Parental involvement is one of the key elements in a successful Little Tennis program, and it is the basis for the Little Tennis for school children program. Some teaching professionals may be hesitant to share their teaching court with parents, just as some parents may be shy about joining in. However, many USPTA professionals have found that having parents actively participate with their beginner children is extremely advantageous.

Parents may toss balls, be no-net tennis hitting partners and run relay races with their children. When each child has a parent-coach, it is easier for the professional to keep all students active instead of waiting in lines. This also allows for larger class sizes without introducing a greater possibility of danger, since children are continuously supervised.

Parents with tennis skills may also act as assistant coaches. With large classes, it is often a good idea to divide the class into groups, each of which is headed by an assistant coach who helps other parents work with their children. You can meet with assistant coaches briefly before each session so they will understand your lesson plan.

The effect is that the teaching professional is free to roam the court, orchestrating the overall lesson plan and assisting individual children as needed. The professional in no way should relinquish the position of head clinician, but should maintain control of the class, establishing its tone and affecting the mechanics of students.

Professionals may want to make it mandatory that a parent stay with each child during the lesson. They may also opt to meet with parents alone before the lesson series to review the basics of tennis, discuss the objectives of the program and parents’ roles in it, and to encourage at-home practice. Parents who are involved become as excited about Little Tennis as their children, and may even decide to take lessons themselves.

Parents will be able to take on some administrative roles in the program, such as organizing carpools and refreshments and keeping attendance. They are also the natural candidates to be homework partners for their children between lessons.

Instructors

You will see throughout this manual references to head clinicians, instructors or assistant coaches, and parent-coaches. Below are their definitions.

Head clinician -- the teaching professional in charge of lesson development and orchestration, and coordinator of on-court activities

Assistant coaches/instructors -- teaching professionals, volunteers or parents who have been selected by the head clinician to assist in instruction and where playing skills are required

Parent-coaches -- parents who are encouraged to be on court with their children to act as hitting partners, relay team members and homework partners

Regardless of who assists in your Little Tennis program, it is important to remember that every coach’s attitude is critical to the success of the program and to the long-term participation of the children. Instructors create the initial impressions of tennis that will influence how children feel about the game for the rest of their lives. Coaches should be encouraging and focus on positive language and reinforcement, and they should speak eye-to-eye with children, getting down to their level by squatting or kneeling.