75-Minute First Practice Tennis Practice Plan
By the PracticePlan Coaching Team · Published June 2026
- 1.Day-One Priority: Safe, Organized, Lots of Reps
- 2.Court Rules You Set in the First 3 Minutes
- 3.What Success Looks Like by the End
- 4.The 75-Minute Practice Plan
- 5.What You'll Need
- 6.Run The Cooperative Rally Block Like a Coach, Not a Ball Machine
- 7.Common First-Day Breakdowns (And Exactly What To Do)
- 8.Adjustments For Group Size, Space, And Skill Gaps
- 9.What To Do Next Practice
- 10.Frequently Asked Questions
Practice context: Tennis · middle school · 75 minutes · Goal: get every player holding the racket correctly, starting in a ready position, and completing short cooperative rallies (plus a first-day serve toss).
Day-One Priority: Safe, Organized, Lots of Reps#
This is a season kickoff for brand-new players, so the win today is simple: no long lines, clear court rules, and quick skill chunks that stack together. We’re teaching grips and ready position first because it cleans up everything that comes next—if they start wrong, they’ll “fix” the ball with weird swings all day. Then we build two groundstrokes (forehand and backhand) from a drop-feed so they can feel contact without chasing balls. We introduce serving as a toss-and-catch and “touch the ball with the strings” step—no full-speed serving yet.
Court Rules You Set in the First 3 Minutes#
- Rackets stay below the waist unless we’re swinging in a drill. If someone forgets, they step out for one rep and rejoin.
- Ball safety: if a ball rolls onto your court, the closest player traps it with the foot and yells “Ball!” We stop, then restart.
- Spacing: players stand on a sideline cone when waiting—no crowding the hitter.
What Success Looks Like by the End#
- Players can show you continental grip and forehand grip on command.
- They start each rep in a ready position (athletic base, racket out front, eyes up).
- They can drop-feed and rally 3–6 balls cooperatively from the service line.
- On serve intro, they can toss to “12 o’clock” and make a controlled contact (or catch) without chasing the toss.
Coach Setup Note#
If you have one court, run everything cross-court and use the service boxes to shrink the space. If you have multiple courts, keep the same plan but split into smaller groups so nobody is standing longer than 20–30 seconds.
The 75-Minute Practice Plan#
9-period beginner middle school practice · 75 min
Customize This Plan →| Time | Period | Coaching Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 0:00–0:06 | Welcome, Court Safety, Expectations | Setup: Players on the baseline in a straight line with rackets down and one ball each (or none if you're short). Put 4 cones on the sideline as "waiting spots." How it runs: 60 seconds: names, where to put bags/water, and your stop signal (whistle/hand up). Teach two rules: "rackets below the waist unless swinging" and "yell 'Ball!' if one rolls in." Do a quick demo of where to stand when waiting—on a cone, not behind the hitter.
For players who struggle, keep the whole group on one side of the net at first. To increase difficulty, add a consequence—if someone ignores 'Ball!' the whole group does a quick reset to the fence and back. |
| 0:06–0:14 | Dynamic Warm-Up and Ready Position | Setup: Use the doubles alley as a lane; cones at each end. Players spread out with at least an arm's length between them, racket in hand. How it runs: 2 minutes of jog, side shuffle, and backpedal down and back. Then teach ready position: athletic base, small bounce, racket out front like you're "holding a tray," eyes forward. Add a reaction: coach points left/right and players do one shuffle step and freeze in ready.
For players who struggle, remove the racket and use hands in front like a boxer stance. To increase difficulty, add a ball toss—coach tosses a ball and player catches it while staying in ready. |
| 0:14–0:24 | Grip Check and Shadow Swings | Setup: Players on the service line facing the net, spaced on cones. You stand in front with a racket to demo. How it runs: Teach forehand grip first (whatever you call it, make it consistent) and have them show it to you—walk the line and fix hands. Then teach continental grip for serving: "hammer grip" with the base knuckle more on top; have them pretend to hammer a nail. Do 5 slow shadow forehands: turn sideways, swing low-to-high, freeze finish. Do 5 slow two-hand backhands: hands together, turn shoulders, swing through, freeze.
