.
NAYSI Activity Tip
Tiny Tennis - for more advanced players
June 27, 2001
No. 5
Tiny Tennis is a game that helps players, from beginners to the advanced, develop their soft touch skills around the tennis net. It is played using only the service courts. Tiny Tennis can be played as singles using two or four service courts or doubles using four service courts. The backcourt and alleys are not in play.
The skills emphasized are racket control, hitting soft accurate touch shots
from the forehand and backhand side, reading the opponent’s racket, and quick foot movement. Younger players learn to judge where the ball will land and move to the proper position to play a bouncing ball.
During play, the ball must bounce in the service court to be considered
good. However, players may move outside the service boxes to play the ball.
Balls that hit the lines during play or on serves are considered good or in
bounds. Slams are not permitted at any time. Volleying can be prohibited or allowed.
Serves are done with a drop and hit underhand stroke from below the waist starting outside the service court. Points may not be scored by the server on the serve.
Players keep score just as they would in regular full court tennis. The server's score is announced first.
Tips: Youngsters can be taught the novel scoring system of tennis by starting with a 0 -1 - 2 - 3 - 4 scheme, with 4 being game. Ad scoring or advantage to the server (ad in) and advantage to the receiver (ad out) can be modified by telling the players than they must win by two points. Once they understand the 0-1-2-3-4 scoring, then simply switch them to the regular love - 15 - 30 - 40 - game scoring.
Play Tiny Tennis for beginners with used tennis balls. New tennis balls
bounce more than used tennis balls. Low bouncing balls make judging the
flight of the ball easier.
Reference: For more tennis games for children nine and younger, see Munchkin Tennis at Books, etc. at www.NAYSI.com. Cost is $14.95 plus $3.50 postage.
NAYSI Activity Tip is a feature of www.NAYSI.com. Find a new activity that can be played at home with your kids or on the field and court with your group or team.
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
Sunday, June 17, 2001
Tiny Tennis for Beginners
.
NAYSI Activity Tip of the Week
June 17, 2001
No. 4
Tiny Tennis for beginners
Tiny Tennis is a game that is useful for introducing young beginners as young as 7 or 8 years of age to the sport of tennis. Teenagers and adults will find this game interesting, for a short time. It helps them all become accustomed to the racket and a bouncing ball as they develop eye-racket coordination.
In its most simple form, two players (a child and a parent for instance) tap a tennis ball back and forth to one another. This can be done over a tennis net, across any line on the court, over a bench, or over a ribbon between two chairs at home in the driveway.
For beginners, the rules are very simple. Play Tiny Tennis in one service box on each side on the net. See how many times you can pass the ball back and forth across the net. Let’s go for five. Now let’s go for 10 in a row. Do not be concerned about how many times the ball bounces or even if the ball bounces over the net. Just get the ball over the net using the racket. Make it an enjoyable cooperative game.
As racket and ball control are developed, add a few new elements. Keep the ball bouncing inside the service court. Play the game with four players using all four service courts. Repeat the idea of seeing how many consecutive taps can be done that day. Make it progressive: five taps, rest, 6 taps, rest, 7 taps, etc.
Tips: Play Tiny Tennis for beginners with used tennis balls. New tennis balls bounce more than used tennis balls. Low bouncing balls make judging the flight of the ball easier.
Reference: For more tennis games for children nine and younger, see Munchkin Tennis at Books, etc. at www.NAYSI.com. Cost is $14.95 plus $3.50 postage.
NAYSI Activity Tip is a feature of www.NAYSI.com. Find a new activity that can be played at home with your kids or on the field and court with your group or team. Past issues are found in the Archive at www.NAYSI.com.
NAYSI Activity Tip of the Week
June 17, 2001
No. 4
Tiny Tennis for beginners
Tiny Tennis is a game that is useful for introducing young beginners as young as 7 or 8 years of age to the sport of tennis. Teenagers and adults will find this game interesting, for a short time. It helps them all become accustomed to the racket and a bouncing ball as they develop eye-racket coordination.
In its most simple form, two players (a child and a parent for instance) tap a tennis ball back and forth to one another. This can be done over a tennis net, across any line on the court, over a bench, or over a ribbon between two chairs at home in the driveway.
For beginners, the rules are very simple. Play Tiny Tennis in one service box on each side on the net. See how many times you can pass the ball back and forth across the net. Let’s go for five. Now let’s go for 10 in a row. Do not be concerned about how many times the ball bounces or even if the ball bounces over the net. Just get the ball over the net using the racket. Make it an enjoyable cooperative game.
