There are many considerations when setting coach / player ratios. Ultimately the responsibility lies with coaches and their tennis venues. When setting ratios, the coach and venue must ensure:
- On court activity is safe
- On court activity is delivered with quality
- On court activity represents good value for money
- Supervision of children will not be compromised in the event of an emergency (or other situation) that requires the coach to leave the court/club
Coach / player ratios will vary depending on the following factors:
- The age of players
- The facilities available
- The activity taking place
- The level & experience of coach
It is not possible to give definitive guidance on coach / player ratios due to the considerations above. However, as a useful starting point the table below provides general guidance on coach / player ratios for recreational coaching delivered at optimum quality. At T2O Tennis, we strive to better these ratios, especially when teaching the younger age-groups, who we know benefit from more individual attention.
| Age | Recommended Ratio | Space | Considerations |
| TOTS (3-4 years) | 1:12 | Flexible – not necessarily on tennis courts | Assumption parents are providing on court support. 1:4 with no parental support. |
| Mini Tennis (Programme) | 1:8 | Relevant size tennis court for stage | Ratio can increase by 4 players for every assistant |
| Mini Tennis (Taster / School sessions) | 1:12 | Flexible – not necessarily on tennis courts | Ratio can increase by 8 players for every assistant (school teacher). |
| U14 | 1:12 | Across 2-3 full size tennis courts | 4 players per court |
| U18 | 1:12 | Across 2-3 full size tennis courts | 4 players per court |
| Adult Coaching / Training | 1:12 | Across 3 full size tennis courts | 4 players per court |