Video Demo

Video Demo

I wanted to show in a short video some of the main basic stances and walk through of how to hit the ball properly. In this video I explain how to swing and which feet to step with for more power and accuracy.

                           

Ready Position   

Forehand and Backhand

Volley

Serving and Review

Rules

Rules to Tennis

Tennis like every sport has specific rules that we must follow to play correctly. If we follow these rules we will not only be able to gain own skill and become better at the sport, but we will enjoy the sport more fully. Rules are not giving to hinder athletes abilities but rather are giving to hone in or skills to be better and learn how to use form and scoring properly. As we follow rule and guidelines to this sport everyone can increase in their knowledge and love for the sport.

Scoring 

Scoring in tennis can be quite confusing for first timers. Unlike most sports scoring is not done by ones and twos. In fact it doesn't even have much of a pattern. The score before the game even begins starts at luv/luv. Luv means the player has no points. The first point in tennis is 15, second is 30, third is 40 and if the player wins the fourth point that is game. If both players win 3 points and the score is 40/40 (known as deuce) the next point winner does not win the game. It then becomes and advantage to the player that won the point and the score is announced ad. in if the server is winning or ad. out if the returning is up the point. This goes back and forth from deuce to advantage until a player wins two points in a row. 

That means that player is the winner of one game. That is not the end. Players must win at least 6 games to win a match. Matches are usually best two out of three. Players much repeat the scoring process and game winning until one of them wins two out of three sets to be the winner.

Singles and Doubles

Single and double in tennis are two very different games and strategies. Singles is 2 players on the court. 1 vs. 1. scoring is the same and doubles but lines and boundaries are a little different. In doubles, since there are 4 players on the court 2 vs. 2 they add more space to the court. These additional 2 lanes on the side of the court add 9 feet all together. The diagram below shows the dimensions of a tennis court. In single and doubles each side of net can only hit the ball once. It is not like volleyball when you can pass to your team. Each point after the serve is rallied until the ball is missed, bounces twice on your side or hit out of bounds.

Serving

Serving in tennis switches player to player after each game. The players switch side when the games add up to be an odd number. (ex. 1-0, 3-2, 5-4, etc.) The server must serve cross court in the service boxes. The server must stand behind the baseline to serve. If they step on the line it is a foot fault and could result in serving again on a second serve of the lose of the point. Look at diagram above for better understanding. The server get 2 chances to get it in the correct service box. If the ball hits the next and still bounces in the service box it is an automatic replay of the on the serve.

Net Play

If a player goes to the net during a rally of the point it is okay to hit the ball before it bounces. This stoke is what is called a volley. The player never can reach other the net during the point and when the ball is live. If the plane of the net is broken during live ball, it is automatic loss of the point. The net also can not be touched by any part of the racket or body during a live ball. It is also a loss of the point if such rules have been broken.

Courtesy  

Tennis is a gentlemen sport, meaning it is important for player to be courteous and respectful to their opponent. It is not courteous to cheer on the faults of others. It is appropriate to cheer on smash shots or impressive placement. But if a player messes up and hits the ball into the net or out of bounds it is not respectful to the other play to cheer excessively and boast in their face for their mistake.

Press Release

Teaching Tennis to Children to Better Their Future
November 7, 2016
Southern Utah University, Cedar City, Utah

Bryce Thurman taught children the art of tennis to help them understand the needs of listening, following rules, and enjoying learning new skills. Each student learned the basic game of tennis in a way that was engaging and fulfilling to all that joined. The main idea was to help kids have a better understanding of being healthy, physically fit, and enjoying learning new skills. The lessons were created to first teach form and rules, then play games to help them apply what they learned while having fun competing with new friends.

The focus was on the kids to apply these three things so that in the future they would enjoy learning at school and being better students. If children learn these skills and are better students in school it is understood they will take these skills into the work force and be better employees. Some of the best team workers in large companies were people who have played sports in school and while growing up, because they have learned how to be team players. The idea of this project was a fun loving atmosphere to grab all the students attention and help them have fun while learning.

The EDGE Program at Southern Utah University was the reason behind this project. Bryce Thurman wanted to perform a project that could help him learn skills to become a stronger leader. He said,"if you can teach children, you can teach anyone." The skills that he learned through this program and his project such at patience, hard work, planning, and love for other will be applied throughout other leadership options.

These lessons took place in the summer months of June and July 2016. There were 4 weeks of lessons with each class averaging about 7 students all under the age of 10 years old. Lessons were designed, created, and taught by Bryce Thurman to help each student understand basic form, rules and sportsmanship.

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Bryce Thurman
(801)-560-7610
bryce.thurman8@gmail.com
http://brycethurman8.blogspot.com

News Letter

Bryce Thurman
Riverton
Strategic Communication
Leadership Engagement

Teaching Tennis

Teaching tennis was the project that I decided to do for my EDGE project. I wanted to teach kids something they potentially had an interest in but not much experience. While teaching, each student would learn basic ready position, fore-hand, back-hand, over head, serving, and rules to the sport. we played games after they learned the skills to improve and to enjoy learning. This was one way to keep interest and make it fun. If learning isn't fun or interesting people hate it and don't perform to their best abilities.

