FootworkCoachesPlayers
Stages:

Closed stance

Front foot steps across the body. Often used on one-handed backhands and slices.
Say it on court
“Step across on the one-hander.”
Recommended for junior development: Green, Yellow (Ages 9–12)ID: closed-stance

Related Development Terms

4 connected entries
Footwork
CoachesPlayersParents
Red (Ages 5–8)
Orange (Ages 7–10)
Green (Ages 9–12)
Yellow (Ages 11+)

How a player moves to the ball, sets up, hits and recovers. In the orange stage it covers acceleration, stopping, stance and recovery steps.

Say it on court

“Good tennis starts with the feet.”

Movement cycle
CoachesPlayers
Red (Ages 5–8)
Orange (Ages 7–10)
Green (Ages 9–12)
Yellow (Ages 11+)

The five parts of every groundstroke: split-step, move to the ball, hit, recover, split-step again. A key orange-stage goal is completing the full cycle on every ball.

Say it on court

“Split, move, hit, recover, split. Every ball.”

Split-step
CoachesPlayersParents
Red (Ages 5–8)
Orange (Ages 7–10)
Green (Ages 9–12)
Yellow (Ages 11+)

A small hop landing on the balls of the feet as the opponent hits. It loads the legs so the player can push off in any direction.

Say it on court

“Hop when they hit.”

Ready position
CoachesPlayers
Red (Ages 5–8)
Orange (Ages 7–10)
Green (Ages 9–12)
Yellow (Ages 11+)

The athletic stance between shots: feet about shoulder-width apart, knees bent, weight on the front of the feet, racquet in front, eyes on the ball.

Say it on court

“Ready position: triangle feet, low, racquet up.”

More in Footwork for Green

How players move to the ball, set up and recover.

View all →
Footwork
CoachesPlayersParents
Red (Ages 5–8)
Orange (Ages 7–10)
Green (Ages 9–12)
Yellow (Ages 11+)

How a player moves to the ball, sets up, hits and recovers. In the orange stage it covers acceleration, stopping, stance and recovery steps.

Say it on court

“Good tennis starts with the feet.”

Movement cycle
CoachesPlayers
Red (Ages 5–8)
Orange (Ages 7–10)
Green (Ages 9–12)
Yellow (Ages 11+)

The five parts of every groundstroke: split-step, move to the ball, hit, recover, split-step again. A key orange-stage goal is completing the full cycle on every ball.

Say it on court

“Split, move, hit, recover, split. Every ball.”

Split-step
CoachesPlayersParents
Red (Ages 5–8)
Orange (Ages 7–10)
Green (Ages 9–12)
Yellow (Ages 11+)

A small hop landing on the balls of the feet as the opponent hits. It loads the legs so the player can push off in any direction.

Say it on court

“Hop when they hit.”

Ready position
CoachesPlayers
Red (Ages 5–8)
Orange (Ages 7–10)
Green (Ages 9–12)
Yellow (Ages 11+)

The athletic stance between shots: feet about shoulder-width apart, knees bent, weight on the front of the feet, racquet in front, eyes on the ball.

Say it on court

“Ready position: triangle feet, low, racquet up.”

Centre of gravity
CoachesPlayers
Red (Ages 5–8)
Orange (Ages 7–10)
Green (Ages 9–12)
Yellow (Ages 11+)

The body's balance point. Keeping it low by bending the knees makes it easier to move and stay balanced.

Say it on court

“Get low. Sit into your legs.”

Red (Ages 5–8)
Orange (Ages 7–10)
Green (Ages 9–12)
Yellow (Ages 11+)

The area between the feet. Balance is stable when the centre of gravity stays inside it.

Say it on court

“Feet under you, not way out to the side.”