For players who struggle, cover only the forehand grip today; backhand becomes a block with two hands. To increase difficulty, add footwork—split step then turn before the shadow swing. |
| 0:24–0:36 | Forehand Drop-Feed to Target | Setup: Create mini-courts using service boxes. Partners on opposite service lines; each pair has 4–6 balls. Place a cone target in the middle of the opposite service box. How it runs: Player A drop-feeds to self (from waist height), lets it bounce once, and hits a gentle forehand aiming to land in the service box. Player B catches after one bounce at first, then switches to hitting back if ready. After 6 feeds, switch roles. Trigger the next rep with the hitter saying "ready" before the drop.
For players who struggle, have the partner catch every ball; goal is 5 good contacts, not a rally. To increase difficulty, have the partner block it back softly instead of catching so it becomes a short rally. |
| 0:36–0:39 | Water Break and Quick Reset | Setup: Players to their water on the fence line; coach stands where everyone can see. How it runs: 90 seconds to drink, then 90 seconds of two reminders: waiting spots and the one cue you want next ("contact in front"). Ask two players to demo ready position while others watch.
For players who struggle, keep them on the same court with no equipment moves. To increase difficulty, add a 10-second ready-position check before starting play. |
| 0:39–0:51 | Backhand Basics With Partner Feed | Setup: Same mini-court pairs at the service line. One player has balls; the other is the hitter. Cones on sideline as waiting spots if you have extra players. How it runs: Feeder underhand tosses or gentle hand-feed to the hitter's backhand side (aim at the hip). Hitter uses a two-hand backhand and sends it back into the service box. Do 6 feeds, then switch. If a pair is ready, they go to cooperative backhand-only rally (both try to hit backhands).
For players who struggle, allow a backhand block—short punch with a firm face to get it over. To increase difficulty, add 'recover to ready'—after contact, one shuffle back to the middle and split step. |
| 0:51–1:01 | Serve Intro: Continental and Toss | Setup: Players on the baseline spaced out (use cones every 6–8 feet). Everyone faces the net; no one is behind another player's swing. How it runs: Start without rackets: toss-and-catch with the hitting hand staying relaxed and the tossing arm lifting straight up. Goal is a toss that peaks slightly in front of the hitting shoulder; freeze the toss hand up like a statue. Then add rackets with continental grip only: players do "tap serve"—toss, let it drop slightly, and gently tap the ball forward into the service box (no full swing). If they miss the toss twice, they go back to toss-and-catch for 3 reps, then rejoin.
For players who struggle, do toss-and-catch only with no racket contact. To increase difficulty, add a target cone in the service box and score 1 point for any gentle tap that lands inside. |
| 1:01–1:12 | Cooperative Rally Games | Setup: Partners at the service line on mini-courts. Each pair has 3–4 balls nearby (not scattered). Use cones to mark 'start spots' so they reset fast. How it runs: Game 1 (4 minutes): "3 in a Row"—count only balls that land in the service box; if you miss, restart at 0. Game 2 (4 minutes): "Ladder"—3 in a row earns one step back; two misses in a row means one step in. Game 3 (3 minutes): "Captain Rally"—one player is the 'captain' and must call "ready" before each start; switch captain halfway through.
For players who struggle, use bounce-hit-catch (partner catches after one bounce) and still count consecutive successes. To increase difficulty, require forehand-only for 2 minutes, then backhand-only for 2 minutes. |
| 1:12–1:15 | Cool-Down and Team Huddle | Setup: Players rackets down on the baseline, circle up at the net. How it runs: 30 seconds of light shake-out and shoulder rolls. Then a fast recap: you ask for a show-and-tell—"Show me ready position," "Show me continental grip." Give one clear homework task: 2 minutes at home of grip changes and 10 perfect tosses (no chasing). End with your next-practice preview so they show up ready: "Next time we move to the ball and rally from farther back."
For players who struggle, give only one takeaway: ready position every time. To increase difficulty, ask two players to explain the toss cue in their own words. |
What You'll Need#
- Tennis balls (at least 30; more if available)
- Cones or flat agility discs (16–24) for waiting spots and mini-courts
- 2–4 ball baskets or buckets
- Whistle or loud timer (phone timer works)
- Spare rackets (2–4) for players without one
- Chalk or tape (optional) to mark service-line targets
Run The Cooperative Rally Block Like a Coach, Not a Ball Machine#
The most important period today is the cooperative rallying game. Your job is to control distance and speed so they actually rally instead of launching balls. Start everyone at the service line and tell them the only goal is “ball over the net, land inside the service box.” Use a clear reset: if a pair misses twice in a row, they take one step closer and restart. If they succeed (3 in a row), they earn one step back. Keep a spare basket at the net post so you can feed a ball immediately when a point ends—no long ball-chasing breaks.
