It’s About the Journey 

From discovery to the highest levels, the Wheelchair Tennis Whole Player Development Pathway (WTWPDP) provides recommendations to guide player development at each stage and foster a lifelong passion for wheelchair tennis. 

The WTWPDP is committed to nurturing excellence both on and off the court and reinforces the idea that long-term development is important to sport performance and to a life-long commitment to physical activity for mental and physical health and wellness. This pathway requires alignment from community to high-performance programming involving clubs, coaches, families, community organizations, and Provincial and Territorial partners.   

This holistic approach aims to develop great wheelchair tennis players—and great people- who can be role models and inspire future generations.

The WTWPDP framework is designed around the 5Cs of skill development to help develop a well-balanced player and individual with the following key components:  

  • Culture: The sum total of all of our behaviours and actions, verbal and nonverbal, on and off the court: A way of doing the right things.
  • Character: Leadership skills at each age and stage of development.
  • Confidence: Psychological development that supports self-confidence: The process on the path to developing resilience.
  • Connection: Social and emotional development focused on relationships and connectivity in an increasingly disconnected world.
  • Competence: Tactical, technical, physical, and mobility development recommendations, from fundamental movement skills through sport-specific wheelchair tennis training based on level.

We believe Canadians should have the opportunity to play and enjoy the sport of wheelchair tennis with access to an environment that allows them to reach their full potential on and off the court.  

To view the WPDP, click here. 

Details on each stage can be viewed and further information is available within the PDFs linked below. 

The purpose of the Discovery stage is to inform the general public and prospective participants of the wheelchair tennis opportunities available. This stage shares information on how to build partnerships and  raise awareness of wheelchair tennis and help ease the transition into sport for people with physical disabilities. 

To learn more about this stage, click here. 

The Active Start stage is focused on ensuring participants have a positive first experience and remain engaged in the sport. Given there is only ONE chance at a first impression, it is important to create an environment that is welcoming, safe, encouraging, and inclusive.

To learn more about this stage, click here. 

The focus of the Fundamentals stage is to build a foundation of basic tactical, technical, physical, mobility, and psychological skills. Players are introduced to the rules of the game and tennis etiquette in a safe, inclusive, positive environment to promote life-long participation. This stage uses the progressive tennis approach (red, orange, and green) to play, develop, and compete with the appropriate racquet and balls on the right size court. 

To learn more about this stage, click here. 

The focus in the Development stage is on building a solid technical foundation, allowing players to develop their potential. Sound technique is essential to adapt and thrive in all tactical scenarios. The player understands and can apply efficient wheelchair mobility to cover the court in all phases of play including baseline, transition, and the net.   

To learn more about this stage, click here. 

The focus of the Consolidating stage is to build on sound technique to focus on applying tactical strategies and expand technical skills. Competition becomes more prominent and the player will learn and implement best practices in travel, build autonomy, support recovery, and develop their competitive mindset. In matches, the player will begin to execute on game plans and develop their style. 

To learn more about this stage, click here. 

In the Performance stage, the player is pursuing high-performance wheelchair tennis and learning to manage the increasing demands and quality of their preparation and performance. Key focus areas include physical development, mental performance, sport science, and the coach taking on a greater leadership role in collaborating with an integrated support team (IST). “The Winning Style of Play” remains the focus of tactical development. 

To learn more about this stage, click here. 

In the Life as a Pro stage, the player is focused on high-performance in training and competition while maintaining an emphasis on physical and mental health and wellness. The player has the opportunity to be an ambassador for the sport by giving back and being a mentor for the next generation of players.   

To learn more about this stage, click here. 

READ EVERYTHING ABOUT THE WTWPDP

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