Private Tennis Coaching for Kids at North Sydney Tennis & Fitness: Is It Right for Your Child?

Group Hot Shots lessons are the right starting point for almost every junior player, but there comes a point for some kids where an hour of undivided coach attention makes a bigger difference than another group session. Private tennis coaching at North Sydney Tennis & Fitness gives your child that focused, one-on-one time, whether they're working on a specific technical fix, preparing for a competition, or simply progressing faster than a group class can accommodate. Here's what it actually involves, how it compares to group coaching, and how to know if it's worth it for your child.

What private coaching actually is

Private coaching is a one-on-one, 60-minute session with one of our accredited coaches, built entirely around your child rather than a group curriculum. Sessions are available early morning, during the day, and in the evening, so it's genuinely flexible around school and other commitments, not limited to fixed after-school class times the way group Hot Shots sessions are. It's open to any age and ability, from a young Hot Shots player wanting extra attention to a more advanced junior working toward competitive play.

Private coaching vs. group Hot Shots: how they're different

Group Hot Shots lessons are built around peer learning, structured stage progression, and the social, game-based environment most kids need to build a foundation and stay motivated. They're the right entry point for the vast majority of juniors.

Private coaching does something different: it gives one child, and one coach, a full hour with no group pacing to work around. That means a coach can spend the entire session on exactly what your child needs, whether that's fixing a specific stroke, working on match tactics, or simply getting more repetitions than a shared session allows. Private coaching isn't a replacement for group lessons for most kids; it's most valuable alongside them, addressing something a group setting genuinely can't.

Signs private coaching might help your child

A few situations where private coaching tends to make a real difference:

• A specific technical habit isn't shifting in group lessons. A serve toss, a grip, or footwork issue that a coach has flagged repeatedly but hasn't had focused one-on-one time to fully correct.
• Your child is preparing for a competition or trial. Whether that's our own Hot Shots Challenge or an external event, targeted preparation benefits from individual attention in the lead-up.
• Progress has plateaued in a group setting. Some kids are ready to move faster than their current group's pace allows, without necessarily being ready to jump a full Hot Shots stage.
• Scheduling doesn't suit group class times. Early morning or evening availability that a fixed weekly group slot can't offer.
• A coach has specifically recommended it. Often the clearest signal, since our coaches see your child's game every week and know exactly where extra attention would help most.

What a private lesson for a junior actually looks like

Sessions run for 60 minutes and are shaped around whatever the coach and family agree is the priority, technique correction, match play strategy, serve development, or general acceleration through the stages. Because it's one-on-one, a coach can adjust in real time in a way a group session can't: more repetitions on a weak shot, immediate feedback on every swing, or a session built entirely around match simulation if that's what's needed before a competition. Coaches typically set specific, measurable goals for the session or series of sessions, rather than running the same general format every time.

Pricing and packages

• Single session (60 minutes)$121
• 10-session pack
  ~$104/session, valid 6 months$1,040

The 10-pack works out to a meaningful saving per session and suits families planning to use private coaching regularly, for example, weekly leading into a competitive season, rather than as a one-off. A single session is a low-commitment way to try it first if you're not sure yet how often your child will want or need it.

Combining private coaching with group Hot Shots or holiday camps

Most families get the most value from private coaching as a supplement to, not a replacement for, group coaching. A common pattern is weekly group Hot Shots for the social, game-based foundation, with occasional or regular private sessions layered in to address something specific. If your child is between school holiday breaks, our school holiday tennis camps are another good way to get extra court time in a group setting, while private coaching remains the option for genuinely individual attention. And if you're still working out which Hot Shots stage or age group is right for your child before adding private coaching into the mix, our age and stage guide is a good starting point.

How to book

Private lessons can be booked online through our booking system, or by calling us on (02) 9929 7172. If your child hasn't tried tennis with us before, it's worth starting with a FREE TRIAL Hot Shots lesson first, both to confirm tennis is the right fit and to give a coach a chance to see your child's game before recommending whether, and how, private coaching would help. Coaches can advise on frequency and focus once they've seen your child play.

Summary

Private tennis coaching gives your child focused, one-on-one time with an accredited coach, valuable for targeted technical work, competition preparation, or progressing faster than a group setting allows, but it works best alongside group Hot Shots lessons rather than instead of them. Sessions run 60 minutes, with single-session and 10-pack pricing options and flexible morning, daytime, and evening scheduling. If your child hasn't played with us before, a FREE TRIAL group lesson is the best starting point before adding private coaching into the mix.

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