce, and then return the ball with the racket using a low to high swing.
The pairs should repeat this four times before switching roles.

Reflection

This activity gave everyone a chance to be active while learning some skills and techniques to improve their tennis abilities. Did everyone enjoy the new game? What kinds of skills did people need? How did people feel the first time someone threw a ball at them? They may have been a bit scared or nervous at first - did this change as they carried on playing? Does everyone feel more confident in their catching and throwing skills?

Safety

All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.

Active games: The game area should be free of hazards. Explain the rules of the game clearly and have a clear way to communicate that the game must stop when needed. Take a look at our guidance on running active games safely.
Outdoor activities: You must have permission to use the location. Always check the weather forecast, and inform parents and carers of any change in venue.