Everybody follows the leader around the perimeter of the court, changing forms of locomotion. They can:

• Walk fast
• Jog
• High step or march
• Side shuffle
• Do crossover steps
• Hop on one foot, alternating

Have the children count aloud as they do the following stretches:

• Neck rolls -- roll six times to the left and six times to the right
• Arm swings -- do six rotations forward and six backward with each arm
• Wrist rolls -- do six rotations forward and six backward with each wrist
• Windmill toe touches -- alternate touching right hand to left foot, then left hand to right foot

Whenever you use a line or area of the court, tell the children what it is. To test their memory, have the children line up along the fence. Then direct them to walk, jog or run to the part of the court you call out, including the baseline, service line, T, singles and doubles sidelines, net, net strap, net post and fences. You may also want to test them on the parts of the racquet.

Pupils line up at the baseline and doubles sideline to walk and then jog the lines. The pattern is as follows:

• forward along the doubles sideline to the net,
• sidestep across to the singles sideline,
• backward along the singles sideline to the service line,
• sidestep across the service line almost to the T,
• up the center service line to the net,
• sidestep to just across the center service line,
• backward along the center service line to the service line,
• sidestep to the singles sideline,
• up to the net,
• sidestep to the doubles sideline,
• backward along the doubles sideline and
• sidestep across to the center hash mark.

Use spots and position parents to help direct children.

1. Demonstrate and have the children shadow the forehand and backhand from a sideways position and with a shake-hands grip as previously learned.

2. Demonstrate and have the children shadow the groundstrokes. They should start from ready position, facing the net with the racquet centered. Include the pivot turn, backswing, step, forward swing, contact point and follow-through.

Hang up to five dangling balls on each teaching cable. Place spots to correctly position kids. Do all drills in this category first with forehands and then with backhands. In all drills, stress contact point in front of child.

Have the children use the correct ready position, pivot, backswing, step, contact point and follow-through to:

1. Hit a stationary ball steadied by a parent-coach between hits.

2. Hit a ball swung gently by a parent-coach, who catches the ball while the child regains ready position.

3. Gently hit consecutive balls, constantly regaining ready position as the ball swings back to them. This takes quick footwork and compact strokes.

• Good drills for this are "10 Club," "20 Club," "30 Club" and "World Record."

One-on-one, parent-coaches should stand several feet from the children and gently hit to them, alternating between forehands and backhands. Children should keep their feet moving and regain ready position facing the coach with racquet centered between every hit.

• Allow children to play freely, but stress shot-of-the-day specifics when possible.
• Have a coach and student demonstrate before the class begins playing.
• Position parent-coaches with their backs to the fence to keep balls from spraying.

A good ratio for this game is one assistant or parent-coach who can control the ball well to four or six students. The coach stands across the small net from two players who share the court as a doubles team. The coach alternates balls to the players, reminding them to keep their feet moving between balls and stressing the same basic movements as in no-net tennis. It may help the children to tell them if a forehand or backhand is coming. After a specified number of balls played or minutes, the doubles team can be replaced with a waiting team.

• Good games for rotation are "5 and You're Out," "10 Club," "20 Club" and "World Record."
• Spots can help children understand their positions on the court.
• A parent-coach can help keep waiting children occupied at a safe distance.

Parents should participate with children on homework assignments.

• Bump-up tennis -- with/without a bounce
• No-net tennis