Cone Catch Relay

I have three teaching aids that stay on my cart: clothes pins, throw down spots, and cones. I use one or more of them at just about every lesson - very handy! Here's one for cones and you can probably see how the spots and pins could easily come into play as well. This game is played on the 36-foot courts. The goal is to encourage players to move forward to the ball. Thanks PTR Kids Tennis Manual for the idea.

Two players face off across the net from each other at about volley location (within racquet length from net although no racquets are used in this activity). Ball hopper is at net post. One cone is on each service line.

Cones - check.
Pins (under racquet) - check.
Spots (under pins) - check.
Maybe I need a bigger cart.

• When coach says 'Go!', one player runs to fetch his/her cone from service line and returns to net area. 
• The other player runs to hopper, gets one ball, runs back to volley area and tosses ball underhand to player with cone. 
• Player with cone retrieves ball into cone after first bounce. 
• Roles are now reversed - player who tossed ball runs back to service line to fetch his/her cone, and player who caught ball with cone runs back to service line, puts cone down, runs to hopper for a ball, goes back to volley position and tosses ball underhand to other player. 

You can time this activity or ask for X amount of completions. If you have a large group and have several courts going at once, set a goal number of X rotations to be completed. First pair to complete X number wins.

For young players you may find you will need to slow this down and direct them step by step to avoid confusion.

For older players this could easily be turned into a team based activity with a true relay action - players rotating in, taking turns at the net.

Photo Finish

Great effort but FAIL
in our Photo Finish game

Photo Finish is a great warm-up activity that encourages cooperation rather than competition. No equipment required - yay! Any number of players, any age, any ability works great - yay!

All players begin at starting point. The net or one of the sidelines is a natural. At your command, all players race to designated finish line. Baseline or opposite sideline is perfect. Here's the catch: all players must finish at the same time! Genius! Repeat until they get it right.

Short and Deep

This game is from a PTR Kids Tennis manual, where it is called This & That. But I just couldn't see the connection between the name and the activity so I am simplifying things. This activity improves focus and the player's ability to judge where an oncoming ball will land. Works for all ages.

Coach or another player feeds ball across net. Other players are across net, ideally in a receiving position. They take turns calling out 'Short' or 'Deep' to predict where the ball will bounce. Any ball landing between the net and the service line is a 'Short' ball. Any ball landing between the service line and the baseline is a 'Deep' ball. Points are earned for each correct call. This game can easily be converted to a team activity.

Progression
Easiest: No rallies. Receiving players catch ball.
Harder: Players self-feed and play out the point, calling out 'Short' or 'Deep' for each ball as they play.

Mr. Freeze

This activity is another jewel from my PTR Kids Tennis manual. It demonstrates the disadvantages of staying in one spot after hitting the ball. Great for players of all ages, so I hope to see it during some adult clinics as well!

Players play out points but must stay put after hitting their ball until their opponent hits the ball. In other words, no 'recovering' to the middle of the court or other smart movement strategies. The takeaway should be twofold:
1) standing in place/not reacting after hitting a shot should be an obvious no-no
2) player should learn the huge advantage one reaps from a non-moving opponent and hit to the open spaces

Too hard for your students? Start with throwing/catching instead of rallying.

Caught Red Handed

Perfect for this game

Caught Red Handed will test your players' motor skills. Best in groups of 4 or larger.

Players stand in a circle facing forward. One player is designated 'It' and stands in the middle. Players in circle pass a tennis ball around. Player in middle stands with eyes closed and counts aloud '1-2-3'. On the count of 3, he/she may open his/her eyes and try to decide who in the circle has the tennis ball. Naturally the players in the circle know they have to have the ball hidden by the count of three. Ideally all will figure out to put their hands behind their backs, whether they actually have the ball or not.

If the player in the middle guesses correctly, they join the circle and the player who had the ball is now 'It'.

If you suspect the player in the middle is 'peeking', be prepared to play this game with a smaller object such as a golf ball, quarter, marble, etc.  If you are lucky and are a pack rat, you may have one of those tiny tennis balls used as key fobs.

Pick-up Tag

One of our summer camp coaches, Eli Ortiz, came up with this clever idea to speed up the ball pick-up.

One player is 'it' and has to tag other players. Other players are safe if they are transporting a ball to the ball hopper. Once a ball is picked up it must be taken straight to the hopper because it loses its safe powers soon after it is picked up. Any player tagged becomes the new 'it'.

No fair holding on to one ball the whole time. No fair picking balls out of the hopper.

Players may pick up as many balls at a time as they like. Be warned: this game becomes very intense as the number of balls to be picked up dwindles.

Ball pick-up - always a challenge

Hagoo

Try to keep a straight face!
artwork by Larry Wright

Hagoo is a simple ice-breaking exercise, great for first day of camp. I found it at the Central Washington University's website. Hagoo is the Tlinglit word for 'come here'. 'Gauntlet' would also work well for this game if Hagoo is too exotic for your taste.

Players are evenly divided into two groups and stand facing each other 3-4 feet apart. Opposite sides of the doubles alley is ideal. One of the groups is designated as the Hagoo side. One player from each side is chosen to walk slowly between the two groups from one end to the other. Each starts at opposite ends. They will pass each other in the middle. The players lining each side try to make the walking players smile/laugh as they walk through. Noises, gestures and faces may be made but no one can touch the two walkers in the middle. If either of the walkers smiles before they pass through the entire line, they join the Hagoo side. If they make it through without smiling, they join the other side. This is repeated until all players are in one of the two lines.

If this is not tennis-y enough for you, easy to add tennis-related options. Have the walkers balance a tennis ball on their racquets, or dribbling downs or ups as they pass by. Instead of trying to make them smile, you are trying to make them miss. Make sure players have plenty of room to pass safely. Remember, no touching of the walking players is permitted.