It’s important to adapt our tennis activities to different ages group and abilities. We work with many SEN school and groups of participants with autism. 

Here are some of the ways we ensure that our I Play 30 coaches and volunteers are creating safe and fun settings for players to thrive and learn tennis. 

Customized Coaching Approaches: On court our coaches and volunteers use visual aids, customised equipment and create predictable routines to cater to the specific needs of our participants. For example each session starts with a warm up, a clear explanation and a demonstration of the activity. This allows for them to process and understand each activity and once we get started we ensure to delivery appropriate feedback and encouragement at the right time.

Integration of Social and Motor Skill Development: Tennis provides a balance between motor skill improvement and opportunities for social engagement, making it a valuable sport for children and adults with autism. Our coaches encourage participants to take on individual challenges and also take part in cooperative activities where they learn to work together and problem solve. The I Play 30 training teaches the leaders of the sessions to recognise when to progress or regress the drill to make sure it stay engaging and fun for everyone at all times.

Focus on Emotional Regulation: Tennis offers moments to teach emotional regulation, helping children and adults to develop coping strategies that can transfer into other areas of life. We always say that tennis is the vehicle in which the players are learning key life skills such as confidence, communication, how to follow instructions and teamwork. 

We have seen firsthand the many benefits tennis has on people with autism, both physically and mentally, and are delighted that we can offer tennis to so many people through our I Play 30 initiative.