TENNIS & TENNIS ACADEMY

Shrewsbury Riverside’s tennis programme provides world class coaching that is open to all students, regardless of their age and skill level. Led by Thai global tennis superstar Paradorn Srichaphan ATP Singles #9 and Australian Number 1 Junior – Jed Gould, the programme caters to each individual's needs and we are proud to offer a pathway designed to help them reach the highest possible level.

At Shrewsbury, we aim to inspire and support every pupil on their athletic journey by helping them become robust, well rounded sports performers and providing them with the skills and mental strength to excel in their sport. As a student progresses through the programme their training shifts from participation to performance. In order to ensure we provide the best possible training for our student athletes, each will receive personalised progress reports, individualised training plans, fitness assessments and tournament schedules.
 

Each phase of the programme provides a framework from which to build upon and ensure continual progression. It is important for us to ensure students are not left out along the way and feel empowered to be able to join the programme at any age throughout their schooling life. 

phase 1: Foundation

The focus of the tennis foundation stage is fun and participation. Our coaching team wants their students to love tennis as this drives a desire to develop their skills and increase their focus. Open game learning gives students the chance to explore a large degree of movement and body control. This allows them to understand natural on court movements and how to best direct and make contact with the ball. 

phase 2: Development

The development stage focuses on more specific movement patterns and training gradually shifts to developing grips, technical swings and on court positioning.  Students begin to experience match conditions with more structured games, allowing them to better understand their own capabilities and the areas they can focus on to continue their development. 

In the development stage students are introduced to age appropriate exercises to develop their agility and strength and understand the importance of injury prevention. Students start to discuss and understand the psychological aspects of playing tennis in a competitive format and how we can incorporate this into their training programs. 

phase 3: Performance 

In the performance stage students are excelling in tennis as a chosen sport and have the ability to play tennis at a National level or above. They are competing in tournaments and training in blocks revolving around scheduled competitions and fixtures. 

Training focuses on all aspects of development - technical, tactical, physical and mental. Within this, depending on the students age, ability and personal goals for tennis their training is individualised for their specific needs for personal growth. 

phase 4: High Performance / Peak

High performance athletes have the mental and physical maturity required to compete at the highest level of tennis. They exhibit the highest levels of technical, tactical, physical and mental tennis skills. 

These student athletes are working towards playing college tennis at the highest level and have a goal of progressing onto a professional sporting career. Their academic and training schedule will reflect this as will the intensity of their training on and off the court. 

Shrewsbury Tennis Academy is designed for students with significant talent and passion for the sport, and who are prepared to commit significant time alongside their academic subjects in order to develop their ability in the sport to a point where application for US College scholarships is a realistic goal.

The programme is designed to balance academic and sporting development. Through a mixture of performance coaching, academic support and college counselling, and provision of performance opportunities, the academy programme is truly designed for Shrewsbury's Scholar-Athletes. 

The academy - provided at additional cost and aimed predominantly at students in Key Stages 4 and 5 - provides specialised support for performance development, academic and college counselling, strength and conditioning and more. Entrance into the Academy Programmes are subject to the schools normal admissions process, and Academy-specific enrolment procedures.