Tennis Serve Planning: Traditional Approach

Tennis Serve Session Plan

The following session plan was used in order to coach participants the technique of a serve in tennis. The serve itself was learnt in stages so to not overload the participant with information. Was one stage was learnt, they moved on to perfect the next stage until all stages were completed. At this point they could then begin to incorporate all the stages learnt in one motion to produce a tennis serve

Venue – Chesterfield Tennis Centre

Aims & Objectives – Complete different stages of a tennis serve; resulting in completing the whole technique as one.

Stage One

The first stage in the tennis serve technique was the throwing of the ball. This is where the participants stand side on to the base line with their feet shoulders width apart whilst practising throwing the ball in their ear with their non-racquet hand. Whilst the participant is throwing the ball in the air, place a racquet by their side. The aim of stage one is for the participant to be able to throw the ball in the air above their heads; which with repetition should lead to accuracy landing on the racquet beside them.

Coaching Points – Hold tennis ball with the ends of fingers and thumb in order to ensure the ball goes directly above their head.

Stage Two

The second stage of the tennis serve is the back swing and contact with the ball. This stage will also include stage one as the participants look to include both stages together. The participant should continue to throw the ball in the air, but now as the ball is at its highest point they are to make contact with the ball with a tennis racquet. The racquet should be used in a throwing like motion to hit the ball. This stage is recommended to be conducted against a wall to avoid a follow through for the time being.

Coaching points – Create a hinge at the elbow, hit the ball at its highest point, swing the racquet in a throwing motion, finger and thumb grip.

Stage Three

The final stage of learning the tennis serve is the follow through after the contact. Including this final stage completes the technique of the serve. The participant to begin with should continue on the wall, once they have a comfortable feeling for the swing and the follow through they can progress onto the full court to practice. This where they will progress to use all three stages and complete successful tennis serves on a full court tennis situation.

Coaching points – Ensure after follow through the racquet finishes past opposite hip. Also allow the body to follow through with the shot, stepping into the court after serving.