Youth sport is evolving rapidly. The expectations placed on young athletes both on the court and in the classroom - are higher than ever. For many families, managing a high-performance tennis schedule alongside education feels like juggling two full-time jobs.
That’s why, together with our Online Education Partner, Minerva Virtual Academy (MVA), we’ve put together some tips to help parents and coaches better support their athletes in being more efficient, focused and balanced off the court.
1. Be Efficient: Understand your Learning Style
Every athlete learns differently. Some are visual learners (they retain information better through diagrams and colours), others are auditory (they learn by listening or speaking) and some are kinesthetic, meaning they process best through hands-on activities or movement.
Once your child knows how they learn best, they can adapt how they revise, take notes and use downtime.
🎯 Tip: Every tennis player is passionate about tennis, so why not focus on concepts using examples from within the sport?
2. Maximise Focus: Know Your Peak Brain Time
Not everyone is wired for 8 am. lessons. Some athletes focus best early in the morning, others are sharper after training or in the evening. The key is recognising when your brain is at its best -and doing your most important academic tasks during that window.
🎯 Tip: Match hard tasks (like writing or revising) to high-focus times. Do lighter work (organising notes, reading) during low-energy periods.
3. Set Academic Goals with the Same Clarity as Sport
Success in education, like sport starts with a plan. Research shows that writing down your goals increases your chances of achieving them by 33%. Whether it’s mastering a new maths topic or submitting an assignment on time, setting and writing down short/medium-term academic targets keeps motivation high.
🎯 Tip: Build it in: Use a whiteboard, planner or app to track your weekly goals — just like you'd track match stats or training metrics.
4. Structure the Week, but Leave Room to Breathe
Routine helps reduce stress - especially during busy periods. Aim to co-create a weekly schedule to follow, but also be agile to a changing schedule!
Sports schedules are ever-changing, whether it’s a training session, a tournament or something else - always have a contingency plan for a changing schedule. When time is of the essence, your schoolwork should always be with you. Even 15 minutes extra a day is 1 hour 45 minutes extra a week or 7 hours and 30 minutes a month!
🎯 Tip: With MVA, student-athletes benefit from a flexible but consistent structure that fits around their training blocks and competitions.
5. Learn from a Mentor Who's Been There
Having direct 1:1 support from someone who’s been there is invaluable. Research shows that students with a mentor are more than twice as likely to stay engaged and reach their goals. Having someone who understands both the sport and the study pressures makes a massive difference.
That’s why every student at Minerva Virtual Academy is paired with a dedicated mentor - often a former elite or professional athlete - who meets with them weekly. These 1:1 sessions help with mindset, planning, confidence and navigating the demands of dual careers. It’s also why 97% of MVA athletes say their mentor helps them balance their sport and learning.
🎯 Tip: Whether it’s at MVA or not, having a mentor will have a huge impact on your journey
MVA are excited to unveil the Minerva Virtual Academy’s new look - with a fresh logo, bold branding and a redesigned website built to inspire the next generation of student-athletes. Explore the new website, meet their team, and see how they’re helping young tennis players thrive on the court and in the classroom.
You can book a Discovery Call with Admissions here.