As racket and ball control are developed, add a few new elements. Keep the ball bouncing inside the service court. Play the game with four players using all four service courts. Repeat the idea of seeing how many consecutive taps can be done that day. Make it progressive: five taps, rest, 6 taps, rest, 7 taps, etc.
Tips: Play Tiny Tennis for beginners with used tennis balls. New tennis balls bounce more than used tennis balls. Low bouncing balls make judging the flight of the ball easier.
Reference: For more tennis games for children nine and younger, see Munchkin Tennis at Books, etc. at www.NAYSI.com. Cost is $14.95 plus $3.50 postage.
NAYSI Activity Tip is a feature of www.NAYSI.com. Find a new activity that can be played at home with your kids or on the field and court with your group or team. Past issues are found in the Archive at www.NAYSI.com.
Tuesday, June 5, 2001
Run the Gauntlet - Dodgeball
.
NAYSI Activity Tip
June 5, 2001
No. 3
Run the Gauntlet - Dodgeball
This is one of the many popular forms of dodgeball. It can be played either
as an elimination or non-elimination game. Learning occurs best, and it is
more fun, in non-elimination games.
The number of players can range 10 to as many as 25. Divide the players into two equal groups. The throwing team, using soft playground balls or
sponge-type balls, is stationed in two parallel lines about 30 to 50 feet
apart depending on their ages. The other team is challenged to run between
the two parallel lines while the throwing team attempts to hit them with the
ball. In running the gauntlet, the running team can either make one trip or
be challenged to run "down and back" to complete one trip. Pick some
suitable number of runs, say five round trips, and then have the two teams
change positions.
Teams can each take two or three turns running the gauntlet. Count one point for each runner hit with the ball. Should a runner catch the ball, a point
is awarded to the running team. Play the best of three sets.
Safety Rules:
- Players must be hit below the waist or shoulder. Decide which rule you wish to observe.
- When a player hits an opponent legally with the ball, the throwing team is awarded one point.
- When a player is hit illegally, the offended team can receive 1 or 2 points, and the thrower can be banished for the remainder of that game.
Teaching suggestion:
This game, as with many forms of dodgeball, emphasizes the skills of throwing, catching, running, jumping, dodging, agility and alertness. For players who do not already possess these skills, it is suggested that a few practice sessions or lessons be planned to help them become more familiar with these skills. This can be done quite easily with simple throwing and catching lessons involving 2-3-4 players at a time. Start slow and then increase the pace. Make this a game by challenging the players to make 20 passes. First group to do this wins. Players can also learn to run and catch as can occur in the basketball fast break. Fast or quick throws help the players become more accustomed to the fast pace of dodgeball.
NAYSI Activity Tip
June 5, 2001
No. 3
Run the Gauntlet - Dodgeball
This is one of the many popular forms of dodgeball. It can be played either
as an elimination or non-elimination game. Learning occurs best, and it is
more fun, in non-elimination games.
The number of players can range 10 to as many as 25. Divide the players into two equal groups. The throwing team, using soft playground balls or
sponge-type balls, is stationed in two parallel lines about 30 to 50 feet
apart depending on their ages. The other team is challenged to run between
the two parallel lines while the throwing team attempts to hit them with the
ball. In running the gauntlet, the running team can either make one trip or
be challenged to run "down and back" to complete one trip. Pick some
suitable number of runs, say five round trips, and then have the two teams
change positions.
Teams can each take two or three turns running the gauntlet. Count one point for each runner hit with the ball. Should a runner catch the ball, a point
is awarded to the running team. Play the best of three sets.
Safety Rules:
- Players must be hit below the waist or shoulder. Decide which rule you wish to observe.
- When a player hits an opponent legally with the ball, the throwing team is awarded one point.
- When a player is hit illegally, the offended team can receive 1 or 2 points, and the thrower can be banished for the remainder of that game.
Teaching suggestion:
This game, as with many forms of dodgeball, emphasizes the skills of throwing, catching, running, jumping, dodging, agility and alertness. For players who do not already possess these skills, it is suggested that a few practice sessions or lessons be planned to help them become more familiar with these skills. This can be done quite easily with simple throwing and catching lessons involving 2-3-4 players at a time. Start slow and then increase the pace. Make this a game by challenging the players to make 20 passes. First group to do this wins. Players can also learn to run and catch as can occur in the basketball fast break. Fast or quick throws help the players become more accustomed to the fast pace of dodgeball.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)