Enter now and get your child’s first session FREE!
Determine if your child wants to play tennis by taking advantage of the + 1 month FREE Tennis coaching for un-coached players.
Call 066 229 7632
Enter now and get your child’s first session FREE!
Determine if your child wants to play tennis by taking advantage of the + 1 month FREE Tennis coaching for un-coached players.
Call 066 229 7632
Red Ball Tennis is a fun Tennis experience guaranteed by small courts, light rackets and a slow, low bouncing red ball.
The more challenging Orange Ball Tennis has recently been added for players who have progressed to larger courts and faster balls.
Who?
Red Ball: Children Ages 4-10
Orange Ball: Children Ages 11-14 (or players too strong for Red Ball tennis).
When?
8am – 10:30am
First Saturday of each month
Bring
Tackies / shoes
Rackets provided for Red Ball players (3-10yrs).
Orange Ball players (11-14yrs) must bring their own rackets.
A fun and safe environement for kids to
Have fun
The day exposes players who can, to the enjoyment of playing a match.
Learn skills
Separate coordination training is provided for children not yet capable of playing rudimentary tennis.
Get awards
Every child receives a merit prize based on their exhibited on or off-court strengths.
Make memories
Photographs commemorate the unique medal that they that are awarded.
Photo Gallery
Why Tennis?
Tennis not only teaches kids valuable life skills like teamwork, dedication, and self-confidence, it has a whole host of physical developmental benefits for them, too!
Tennis gets kids moving! Without even realizing it, they’ll be running around for a good hour straight while maintaining a high energy level. That’s great for strengthening their heart, and also helping them to get a good night’s rest.
Kids who play tennis learn to judge the timing between the approaching ball and the point of contact, quickly accelerating their hand-eye coordination.
Not only will kids learn to get into the good habit of stretching before and after being active, but they will also be constantly stretching and maneuvering for the ball, drastically improving their flexibility.
The conditioning that comes with tennis means your kids will be growing up in the very best physical health possible, which increases their immune system and resistance to disease.
Playing tennis strengthens the bones of young players and has been proven to help prevent osteoporosis later on in life.
Large muscle groups will get conditioned quickly through court movement and ball-striking skills while fine motor conditioning is also developed as more advanced skills are mastered.
GNT Path of Progress Levels for 3 – 14-year old’s
DESCRIPTION | KINDERGARDEN GROUP | PRE-RED GROUP | RED BALL GROUP | ORANGE BALL GROUP |
Person in charge’s job description | A dedicated instructor takes this group as they need more individual attention | The head coach lets his children play games that will accelerate the child to rally the ball. This will qualify them to play matches in the “RED BALL GROUP”. Further the child receives basic tennis coaching. | A Tournament Director guides the large target group of players that plays matches | A Tournament Director guides older players or strong Red ball players to play more challenging matches e.g. normal overhead serve. |
Medal recognition | Players receive merit-based medals. A photograph is taken of the player and their family commemorating the achievement. Action photos of each player are also emailed to parents after the session. | Players receive merit-based medals. A photograph is taken of the player and their family commemorating the achievement. Action photos of each player are also emailed to parents after the session. | Players receive merit-based medals. A photograph is taken of the player and their family commemorating the achievement. Action photos of each player are also emailed to parents after the session. | Only the winner of the Orange ball tournament receives a floating trophy, a medal and a photograph. Action photos of each player are emailed to parents after the session. |
Ball colour and speed. | Red ball that is 75% slower than the normal ball | Red ball that is 75% slower than the normal ball | Red ball that is 75% slower than the normal ball | Orange ball that is 50% slower than the normal ball. |
Additional equipment | Co-ordination games are played with very large tennis balls, bean bags, red balls and funnels. | Games to prepare children to rally are played with, bean bags, red balls and funnels. | None | None |
Ages | 3 – 4-year old’s | 5 – 6-year old’s | 7 – 10-year old’s | 11 – 14-year old’s |
Terminology explained:
Rally: – the ability to keep the ball in play by hitting over the net and inside the court for a long time.
Merit-based medals: – recognition is given for off court skills (friendliness, sportsmanship, progress, determination) and on court skills (promising backhand or serve, good forehand, volley and footwork).
Co-ordination games: – encourage complex motor skills to prepare the children to the next GNT progression level.
Funnel: – A tube which wide at the top and narrow at the bottom used to teach a child to catch a ball. This simulates the co-ordination needed for the forehand and volley.
Dedicated instructor: – An encouraging person who can win children’s hearts to give wholehearted co-operation. This person may be a qualified coach. Determines merit-based medals.
Head coach: – Well qualified coach who runs the warm-ups for all groups and is the child’s first encounter with coaching. Determines merit-based medals.
Tournament Director is a person who determines the correct schedule for a session, places players on the court and orange ball match scores. Determines merit-based medals for red ball players only.
Note: The coaches can use their discretion in which group the player can be placed. This placing is done based on the athletic progress, e.g., recently an 8-year old won the Orange Ball tournament.
What is Orange Ball Tennis?
GNT Orange is a great way for players to progress from Red Ball Tennis. It is played with shorter rackets, softer balls and courts are bigger and wider than the red ball stage. However, still smaller than full size tennis courts allowing players to develop a rounded game whilst learning a range of techniques and tactics.
It is the next stage before playing on a full-sized court and helps players develop different shots and tactics.
Where the red ball is 75% less than the speed of a normal tennis ball the orange ball is 50%.