Coaching girls and boys: understanding the differences in development

Introduction

When coaching young players, it's useful to understand that boys and girls often develop differently. These differences aren't just about biology - they can affect how players move, hit, think, and feel on court.

By being aware of these changes, you can adapt how you coach and help all of your players to thrive.

Physical and movement differences

From a physical standpoint, there are clear developmental trends that can shape how girls and boys move and perform:

• Core strength and joint mobility: Girls tend to have tighter hips and may lack rotational core strength during growth, affecting lunging and recovery. Encouraging stability and balance activities can help improve efficiency.
• Muscle mass and strength: Boys often develop greater muscle mass, particularly in the upper body, which can translate into more natural hitting power. Girls may rely more on technique, timing, and rhythym to generate pace.
• Endurance and oxygen capacity: Due to smaller heart and lung size, girls may fatigure faster in long, high-intensity sessions. Coaches can use shorter, high-quality activities to vary the intensity and manage workload.

Top tip: Focus on efficient movement patterns rather than just speed or power. Girls might benefit from more core and glute-focused strength work, especially to protect joints and improve balance.

Technical considerations

Some of the technical differences aren't about skill, but about physical development.

For example, girls' grip strength and mechanics may differ to boys meaning they may struggle with forearm and wrist strength during key development windows, leading to a flatter or more compact swing. In addition, with less upper body power, girls may use more body rotation or whole-body movement to hit the ball.

Rather than forcing textbook technique, coaches should support adaptations that still achieve positive outcomes. Encourage girls to build racket head speed through timing and prepration, not just force.

Tactical tendencies

Because of these physical and technical differences, girls' matches often look different tactically.

You may notice shorter rallies and more reliance on the short game are common in girls' games. Girls may focus less on overpowering an opponent, and place more emphasis on placement, variety, and tactical play.

This is now a disadvantage, but a different skillset and approach to the game. Celebrate it and coach it - try using conditioned games that reward tactical thinking, not just raw power e.g. "no drives allowed" or "win the point in under 5 shots".

Emotional and social factors

These can have just as much impact in performance as physical development.

Confidence, especially during puberty, or when girls compate themselves to boys who may seem faster or stronger, can dip. This can lead to girls losing enjoyment or interest in a sport, or getting frustrated.

Periods can bring discomfort, fatigue, or emotional sensitivity - and often go unspoken. Creating a culture where players can quietly opt out or adapt training without feeling spotlighted is vital.

Social belonging really matters, especially to girls. Girls often stay in sport because of who they do it with, as much as what they're doing.

Regular, low-pressure check-ins, matching up abilities appropriately, and celebrating an individual's small wins can make a big difference in retaining girls in sport.

Coaching mixed groups

Mixed sessions can be brilliant - they build respect, team spirity, and competition, but coaches need to actively manage the dynamic to ensure everyone is challenges and valued:

• Make games more equal by using individual challenges or conditions, or using match formats with shorter games.
• Keep boys from assuming leadership roles.
• Mix up pairings regularly, use rotating stations, and be vocal in highlighting effort and teamwork, not just outcomes.
• Not all girls enjoy the confrontational side of competition - focus on personal improvement, not just winning.
• Educate boys on respect, inclusion, and the value of different styles of play.