Junior Interclub Team Managers

Thank you for being a team manager!

Our junior interclub teams couldn’t run without parents and volunteers stepping up to help.

The team manager’s job is mainly about communication and coordination. You don’t need to coach the players or know everything about tennis. We’ll help with questions along the way.

Here’s what you need to know.

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Scoresheet: download here

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Before the season starts

  • Get familiar with interclub

  • Please read the interclub rules for the season before your first match. If anything isn’t clear, check with our Junior Club Manager.
  • At the start of the season, we’ll provide you with your team details, contact information, the competition draw and any other information you need.

Set up your team communication

  • Create a group for your team using Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp or group text.
  • We recommend avoiding email where possible. Important information can easily disappear into long email threads.
  • Please add the Junior Club Manager to your group too. They can help answer questions and support you when something unexpected comes up.

Organise your player rotation

  • If your team has more players than required each week, create a fair roster for weeks off.
  • Share this with parents at the beginning of the season and keep an eye on it throughout the competition to make sure the rotation stays fair.

Share the important stuff

Make sure parents know what to expect before the first match, including:

  • match dates and locations
  • expected arrival times
  • the importance of warming up
  • suitable tennis clothing and footwear
  • bringing a hat, sunscreen and water
  • player and parent behaviour expectations
  • how your team will organise morning tea for home games

During the week

  • Check player availability early enough to deal with any gaps in the team.
  • We recommend sending a reminder to your team during the week confirming the match location, start time and arrival time.
  • Players should arrive at least 20 minutes before the match starts. This gives them time to get organised and warm up with their teammates.
  • For home games, remind the family responsible for morning tea.
  • Keep an eye on your player rotation throughout the season so weeks off are shared as evenly as possible.
  • And if you get the chance, take a few photos of the team in action. We love being able to share our juniors on the club’s social media.

Home matches at Springston

  • When we’re the home team, we want visiting players and families to feel welcome.
  • Introduce yourself to the opposing team manager when they arrive and show them where they can find the clubhouse, toilets and somewhere to leave their bags.
  • Let them know about morning tea and help everyone get settled before play begins.

Morning tea

  • The home team provides morning tea for both teams.
  • Set up a simple roster so families can share the responsibility during the season. This can include something to eat, orange juice and milk for tea and coffee.
  • It doesn’t need to be elaborate.

Get parents involved

  • Junior interclub runs much more smoothly when everyone lends a hand.
  • Encourage parents to help with things like scoring, collecting balls and keeping matches moving.
  • The team manager shouldn’t have to do everything!

Getting players match-ready

Encourage players to arrive ready to play with:

  • their racquet
  • a full water bottle
  • sunscreen
  • a hat
  • proper tennis shoes
  • suitable tennis clothing
  • their Springston club uniform, if supplied

Players should warm up and hit with their teammates before matches begin.

Part of the manager’s role is helping the team get organised so matches can start on time.

After the match

  • Before everyone heads home, check that the score sheet has been completed correctly and signed by both teams.
  • Return the score sheet to the Junior Club Manager, Club President or other designated person as advised.
  • A quick message to your team afterwards is also a nice way to recognise good effort, improvement and sportsmanship.

A few things to remember

You’re the manager, not the coach. Your role is to help organise the team and keep communication flowing.

Communicate early. Clear information helps avoid last-minute confusion for everyone.

Keep it positive. We want good behaviour and sportsmanship from our players, parents and supporters.

Encourage more tennis. Let players know about local tournaments, match clinics and other opportunities to get more time on court.

Know the weather process. Make sure you know what happens if weather affects play and who to contact if you’re unsure.

Most importantly, junior interclub should be about enjoyment, learning and building confidence.

There’ll be wins, losses, great shots, frustrating games and plenty of learning along the way. That’s all part of junior tennis.

Need help?

Please ask. We’d much rather you check something than feel like you have to figure it out yourself.

Email: springstontennis@gmail.com

And once again, thank you for volunteering to manage a team. We genuinely couldn’t run junior interclub without you.