Skill levels

Some of our sessions are intended for players within a certain range of abilities. Assessing ability is difficult, and will always require a mixture of objectivity and subjectivity. With our Player Development Officer (PDO) and Club Coaches, we have produced the following information to outline common traits found in five ranges of ability. It is intended to help with self-assessment, and will be used by our PDO and the working groups when reviewing session attendance. Reviews will take place on a regular basis, and it will not be uncommon for players to move from one group to another.

This document will be reviewed and updated on a regular basis. It is just one tool used to assess ability, and cannot perfectly describe every individual in every range. Box league and competition results may also factor in assessments.

	Green	Yellow	Red	Purple	Blue
Rules	Is beginning to learn the basic rules, including scoring and court layout. Learning rules on line calls.	Has an understanding of the common rules. Understands and calls score correctly. Understands each of the line calls	Knows the majority of rules and is able to apply them including calling faults within game situations, e.g. foot faults. Confidently keeps score and calls it on each serve. Confidently calls line calls in game situations fairly.	Has an excellent understanding of the rules, including specific details. Is aware of yearly changes.
Key shots	Is learning how to play basic shots, such as forehand, backhand and dinking.	Is finding some consistency with forehand, backhand, volleys and dinks. Is starting to use drop shots and resets within game situations learning the softer side of the game. Uses lobs at incorrect times and positions with little control.	Demonstrates controlled dinks. Plays drop shots with some consistency. Is comfortable in volleying at the kitchen. Demonstrates controlled resets from the transition zone. Returns slice and spin shots directed to them. Demonstrates good accuracy of various shots. Shows effectiveness with backhand shot types across drops, resets and dinking. Showing consistency in lobs and positioning of lobs.	Has the ability to plays all shots with good consistency and accuracy, including resetting lobs, smashes and volleys. Stays calm under pressure situations, including dinking rallies or volleys at the kitchen. Shows proficiency of the use of the double handed backhand in correct scenarios on court. Offensive and defensive lobs used intentionally. Uses resets to gain control and alter the flow of the game.	Can play all key shots with excellent consistency and accuracy.
Serve	Is learning serve types and comfortable starting a game legally.	Serves consistently in (60–75%).	Serves consistently in (75–85%), and is starting to vary the serve options using top spin, slice, drive & lob serves.	Serves consistently in (85%+), and can consistently alter the serve using top spin, slice, drive & lob serves	Serves consistently in (90%+), and selects serves to put opponent under pressure.
Positioning	Is starting to learn court positioning.	Is beginning to work in tandem with partner on court. Is starting to transition to the kitchen at the appropriate time.	Has a good awareness of court position. Is comfortable at the baseline but looks for opportunities to get to the kitchen. Does not stay at the back or in the transition zone. Is learning how to deal with pressure within the transition zone. Has a good understanding of positioning with partner on court, working in tandem.	Shows strong awareness of court positioning, and can adjust based on tactical changes, e.g. stacking. Is comfortable within the transition zone under pressure and can create the opportunity to move to the kitchen. Returns to position efficiently after being taken out of position.	Has excellent court positioning, is rarely caught out of position.
Rallies	Long rallies are rare. Mostly reactive play within most game situations, including volleys and dinking.	Can maintain a rally for 5 shots or more. Is beginning to anticipate and prepare for shots.	Can maintain a rally for 5–10 shots, while trying to identify appropriate opportunities to speed up or reset. Anticipates various attacks, and can defend with some success. Returns to ready position after taking a shot consistently.	Responds to pop ups effectively, and resets in ‘hand battles’ when under pressure. Defends various shot types while under pressure. Places shots with precision. Wins dinking rallies with patience and control. Punishes weak shots consistently.	Instigates attacks when appropriate and can reset if countered. Anticipates and counters opponents’ shots. Defends excellently under pressure. Can disguise shots & alter the tempo of the rallies.
Strategy	Plays the points reactively with limited tactical awareness.	Is starting to learn shot selection choices and when to use them in the correct situation. Is starting to learn to spot weaknesses in opponents.	Demonstrates tactical awareness and patience within a game to create more opportunities. Exploits obvious weaknesses of opponents.	Uses shot selection to create the opportunity to win the point, without forcing. Demonstrates high level of tactical awareness e.g. moving players around, targeting (in competition). Can control the pace of the game, speeding it up when required and resetting at the right times.	Has a wide variety of shots, and uses them tactically during game. Identifies and changes tactics during match to take advantage of opponent.
Unforced errors		Makes unforced errors due to shot selection.	Decreasing unforced errors. Shot selection has improved, e.g. selecting correct times to speed up an attack. Improved consistency of attacks.	Unforced errors are minimal.	Limited unforced errors.
Court coverage	Is happy playing from the back of the court or mid court with no variation of positioning.	Is learning how to play from the back of the court, through the transition zone, and up to the kitchen.	Moves from the baseline, through the transition zone, and up to the kitchen comfortably. Covers lobs and transitions from the kitchen to the baseline, back to the kitchen where appropriate with some success.	Demonstrates good court coverage, including returning lobs and smashes.	Has excellent court coverage.
Communications		Is beginning to communicate with partner during rallies.	Communicates with partner during rallies.	Has very good communication with partner, including tactics, strategy and shot selection. Does not interrupt opponents’ shots with communication.	Has excellent communication with partner.
Other traits		Seeks feedback from PDO or Club Coaches or PDO on pathway requirements to Red. Entering social competitions for fun and testing the waters of competitive situations.	Should be entering tournaments at a minimum of 3.0+ Competes well and is competitive with peers in box league games and tournaments. Seeks feedback from PDO or Club Coaches on pathway requirements to Purple.	Should be entering tournaments at 3.5+. Competes well with peers and has positive results in box leagues and performs well at tournaments. Maintains consistency and level playing in High Intermediate sessions. Seeks feedback from PDO or Club Coaches on pathway requirements to Blue.	Should be entering tournaments at 4.0+. Competes well with peers and has positive results in box leagues and performs well at tournaments.