How to be a Great Tennis Parent: A Parent's Guide to Tennis

By Emily Innes

How to be a Great Tennis Parent: A Parent's Guide to Tennis explores current research into the experiences of young tennis players. The Guide gives useful strategies for Parents regarding how to choose a coach, goal setting, the importance of education, player personal development and the impact Parental behaviours have on their child's enjoyment of the game of tennis.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Emily Innes
• Release date: Feb 15, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311036353

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How To Be A Great Tennis Parent

A Parent’s Guide to Tennis

Copyright 2015 Emily Innes

Published by Emily Innes

Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Prologue

Introduction

Section 1: Tennis Development Decisions

Section 2: Player Education

Section 3: Player Personal Development

Section 4: Parent Involvement and Impact

Conclusion

References

About the Author

Prologue

Our role as a parent of a junior is to ensure they attend their practice (though not to stand behind the fence all the time), accompany them to their matches, motivate the child and comfort the child when necessary and most, importantly of all, to ensure that the child enjoys the game, and not to put pressure on the child in any way.

Lynette Federer, 2014 (www.tennisearth.com)

The Importance of Parent Involvement in Tennis

Parents are a critical component in the development of young tennis players. Tennis coaches and clubs generally respect the decision you as parents have made by entrusting your child to them for a significant time each week.

They acknowledge the time, effort, sacrifice, financial commitment and dedication all Parents have towards their child’s tennis journey. The Tennis Triad of Coach-Player-Parent is one that should be respected and can be a major influence in each tennis player’s long term development and ultimate success.

This guide attempts to explain the most recent research into the role of Parents of Junior Tennis players and act as a guide for some important considerations. If you are reading this guide, you have already demonstrated a great commitment to your child regarding their Tennis Journey, therefore it is assumed you are also committed to providing the best tennis environment you can.

The most important understanding within this Parent Guide is that YOU are the expert in YOUR child. Coaches may spend a significant amount of time with your child each week, but the most knowledgeable people are you as Parents.

The information contained in this guide are suggestions only based on recent findings from researchers in the field.

The Parent Guide to Tennis offers suggestions to enhance and improve your Child’s Tennis experience, and how you as a Parent can understand your role within the tennis journey.

This guide is based on various research in the field.

Knight and Holt (2014) conducted a study of 90 English Players, Parents and Coaches to determine the best approach for parents to understand and enhance their child’s tennis experience. The following guide is based on the information contained in this study and the theory consequently developed called A Grounded Theory.

A Grounded Theory according to the researchers, identifies three areas that parents can understand and enhance their child’s tennis journey.

• Share and Communicate Goals

• Develop an Understanding Emotional Climate

• Engage in Enhanced Parenting Practices at Competitions

The Parent Guide will examine these three concepts and other identified areas in relation to child tennis development and enjoyment and how parental behaviour and support can play a positive or negative role.

The guide has been broken up into four main sections:

1. Tennis Development Decisions

2. Player Education

3. Player Personal Development

4. Parent Involvement and Impact

For the