MINI-TENNIS INFORMATION
As you can appreciate, at the start of every new mini-tennis term, the office is inundated with calls that are mostly of a similar nature. It would help us greatly if you could read through the FAQ section which covers the majority of questions before calling the club. Although we are happy to assist you. the office can only deal with payments and, of course, any question not covered in the mini-tennis FAQ’s. If you query is related to tennis, please contact Pete Quek, Head Coach at pqten@yahoo.co.uk.
Please be aware of the following:
Please check that your child is available for all the sessions of the mini-tennis term as we cannot offer refunds once the term has started. If there are exceptional circumstances why the course cannot be continued, please contact the Club Secretary. There are no refunds for missed sessions. There are no temporary transfers for missed sessions. If a child has an allergy which requires an epipen that child must be accompanied by a parent or guardian during every session.
MINI-TENNIS FAQ’S
SAFETY We will ask you to sign-in you child at the start of the session and sign out at the end of the session
WHEN DOES MINI-TENNIS START Mini-Tennis runs alongside the school terms. You can download the current mini-tennis application form from the website. Go to mini-tennis on the side bar. HOW EARLY CAN I BOOK A MINI-TENNIS COURSE CAN I PROVISIONALLY BOOK DOES A PARENT/GUARDIAN HAVE TO BE PRESENT WHAT DOES CHILD WEAR WHAT ABOUT SHOES DOES CHILD NEED A RACQUET WHAT HAPPENS IF CHILD DOESN’T ENJOY IT WHAT HAPPENS IF MY CHILD CANNOT COMPLETE THE TERM WRISTBANDS PLAYED BEFORE/REPEAT BOOKING FIRST-TIME BOOKING IS THERE A DISCOUNT FOR SIBLINGS CAN CHILD BE IN SAME GROUP AS THEIR FRIEND(S) WHO TAKES THE COURSE ARE THERE BREAKS DURING THE COURSE I’VE PAID FOR COURSE BUT NEED TO CHANGE DAY CAN I HAVE A TRIAL SESSION WHERE CAN I PARK WHAT AGE CAN MY CHILD START PERFORMANCE MINI-TENNIS WHY IS MY CHILD NOT PLAYING TENNIS ALL THE TIME DURING SESSIONS ARE THERE STRICT AGE GUIDELINES IN SESSIONS WHAT SIZE RACKET IS BEST FOR MY CHILD SHOULD I GET MY CHILD INTO COMPETITION EARLY, AND HOW YOUNG We as a team of coaches always emphasise with young children the importance of trying hard—win or lose. We also emphasise players developing their game first and foremost to results. We do host internal competitions so that young children can get used to higher levels of competition. HOW WILL I KNOW HOW MY CHILD IS GETTING ON TELL ME MORE ABOUT THE COURSE CONTENT SQUADS
If a current application form is not on the website then it is not available to book. Generally, mini-tennis application forms are available one month prior to booking.
No, you cannot provisionally book. Bookings are accepted with payment only.
WHAT TIME DOES IT START AND FINISH
The courses vary in start/finish time. The earliest start time is 4pm. Please look at the mini-tennis form on drop down menu to see which time is relevant for your child. If you are unsure which group is suitable, you should contact Pete Quek, Head Coach.
No, in normal circumstances, however if your child has a seriious allergy and requires an epi-pen then you will need to stay on site for the duration of the session. Please do not be late to collect your child as the club does not have the staff or facilities to look after unaccompanied children.
A child should wear leisure clothes i.e. a tracksuit.
Tennis shoes should be worn. No black soled shoes please.
Your child does not need a racquet as we have spare ones at the club. However, if your child is playing on a regular basis it is advisable that they have their own racquet.
If your child is seemingly not enjoying the course, please talk to the coach who is taking their session. If you are still not happy, please call Pete Quek, Head Coach. If you cannot resolve the matter, please call the Club Secretary.
Please check that your child is available for all the sessions of the mini-tennis term as we cannot offer refunds once the term has started. If there are exceptional circumstances as to why the course cannot be continued, please contact the Club Secretary.
There are no refunds for missed sessions. There are no temporary transfers for missed sessions.