- Rep standard: partner calls “ready,” hitter drop-feeds, both players freeze their finish for one second, then recover to ready.
- Coach movement: walk the net line and fix one thing per pair (grip, contact in front, ready position), then move on.
Common First-Day Breakdowns (And Exactly What To Do)#
- Breakdown: players “pan-fry” the grip (palm under the handle) and the racket face points to the sky. Why it happens: it feels like holding a frying pan. Fix: stop the group, have them hold the racket out in front and tap the strings with the non-dominant hand while you say, “Knuckles on top, strings to the net.” Do a 10-second grip check before restarting.
- Breakdown: huge backswings and late contact. Why it happens: they think power comes from a big swing. Fix: put a cone behind their hitting hip and say, “Don’t hit the cone with your racket.” Cue: “Short back, long through.”
- Breakdown: backhand turns into a forehand slap (open shoulders, one-hand poke). Why it happens: two hands feel awkward. Fix: make them start with the racket at the belly button, two hands on, and do 3 shadow swings where the chest turns sideways first. Then go right back to drop-feeds.
- Breakdown: serve toss goes everywhere and they chase it. Why it happens: they throw like a baseball. Fix: take the racket away for 60 seconds: “Palm up, lift to the sky, freeze.” Toss-and-catch without moving the feet. Only add the racket back when they can freeze the toss in front of the hitting shoulder.
Adjustments For Group Size, Space, And Skill Gaps#
- 8–10 players: keep everyone on one court area. Do partner work with one pair hitting while one pair collects balls behind them (on the fence line), then rotate every 90 seconds.
- 12–14 players: standard: two pairs per half-court (service line rally), with clear waiting spots on sideline cones. Rotate partners once mid-block so stronger players help stabilize rallies.
- 16–20+ players: run stations: (1) grip/ready shadow swings, (2) forehand drop-feed, (3) backhand drop-feed, (4) serve toss station. Use a loud 2-minute timer and rotate; no station should have more than 5 kids.
- Limited balls: make “trap and roll” the rule—players trap balls with the foot and roll them back, not throwing them across courts. Put one ball per pair for rally games; extras stay in a coach basket.
- Players who can’t rally yet: they do “bounce-hit-catch” with a partner: bounce the ball, hit it gently over, partner catches after one bounce. That keeps them in the same game without sitting out.
- If it gets chaotic: blow the whistle, everyone to the net in a straight line with rackets down. Re-state one rule (“waiting on cones” or “ball call”), then restart with smaller courts (service boxes only) for 2 minutes to regain control.
What To Do Next Practice#
Next time, keep the same opening grip check, then add movement to the ball: split step, side shuffle, and stopping balance before contact. The first thing that will break down is still contact point (too close to the body), so plan a quick “catch the finish” check every few minutes during rallies.
Frequently Asked Questions#
What if half my players don’t have a racket yet?
Pair them with a racket-sharer for the hitting periods: one hits 6 balls, hands the racket over, then collects balls while the partner hits 6. For serve toss, they can toss-and-catch without a racket until a racket is free.
How do I keep lines from getting long on one court?
Avoid single-file feeding. Use partners and mini-courts: two pairs per half-court at the service line, with a clear “waiting on cones” rule. Rotate every 60–90 seconds so nobody stands more than one short turn.
What if players can’t get the ball over the net at all?
Move them closer and shrink the goal: rally from inside the service box and aim to land the ball inside the opposite service box. If that still fails, switch to bounce-hit-catch (partner catches after one bounce) until they can control direction.
Do we actually teach a full serve on day one?
No. Day one is toss control and continental grip. Let them feel a gentle contact, but the rep standard is a consistent toss and balanced finish—not power or making it in.
Customize This Plan for Your Team
Build your own version of this plan, adjust the periods and timing to fit your roster, and share it with your staff in minutes.