Tennis Skills Cues & Rubric

Skills
Serve

Cues

Forehand

Backhand

Skills Rubric

Set Position-your non-dominate foot toward the net and your weight on the dominate back foot
Arms Drop-let both arms drop together toward your lead leg
Weight Transfer and Ball Toss-transfer your weight onto your lead foot as your arm begins to
extend up for the toss(ball is about 2 feet above the extended hand and 6 inches in front your lead
toe)
Ready to Hit-racket arm is bent at 90 degrees
Racket Drop-elbow moves forward in a throwing motion while you scratch your back with your
racket
Hit-the throwing motion continues as the racket arm extends upward to contact the ball
Finish-continue to follow-through out into the direction of the hit and then down to your nondominate side
Grip- hold the throat of the racket lightly with your non-dominate hand and shake the handle with
you dominate hand so the V is positioned on top of the grip
Set Position-stand a the T in a balanced athletic position
Backswing-turn and bring the racket back at waist level so the heel of the racket is pointing in the
direction you would like to hit the ball
Forward Swing-with your wrist firm, contact the ball well in front of your body by transferring your
weight into the shot by stepping toward the net
Finish-feet- weight on the front foot, body- standing tall and square with slight flex in you nondominate knee and racket position-wrist at eye level while the racket face is standing on edge
Grip-quarter turn with the dominate palm on the top of the racket handle
Set Position-weight is evenly distributed in a athletic stance
Backswing-turn with the non-dominate foot toward the T keep racket at waist level and point the
heel of the racket where you want the ball to travel
Forward Swing-transfer your weight when the ball bounces and make contact in front of the body
with a firm wrist
Finish-weight on the front foot at an 45degree angle to the net, body should be tall with lead knee
slightly bent, wrist at eye level and racket 45 degrees beyond where you want the ball to travel
Cues modified from Tennis Anyone (Fourth Edition), by Dick Gould

Level 4 ~ Student performs the skills with no or few observable errors in technique.
Level 3 ~ Student performs the skills with most of the characteristics of good technique and is able to
self-correct most errors easily.
Level 2 ~ Student performs the skills with some technique and many errors. Student relies on assistance
of others to correct the skill or to participate.
Level 1 ~ Student is ineffective at performing the skill correctly and/or requires the assistance from
others to participate.

Assessor/Skill
Score
Self
Partner
Teacher

Serve

Forehand

Backhand