Tennis

Progressive tennis

As early as the seventies, the ACTJ was amongst the leaders in organising sports camps by using the concept which would later become known as progressive tennis.

What is progressive tennis?
This is quite simply the idea of allowing each individual to play tennis in accordance with their level and skills. Would anyone be so senseless as to ask a beginner skier to go directly down a black slope? This is what many did for tennis over many years, asking youngsters taking their first steps in the game, to play on a full-size court with hard tennis balls. It is a little like asking adult tennis players to play on a football pitch with footballs instead of tennis balls.

Each individual has their own level and skills

By adapting the equipment, racket, balls, and court, we lay down the foundations for each young player to achieve success from the outset, and if already experienced, to rapidly make progress. Organising progressive tennis then leads to its fullest form with hard tennis balls and full-size courts for “competition” style training sessions. This is the exact objective and so this represents the success of the concept.

Searching for Sporting Mentality during ACTJ tennis placements.

Sporting Mentality is the principle which should guide each sportsman and woman in their attitude. The first aspect of this consists of taking pleasure from playing and not to “be a bad loser”, and to ensure that there is a friendly atmosphere. Self-respect, respect for competitors and playing partners (in team sports), respecting rules, and respecting trainers. This also involves implementing one’s own means so as to achieve one’s OBJECTIVES, and to be a stakeholder in one’s own game (and not merely a spectator); this involves preferring to play than to watch, and to change and adapt one’s strategy, to accept advice and instructions, to appreciate effort, to enjoy the game by giving one’s best effort with the resources implemented. Finally, it is necessary to adopt a positive mental attitude in all situations.

Sporting Mentality at the ACTJ is conveyed at all times by monitors, during training, matches (football, basketball, etc.), and also during daily life, mealtimes, bedtime, etc.

Training sessions

Groups are constituted on the basis of age and/or level on the first day. But do not fear, as these may be adjusted at any time. Groups of four for competition placements, and of four to six for progressive placements, and of six to eight for beginner placements.

Organisation of matches and exercises is implemented by the technical director and favours a dynamic approach. Sessions are organised in accordance with the type of camp (competition, progressive, beginner) and there are two sessions per day. On the tournament circuit, the pace of training is dependent upon invitations to tournaments. It is commonplace that a player might only have one training session in a day to recover from matches.

Tournaments

Official tournaments (camps with tournament and circuit play) provide the opportunity to come face to face in the framework of a competition organised by a federal club (French Tennis Federation) with other youngsters of similar age and level. Monitors then take on the role of coaches who, even though they are not permitted to consult with players during the match, offer support and help with preparation and to sum up the match. Internal camp tournaments are also numerous and varied: team championships or individual championships are a chance for each person, even those who have never tried, to play matches against friends in the camp. This is the chance to participate in the “Davis Cup” of the “French Open”.

A final event marks the end of the camp. Each participant receives, in recognition of their participation, an award in line with their achievement.