HOW DO I PAY
All players must complete an application form and pay prior to starting the course. You can send in payment with a cheque or call the office and pay by credit card. We do accept cash and you can come into the club to pay prior to the term starting.
Upon payment, your child will be issued with a coloured wristband. Please be aware that your child should wear the wristband during the mini-tennis session. If your child turns up without a wristband, signifying non-payment for the session, your child will be asked to leave the course.
If your child has done mini-tennis with us before all you need to do is fill out their name on the application form along with the course day/time and course code i.e we will already have all other details stored on our junior database. Usually, renewals forms are emailed as soon as the course dates become available to book. We cannot accept bookings without an application form or payment.
If your child has not done mini-tennis with us before then you must complete the entire form. We cannot accept bookings without an application form or payment.
You can telephone the office and we will complete the form with you over the phone and take payment by credit card.
You can pay in person via cash/cheque/credit card Mon - Fri (930am-530pm) .
You can post the application form via the office door letter-box by cash or cheque. Please use the envelopes provided by the court booking sheets in the clubhouse.
We offer a 10% discount on 1 child if there are sibling bookings.
We will do our very best to put your child in the same group as their friends although we cannot guarantee it. The office does not group the children as this is done by the coaches at the first term session. Please talk to the coach and they will do their best to accommodate your child. Please bear in mind that the coaches put the children into groups of age and ability.
Fully qualified LTA coaches teach the session and helpers assist.
No
WHAT HAPPENS IF CHILD IS INJURED
We have first aid qualified staff. We will contact the parent using the number provided on the application form.
You can change the day if the course you wish to change to is not full.
We cannot offer trial sessions however, please talk to the coach as they will be able to advise you if the course is suitable for your child.
In the car park.
4 years old. Children under 4 find it hard to concentrate. If your child is under 4 and is paying a particular interest in tennis and wants to play then exceptions can be made. Please contact the Club Secretary.
As your child progresses, it may be that their coach will invite them to participate in the mini-tennis performance group.
SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT ALLERGIES
If a child has an allergy which requires an epipen that child must be accompanied by a parent or guardian during every session.
MINI TENNIS FAQ COURSE CONTENT AND COACHING
WHY MINI TENNIS? WHY IS MY CHILD NOT PLAYING ON THE FULL COURT
The demands of full size court, racket and Ball are very challenging for developing children who have yet to gain the required physical strength. By reducing court size and giving children the appropriate tools this will help skill acquisition, and speed learning. The scaled down version of the game will improve player’s technical ability, and understanding how to play the game.
Our courses will develop the fundamental skills required for preparing your child to learn tennis. Essential core skills which need to be developed at a young age will be Body co-ordination, Hand-eye/ ball skills, getting familiar with the racket. These will form a part of the session for all mini tennis players. This will be worked on before developing familiar swing patterns. Watch carefully during sessions as these can be worked on at home with your child. Learning Tennis strokes is a progressive process, and before the players are able swing like the pros there will need to be a number of stages.
Ages serve as guidelines only, and we do recognise player’s ability in choosing sessions. If your child is progressing rapidly, we will look at appropriate sessions that would prove best for his/her development. Please understand also that children develop at vastly differing rates, so equally your child may need to spend more time developing skills in their appropriate age and skill group. Quite often late developers will prove to be better players!
Choosing the right size of racket is vital. If a 6 year old used an adult racket there would be great difficulty controlling shots, and using the correct technique.
In general
Ages 4-6: 21 inch racket
Ages 7,8 and 9: 23 inch racket
Ages 10-11: 25 inch racket
This will however be dependent upon the size and growth of your child
This will greatly depend on how your child will respond to competition. Some children are competing regularly as young as 6, others will take time to get used to the pressures of competition. As Tennis is a game, there will be competitive aspects in all sessions which will give your child a chance to explore success and failure. We will always be very positive and progressive with introducing games to your child. You should always bear in mind that firstly did your child enjoy competing? Did they try their best? Would they do it again?
We will keep you posted on a termly basis, and recommend which sessions are appropriate the next series of sessions.
From the beginning of this term we will be giving you course outlines of what your group will be working on. Our coaches will look to include all skills covered in this course syllabus. Please note that some aspects will be repeated to improve learning.
Please note that players need to be invited to play in performance squads.
All squad players must be junior members of Chandos to participate.