Tennis Buddies

Purpose of the Program 

• Have fun 

• Learn tennis skills 

• Get exercise 

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Tips for Unified Partners

 

Safety 

• Watch for spacing of players so no one gets hit with a racket. 

 

Socialize 

• Learn the names of the athletes. 

• Get athletes to talk…ask questions that need more than “yes” or “no”. 

• We pick-up balls as a group and socialize with each other then. Majority of our athletes have 45 minutes of court time per week. 

 

During Practice 

• Lots of hits are important. 

• Demonstrate activities (shadow drills) 

• Don’t overload the athlete with info….one key point is enough. 

• Connect a compliment….. 

• Instead of “Nice shot!”…say…“Your toss was higher...nice serve!” 

• Be generous with praise. 

• Don’t be afraid to correct them. Expect them to improve. 

• Provide constant repetition (review, review, review) 

• Adapt the activity they are doing so they can be successful. 

• Hit balls at their level when playing with each other. 

• Some athletes are on medication with reduced reaction time. 

• Give visual congrats such as high fives and thumbs up. 

 

End of Practice 

• Help pick-up and return equipment.

 

Thank you for being a tennis buddy. This program couldn’t work without YOU!