JUNIOR COACHING

Our Junior coaching programme covers all ages and abilities and is operated in accordance with Lawn Tennis Association guidance to ensure every child has the opportunity to learn and perform to the best of their ability. LTA YOUTH was launched in 2021 to create a fully coordinated programme of coaching and player development from the youngest Tots through to age 18.

At Shotley & Benfieldside we run LTA Youth courses for children aged 4 – 18, packed full of fun games and dynamic training. We want kids to bring all their energy to tennis; no ‘quiet please’ needed here. Our specialist coaches will make sure every child has the best start to their tennis journey in a safe and inclusive environment. Sessions cater to all abilities, so no one gets left behind. Within LTA Youth there are five levels – Blue, Red, Orange, Green and Yellow.

All courses can be booked online - please visit our ‘Coaching Programme’ page for full details and all links.

The safety and protection of our Junior players is of paramount importance to the Club, which has extensive policies and procedures in place to ensure compliance with best practice, supported by fully trained and accredited coaches and a dedicated Welfare Officer. Full details can be found on the Club Governance page.

Blue Stage - Learn the Basics (Age 3 - 6) This is an introduction to tennis. Here, we’ll help kids improve their balance, agility and co-ordination while teaching them about the sport we love. At this stage it’s not about winning or losing, it’s just getting to grips with the basics

 Red Stage - Serve, Rally & Score (Age 6 - 8) This will look a bit more like the tennis you know. You’ll see overarm serves, rallies and volleys. Coaches will help children to further develop their co-ordination, balance and speed.

Players use a soft ball which is 75% slower than a normal tennis ball, shorter rackets, a smaller court and a lower net. This allows your child to learn to play full shots, have long rallies and enjoy their tennis. There are also fun competitions so they can put their new--found skills into practice. The Club has 4 dedicated mini-red tennis courts,

 Orange Stage - Develop a Rounded Game (Age 8 - 9) Time to throw in some tactics, problem-solving, and guides to sportsmanship and leadership. At this stage children will know all of the rules and will be serving and returning in matches.

Again it is played with shorter rackets, a lower net, a soft ball which is 50% slower than a normal tennis ball and a slightly larger court. Orange level helps your child develop a rounded game whilst also learning a range of techniques and tactics. The soft ball encourages playing full shots and combining power with control. Again there are fun competitions to take part in. The Club has 3 dedicated mini-orange tennis courts.

Green Stage - Test your Skills (Age 9 - 10) This is the big one. It’s time for kids to play on full size courts. Now it’s all about growing their game by fine tuning and refining the techniques they’ve learned so far.

Played on a full court with full height net, the rackets are slightly smaller than full-size and the soft ball is 25% slower than a normal tennis ball. This stage helps consolidate the learning so far and improves all aspects or your child’s game before they progress to hitting the full ball. Competitions and team matches provide opportunities to put these skills into practice.

Yellow Stage - Take your Skills Further (Age 10+) Time to find your game. Playing on a full size court with the same size balls the pros use, kids will continue to explore different styles on the court, and start to choose their own.

 We run Junior coaching sessions in separate groups at Under 14, Under 16 and Under 18 age ranges as your child progresses into full tennis play and the opportunity to play competitive team tennis (if they wish) in both the Team Tennis and Northumberland & Durham Leagues as well as in the annual Road To Wimbledon competition and other tournaments.

During school holidays the coaching programme switches to daytime midweek sessions, but still based around the above structure. Check out our Holiday Coaching page for details of the latest programme. We also now offer multi-sport coaching days during school holidays.