General FAQ's
What ages can play?
All ages from 5 to 12.
How and where do I pay?
You can go on our website and pay for matches very easily.
Our matches vary from £7 - £12 depending on location. This price is for one match every week.
You can pay for just one match, or multiple matches, it's entirely up to you. We do insist that you make payment at least 48 hours before the match your child is set to play.
My child has never played tennis before, does this matter?
Absolutely not! Our matches are the perfect opportunity for children to try out tennis in its full form.
We have sessions for every standard including those who are beginners. However, if you join to play a match and we think that your child needs some help to get through it, then we provide basic tuition to get them going so they can hit the ball over the net.
For complete beginners we provide tuition which will help your child learn how to get the ball over the net and hold the racket properly.
When will my child be playing, and for how long?
The majority of our matches are 30 minutes, but this can vary depending on location and the age group playing.
Although we advertise our sessions to be a few hours long, that indicates the total time of all the matches. Your child will only play one half hour match within that timeframe, and you can usually give an indication to us what time suits you. Normally younger children will play earlier in the session and older children will play later in the session. If it suits you to play earlier, then just let us know and we will accommodate you.
How do you know which session to put my child in based on ability?
The first time your child arrives we will assess their standard and then put them in a session we think best matches their ability. On the first day of all our leagues we do a grading session so we can put children in the correct session against other children of their standard.
How does promotion and relegation work?
We use promotion and relegation to make sure that your child plays in the right Division matching their ability. So our promotion and relegation system means that organically your child will end up in a Division matching their own standard against players just like them.
What happens if we pay for a match in advance but can't make it?
That's not a problem, As long as we receive at least 48 hours notice then we will roll over your payment into the next week.
What if my child plays but they keep getting beat, isn't it demoralising?
Don't worry. Our experienced Adjudicators, will spot this quickly and we will move your child into a Division which more suits their own ability straightaway.
Is it free to register?
Yes, there is no charge to register. You only pay for your child’s matches, nothing else.
How do we know what times each week to arrive?
You will see a fixture list online for your child which shows what time they are playing their match and who against. The times of matches will be very similar each week, so if you’ve specified, say 5pm, then most matches will be at that time. Although the matches are half an hour, we recommend you arrive at least ten minutes early and let the Chief Adjudicator know you are there, and he or she will tell you what court you are on.
What can I do on the website?
There are loads of fun and interactive things that you or your child can do on the website (with your permission!]. For instance, they can fill in their player card, put their profile picture in, choose their country flag and much more. You can even upload a video of your child playing. But this is entirely up to you.
And for younger children we have performance stickers that I can fill in on one of our performance cards so if we think they did a particularly good shot they can get a sticker!
We also have good sportsmanship towards, which we think is the most important thing.
Is there First Aid?
First Aid is provided by the sports centres being used.
Are the matches offered all year round?
Currently we are following school term schedules. This means your child shouldn't miss matches so they can enjoy their much needed family holidays.
I've already paid a whole term at the tennis club, can I get the money back so I can join Tennis Kids?
Yes. At most tennis clubs they make you pay a whole term in advance for your child. If you decide to leave, the coach should give you a refund for the remaining term you haven't used. If they don't, simply contact us and we will arrange the refund for you.
Can the parents watch the matches?
Absolutely, in fact we encourage it. Most of our indoor venues are warm and some have places you can sit and get a drink. For our younger children, we also think it's good if you are courtside and you can help with the scoring if you want to, and give gentle encouragement to your child. The only thing we ask is that you are fair to both your child and their opponent because that's the most important thing.
Do you provide water?
Some of our locations will have access to drinking water or vending machines but we recommend you bring your own water or sports drink with you.
What about the prizes?
Whilst your child will be playing matches, the focus will be on fun and enjoyment. But there will be prizes at the end of each season. These will include medals for winners and runners-up, and special awards for players that have improved, or show good sportsmanship.
Do the children shake hands at the end of the match?
We encourage good sportsmanship from every child and we encourage children to shake hands at the end of every match. However, some children may want to touch rackets or some children may not want to do anything, and we are pretty easy about that.
What does my child need to bring?
We advise a large sports drink, sports clothing and trainers. We provide rackets for everyone, so no need to worry about spending a fortune on new tennis gear.
Do you offer coaching or is it just matches?
Most of our staff are tennis coaches but we do not offer one to one coaching. Our staff are technicians, and their aim is to harness the natural ability that resides in every child and tweak it to their style. We do not believe, and do not do, formal coaching which we believe can sometimes be detrimental to a child's progress, rather than helping their natural style develop. And our aim is to get your child playing matches as soin as possible because that is how they progress best.
What balls do you play with, and why?
We play with larger sponge balls but this means that if your child is a beginner they can develop a proper shot, with a full swing, and hit the ball hard if they want to. Once your child is able to rally well, we progress them straight onto the proper yellow tennis ball.
