How to Be a Good Tennis Parent
Dominic Ross-Hurst - Feb 2026
Being a tennis parent isn’t easy. There’s no manual, no perfect blueprint, and no two journeys look the same. Every parent involved in junior tennis is doing their best with the information they have at the time—and that matters.
This piece isn’t about telling anyone they’re doing it wrong. It’s about creating clarity, reducing pressure, and helping parents feel confident that they’re supporting their child in the best possible way—whatever stage they’re at. And throughout that journey, one thing remains constant: at DRH Sports, we have your back.
Understanding the Three Roles: Parent, Player, Coach
One of the most common challenges in junior tennis is when the lines between parent, player, and coach begin to blur—and this often happens with the best intentions.
Parents care deeply and naturally want to help. But when parents begin to coach—giving technical instructions, tactical advice, or match analysis—it can create confusion for the player. They may feel pulled in different directions, unsure who to listen to, or anxious about getting things “wrong.”
Clear roles help everyone:
When each role stays clear, players feel calmer, more confident, and better able to improve.
The Early Stages: Just Starting to Compete
When children first start competing, tennis should feel fun, exciting, and safe. Results will fluctuate wildly, emotions will be big, and progress will rarely be linear.
At this stage, the most valuable support a parent can offer is not coaching, but reassurance:
The journey home from matches is often where pressure unintentionally appears. Silence, empathy, or a simple: “I loved watching you play” is often far more powerful than analysis.
The Development Stage: Improving & Competing More Often
As players grow and compete more regularly, parents often feel the strongest urge to help more. This is where coaching from the sidelines or detailed post-match feedback can creep in.
While well-intended, too much input can overload players. At this stage, good parental support looks like:
This is also a crucial time for players to start learning how to give feedback. Even simple statements like: “I struggled returning serve today” or “I felt nervous at the start of the match” help coaches guide sessions more effectively and build player ownership.
The Performance Stage: Regional & National Level
At higher levels, tennis demands increase—and so does the importance of independence.
Parents play a vital role here, but not as coaches. Instead, the most effective parents:
Motivation must come from the player. When it does, sacrifices feel like choices—not pressure.
Giving Helpful Feedback to Coaches
Communication between parents and coaches is important—but how and when it happens matters.
Coaches often receive long, emotional messages late in the evening following a tough match or session. While understandable, this type of feedback is rarely productive for anyone.
Helpful feedback tends to be:
Examples of useful feedback might include:
Where possible, we actively encourage players to share feedback directly with their coach. When they can’t, parents are welcome to step in—but always with the aim of supporting clarity, not adding noise.
One Constant: We’re on Your Side
Tennis parenting comes with doubts, questions, and moments of uncertainty. That’s normal.
At DRH Sports, our role isn’t just to develop players—it’s to support families. Clear roles, open communication, and shared understanding create the best environment for long-term success.
There’s no such thing as a perfect tennis parent—only supportive ones who care, listen, and stay open to learning.
And we’ll support you every step of the way.