In this playful unit, children discover what a topspin is, why it is so important in tennis – and how they can produce it themselves with a soft touch and the right body movement.
Here’s how it works:
This unit turns the spotlight on “spin” – the spin that a ball shows on impact. The children are introduced to the concept of topspin in a playful way: What happens to a ball when it is struck with a spin? Why is this so important in tennis?
The children should first roll the large exercise ball (Swissball) towards the net with many contacts and move parallel with the ball, first one-handed (for the Forehand groundstroke) and then two-handed (for the backhand groundstroke).
Learning objectives:
- Build tennis understanding: Children learn to understand what a spin is and why it is helpful.
- Develop a sense of movement: The exercise trains the right body feeling for a topspin.
- Technique preparation: Early training makes it easier to learn the groundstrokes with spin later on.
Coaching Keys:
- Ask visual questions: “What does the ball do when it spins?” – This makes theory tangible.
- The hands should come to the ball from underneath and then roll upwards over the ball
- Use praise specifically to reinforce correct movement approaches.