Girls Only Tennis Coaching for 14-16 Year Olds in North London

Teenage girls dropping out of sport is one of the biggest problems in British sport. Our girls only tennis programme exists to do something about it.

It's designed for girls aged fourteen to sixteen who want to play tennis in an environment built entirely around them - somewhere they feel comfortable, safe and genuinely want to come back to. Some are experienced players. Many are brand new to tennis and starting at fourteen or fifteen, which we see far more often than people expect.

Whatever brings them, the goal is the same: give them a sport they'll keep playing for the rest of their lives.

Quick Summary

Ages 14-16 · Girls only · 90 minutes · Max 12 players · LTA qualified coaches · Available at Winchmore Hill, Southgate and Enfield

At the end of PH Green, girls can choose to continue into our mixed PH Yellow groups or move into our girls only classes. Sessions are 90 minutes, capped at twelve players, and coach-led throughout. The focus is on building an environment girls genuinely enjoy - because enjoyment is what keeps them playing. Girls are welcome whether they're experienced or completely new to tennis, and there's the same route into coaching that PH Yellow offers.

Why Girls Only?

At the end of PH Green, players reach a choice point. They can stay in our mixed groups and move into PH Yellow, or they can move into our girls only classes. Both are excellent programmes - it's about what suits the individual.

There are two clear reasons the girls only option exists.

The physical difference. Fourteen to sixteen is the age where the physical difference between girls and boys becomes most pronounced. Mentally and emotionally, differences have often emerged earlier - but physically, this is the point where it really shows on a tennis court. A girls only environment removes that mismatch entirely and lets girls develop and compete with players at a genuinely comparable level.

The environment. We find a lot of girls start tennis at this age - completely new to the sport at fourteen or fifteen. Walking into a mixed group as a total beginner at that age is intimidating. A girls only class is a much nicer, more welcoming environment to start in, and it makes a real difference to whether a girl sticks with it.

The Thing That Actually Matters

Here's what we tell parents of girls in these groups, and it's the truest thing we know about coaching this age group.

You could have the greatest tennis coach in the world deliver the greatest lesson ever given. The girls improve enormously in that ninety minutes. But if they don't enjoy it, they won't come back next week.

Or you could give the worst lesson imaginable - but the girls love it, and they keep coming back for three years.

At the end of those three years, which girl is the better tennis player? Which outcome was actually better for her?

It's the one who kept coming. Every time.

That's the entire philosophy behind this programme. The tennis matters, and we coach it properly - but the environment matters more, because the environment is what determines whether she's still playing in five years, or twenty.

What We're Really Building

The girls only programme is about creating a space where girls want to be. Somewhere they can:

• Feel safe and comfortable - an environment built around them

• Be healthy and get outside - away from screens, moving, in the fresh air

• Socialise - with friends, in a group, in a way that makes exercise something to look forward to rather than endure

• Get real exercise - genuinely active for ninety minutes

• Develop their skills - properly coached tennis, not just a knockabout

And underneath all of it: build tennis into a sport for life. Something they can come back to at any point - at university, in their twenties, in their forties - as a way to stay active, stay healthy and stay connected to people.

The lack of active teenage girls is one of the biggest challenges in sport. We can't fix that everywhere, but we can build a programme that gives girls in North London a place where being active is something they actually enjoy.

Properly Coached, Not Just Supervised

To be clear - this is a fully coach-led programme, not a social session with rackets.

Sessions are 90 minutes, capped at twelve players, and delivered by LTA qualified coaches using the same constraints-led methodology as every other programme we run. Girls develop their game genuinely - their playing identity, their shot selection, their tactical understanding - exactly as they would in any of our classes.

The difference is the environment it happens in, not the quality of the coaching.

New to Tennis at 14 or 15? You're Not Behind

We see a lot of girls start tennis at this age, and it's completely normal.

Our coaches assess each player individually and adapt sessions so newer players are supported while still playing alongside more experienced ones. Nobody gets left behind and nobody gets held back. If your daughter has never picked up a racket, this is a genuinely good place to start.

Getting Into Coaching

As with PH Yellow, there's a route into coaching for girls in this programme.

Many of our players at this age start helping with younger sessions - for their Duke of Edinburgh Award, as a flexible way to earn money through sixth form and university, or as a first step towards a coaching career. It builds leadership and confidence in a way little else does at that age.

We're always keen to develop more female coaches, and this is where a lot of them start.

Playing and Getting Involved

Girls in the programme are welcome to get involved in everything else on offer - entering tournaments, playing in teams, and being part of the club. There's no separation. The girls only class is the environment they train in, not a limit on what they can do with their tennis.

Session Details

Ages - 14 to 16.

Session length - 90 minutes.

Groups - a maximum of twelve players.

Coaches - LTA qualified, with appropriate DBS, first aid and safeguarding certifications.

How to Get Started

As with all our programmes, we offer an extended taster period for new joiners. After the taster, the girls only programme runs on a monthly direct debit covering all 39 term-time lessons a year, plus access to our holiday courses for just £1 per course across ten weeks of school holidays.

Where Do Girls Only Classes Run?

Across our North London venues:

• Winchmore Hill (Firs Farm Tennis)

• Southgate

• Enfield

Convenient for families across Palmers Green, Edmonton, Cockfosters, Barnet, Potters Bar and the surrounding areas.

Frequently Asked Questions

What age are the girls only classes for?

Girls aged fourteen to sixteen.

Does my daughter have to choose girls only?

No. At the end of PH Green, girls can continue into our mixed PH Yellow groups or move into girls only classes. Both are excellent - it's about what suits her.

Why do you run girls only classes?

Two reasons. Physically, this is the age where the difference between girls and boys becomes most pronounced. And a girls only environment is a much more welcoming place for the many girls who start tennis at this age.

My daughter has never played tennis - is 14 too late to start?

Not at all. We see a lot of girls start at this age, and the programme is designed with that in mind. Sessions are adapted so beginners are supported while playing alongside more experienced players.

Is it proper coaching or more of a social session?

Proper coaching. Sessions are 90 minutes, coach-led by LTA qualified coaches, using the same methodology as all our programmes. The environment is different; the coaching quality isn't.

Can she still play in tournaments and teams?

Absolutely. Girls in the programme are welcome to enter tournaments, play in teams and get involved in the club exactly as any other player would.

Can she get into coaching?

Yes, and we'd encourage it. Many of our players at this age help with younger sessions - for Duke of Edinburgh, to earn money, or as a route into coaching. We're always keen to develop more female coaches.

How do I book?

Find a girls only session at your preferred venue on our timetable and book the taster directly. If you have questions first, submit an enquiry through our website or call us.

Book a Taster Session

If you have a daughter aged fourteen to sixteen - whether she's played for years or has never picked up a racket - this programme is built to give her a sport she'll genuinely enjoy and keep playing for life.

Find a session at your nearest venue on our timetable and book a taster to get started.

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