The Tennis Journey
A Simple Guide for Parents
Regular updates from our coach Greg Hill, insightful training tips you can reinforce at home.
A collaborative effort between coaches, parents, and young athletes is the key to unlocking their full potential.
Encourage consistent practice at home and varied sports activities.
Track competition age and tournament opportunities.
Communicate with coaches and ask about match play readiness.
Stay informed about rules and progression systems in your country.
By following this guide, parents can confidently support their child’s growth in tennis, making each stage of development enjoyable and rewarding.
Blue Stage
Focus: Introduction to tennis for young children and parents.
Activities: Racket control, body coordination, movement skills.
What to Practice at Home:
Moving in and out of cones using different body parts.
Using left and right hands to control the racket.
Balancing and tapping the ball.
Goal: Build basic skills and coordination to prepare for Red Stage.
Red Stage
Focus: Developing sending and receiving skills, understanding court layout.
Activities: Underarm and overarm serving. Forehands and backhands. Basic scoring and working with partners.
What to Practice at Home:
Playing with a sponge or felt ball.
Learning where to stand and how to serve.
Playing fun points to get familiar with match play.
Moving Up: If a child can serve in, rally, and control forehands and backhands, they may be ready for their first match play. Coaches encourage 2+ sessions per week for faster progress.
Orange Stage
Focus: Transition to a bigger court, faster ball, and higher bounces.
Activities: Learning to move backward to adjust to ball height. Developing attacking, defensive, and net play skills.
What to Practice at Home:
Understanding court positioning and rules.
Practicing volleys, returns, and match play strategies.
Moving Up: Players don’t stay long in this stage, so making the most of it is key.
Green Stage
Focus: Playing on a full-size court with a slightly firmer ball.
Activities: Adjusting to different scoring formats (tie-breaks vs. game scoring). Improving movement and shot consistency.
What to Practice at Home:
Match play with full-court strategies.
Tracking competition age and preparing for the next stage.
Moving Up: Coaches will advise when a player is ready for full yellow ball play.
Yellow Stage
Focus: Full tennis experience with advanced match play.
Activities: Mastering a well-rounded game (defence, attack, neutral play). Using volleys, drop shots, lobs, and spin effectively.
What to Practice at Home:
Reviewing match performance and setting improvement goals.
Practicing different playing styles.
Goal: Ensure a smooth transition into competitive or recreational full-court tennis.