I wanted to be a leader to them. One they could enjoy being around and one that they could learn from. In my mind if you can teach children, you can teach anyone. The way kids think and learn is so simple. Sometimes we need to teach and lead in the same manner. Simplicity is key and I knew this project would help me in building such skills for my future.

For my EDGE project I wanted to do something special for others but follow the leadership engagement center. This is when I thought that teaching young children tennis would be a wonderful idea. I have played tennis for many years and was on the varsity team in high school. I found so much enjoyment in this sport I wanted to lead others and teach them the art of being physically fit, healthy and enjoy a new sport.

This project was not simply roses and butterflies. There was a lot that went into this project that was difficult at times. Trying to teach a group averaging 7-8 students all under the age of 10 tested my patience at times. It was something I worked through and tried to always have a positive attitude toward each kid. It never was overbearing but something that was a challenge at times. They were all so much fun and kids will be kids.

Another challenge that occurred is that the students being so young had a much smaller attention span that I had anticipated. I had to change up my plans and drills more that I had expected. I was prepared with a lot of stuff to teach, games to play, and rules to learn. But I hadn't expected them to loose interest sometimes faster than I had hoped.

I could see how much these kids loved each lesson and the benefits from learning this sport. It was not just about learning tennis. Each of these kids made new friends, they learned how to listen, and they learned new rules and skills that can benefit them down the road in schooling and working. I could see the difference in each of them everyday that they returned. They were each excited to learn more and so willing to listen and follow the rules and skills they had learned in previous days. If they can learn to apply skills like that in school and work, life will be much smoother for a lot of people.

This benefited me in more ways than I probably even realize myself. I know that I learned how to lead a variety of different groups of people. Sometimes being a leader is not just in the working field. I know I learned great leadership skills for my future family and kids. Every kid was so beneficial to me and I learned so much. Skills such as patience, love, and hard work are but a few of the many that I myself learned in the few weeks I worked with these kids.

 

"The joy that these kids have every day to come back to learn new skills and have fun while doing it is inspiring to me in my jobs."

"If children can have so much fun learning something new in the hot sun running around for hours, I can have fun learning new skills for my career in future years."

Reflections

Reflections:

Now is the time to reflect and realize all that I have learned the specifics I focus on with the kids. Leadership was one of the strongest attributes I learn from this project. That is a broad statement because there are so many skills that apply to leadership. Patience is one of the strongest skills I learned that applies to leadership. Kids at times are hard to work with and hard to grab their attention. I had to be patience with each of them as i taught correct form and to watch them do the exact opposite of what I repeated over and over again. But as I was patient with them then overcame the wrongs and I could see them playing better and enjoying much more. Another aspect I learned about leadership through this project was quick thinking. I always came with some sort of lesson plan, but it did not always turn out how i had planned. Sometimes I would have to think of the top of my head of a game or drill we could play to grab their ever changing attention span. This also applies to work and working with groups. It was good to plan and have an idea but it is also good to adjust for the needs of those you work with.

The kids loved learning. Every morning they were excited and ready for something new. I can see looking back how much it made an difference in their lives even if it was a silly lesson for a couple day. Many kids and some parents asked if I would do this again because of how much they enjoyed. I feel that each student of mine learned how to be team players and respectful towards others. Most importantly I saw the happiness of each of their faces. They realized that playing and being active is fun. It was internally rewarding to see how much they found happiness and enjoyment in what i thought would just be an assignment or a grade down the road for me.

Project Details

Project Details:

I really wanted to show the kids I got to work with. The fun memories and many skills and attributes that we all learned will be cherished for a long time. I hoped that showing some of their faces we could all see the good time we had with each other. One of the biggest things I wanted out of this project was for the kids to understand learning new things can be fun even if it is hard or if we thought we wouldn't be good at it in the beginning. Other than the fun pictures of some of the kids I was able to work with I also wanted to show a couple diagrams of some of the forms we learned to hit the ball properly with accuracy and power.

Project Overview

Project Overview:

I chose for my EDGE Project to teach children the art of tennis. I wanted each student to understand basic form and rules of the sport. As a teacher I taught them and played with them in a way it wouldn't be stressful and that they could enjoy themselves. That being said I wanted them to understand it isn't something that we can automatically be great at. Tennis, like any sport needs a lot of practice. I helped each of my students with their specific needs and helped them to feel comfortable with each aspect of the sport. We talked about how sportsmanship, honesty, and having fun are important while learning new skills and working on something we have never done before. They each learned ready position, forehand, backhand, volley, overhand, and how to serve. Each student was better and worse at different aspects of the game. This was a good time for each of them to understand that if we learn together and help each other out it is easier to learn and have fun. This is something that can be learned and applied to all down the road in school and at work. These are some of the few skills I wanted each kid to leave the lessons with more than learning tennis.