Abbie Probert wants to get more adults and children with SEND on court and playing tennis.
The benefits of participating in regular physical activity are well documented and indicate improved mental and physical well-being among adults and children. Studies have also shown that children with SEND take part in fewer sports on a less frequent basis than children of a similar age. The rewards of playing tennis go far beyond mastering forehands and backhands. It’s a social activity, improves verbal and non verbal communication and provides a sense of community in which to make friends. Tennis activities help to increase mobility and fine tune gross motor skills while using modified equipment to make it a safe and engaging environment.
On court, coaches can set tasks which encourage participants to work together by communicating with each other and with volunteers. One of our favourite warm ups is ‘Tidy Your Bedroom’, which is a game with two teams of equal participants who start on either side of the net with the same number of balls. The object of the game is to throw as many balls over the net as possible in a set time. The winning team is the one with the fewest balls on their side. The game challenges the players to collaborate under time pressure and improve their spatial awareness by making sure they don’t cover the same space on the court or run into each other. The winning team feels a sense of achievement and it is a positive way to start a session, getting everyone involved and ready to play.
Author: Abbie Probert
Abbie Probert
Abbie Probert is a consultant for Bright Ideas for Tennis.
Website: brightideasfortennis.org
Instagram: @brightideasfortennis
These games and others can be watched on the YouTube channel: @brightideasfortennis
