Tennis is a rally game. Whoever can keep the ball in play longest wins. Rally to 10 is the simplest cooperative game: two players, count every shot, restart at zero on a miss. This builds consistency, the foundation of match play.
What you need: Tennis balls (green for 11-12), racquets, full court.
Setup: Two players on opposite baselines.
How to run it:
- Player A starts the rally with an underhand feed (no serve).
- Players rally back and forth. Each successful shot counts toward a goal of 10.
- If anyone misses (ball out, in the net), restart at zero.
- Goal: rally of 10 in a row. Then 15. Then 20.
- Record the longest rally of the day.
What to watch: Are they trying to hit winners or just keep the ball in? Cooperative rally is about keeping the ball in. Don’t aim for power.
If they’re struggling: Smaller court (service boxes only). Bigger margin for error.
If they’ve got it: Add target zones. Each shot has to land in a specific zone (cross-court only, for example).