Competitive Formats

Mike Barrellevolve9

Running programs that are only instructional is like teaching a language that no one will ever use!

Ultimately without using this language your skills diminish and you will lose the motivation to continue to develop

Objectives Today

• Show simple club based formats • Create an understanding of competition as viewed

by a beginner or younger player• Demonstrate the key benefits of different formats • Ideas to support competitive development

Why Different Formats?

• Formal formats generally well catered for• Growing the game means more players competing• Competing is just playing, as long as it is presented

properly• Coaches and clubs need to present appropriate

competition and not just leave it to the associations• APPROPRIATE Competition Drives the sport

Flap Before Flying or it could be fly or die!

G e t t in g it!!Wr o n g

“One of my students, a 6-year old, was sure he was going to win the 8 and under.  It was cool to see his reaction when he finished 6 matches without a win.  He wanted a lesson to get ready for the next tournament.”

Butch Staples, Head Professional

Midtown Tennis Club, Chicago

G e t t in g it!!R ig h t

Teach The Game

Setting Up

Use all these in Lessons

• Courts, Balls, Rackets• Tools, Scoreboards and Equipment• Teach The rules of tennis. • Teaching little ones – in and out• Teach scoring – best of 3, 2 serves etc• Teach serving order for tiebreak

Understanding Kids

Different Orientations

• Stage 1 - Trying Tennis• Stage 2 - One Lesson a Week• Stage 3 - My #1 sport• Stage 4 - #1 thing in my life

Competitive Issues

• FEAR - Controlling external factors• FAIR - Get the level right• FUN =Not knowing what will happen before it startsA perception of competence (Different for under

achiever vs. over achiever)Being with friends

“Round Robin? Great More Opportunities to Lose!”

Mark aged 8

!!G e t t in g it Wr o n g

“It’s not fair, he was too good!”

Jamie aged 7

!!G e t t in g it Wr o n g

Over Achiever & Under Achiever UnderI Can’t Socially awareExtrinsic SupportNeeds incremental successFear of consequences – peers, parentsMust be FairTeam start

Over• I Can • May be socially naive • Intrinsic challenge• Will try anyway until successful• May not understand

consequences• Bring it on• Individual

Progressive Orientation

Stage Process Format Establishing

1 Skills festival No competitive measurement Environment

2 Skill Circuits Team based measurable tasks Improve through skills

3 Team based singles Short tiebreak, Best of 3 tie-break Compete with team, short scoring

4 Team based singles & doubles

Best of 3 tie-breaks Longer and best of 3

5 Singles and Doubles Short sets to best of 3 sets Longer and set scoring

Training In Lessons

1. Improving own score or performance 2. Improving skill with partner3. Competing with partner vs. other pairs 4. Competing vs. other players at skills

Format Factors• Location (moves further) – club provides security and

familiarity• Team (moving to individual) – tennis is an individual team sport

in most competitions• Event Duration (gets longer) – investment in time for total

event• Match Duration (gets longer)– shorter matches mean more

starting and stopping• Rewarding (relevant to importance) – what to reward• Connection (train to play) – lessons need to connect to

lessons or else why do either

Format #1 Team Rallies

• Task based• Teams• Short Duration• Club Based / Lesson based

Format #2 Team Cones

• Quick Matches• Team format• Club based only• Limited stress on individual• Who do I get to play next?

Format #3 Mixed Age Slam

• Team Format• Appropriate Level• Longer match duration• Could be formal team format• Club or interclub • Adding Luck

Reward and Award

• What do kids want?• What messages do we want to send?• What deserves a reward?• What doesn’t?

“Why play? We all know is going to win anyway!”

Joe Aged 8

!!G e t t in g it W r o n g

“When can I play again?”

Hannah aged 7Played 6 lost 5

!!G e t t in g it R ig h t

Don’t start by skiing the black run!

G e t t in g it!!Wr o n g

Conclusions

• Club based competition is vital to the health and growth of tennis

• Formats must adapt to orientation and lifestyle • Players may become more competitive as they

gain confidence and competence• A pathway / variety of formats provides for all

competitive orientations and encourages progression