How to get kids hooked on tennis
by Laird Dunlop, USPTA
1. When a child is 4 years old, parents should take him out on the courts, driveway or to the park and throw him a few balls. It does not have to be for a long period of time since kids have short attention spans. Parents can play with their child for as long as he seems to be enjoying it. Once he becomes a little disinterested, they should stop and pick up the balls and go do something else. The child should enjoy himself so that he wants to come back and do it again. Basically, parents just need to spend time with their children and they’ll love it. To make it easier, parents should get a basket of balls to use so they will have plenty to play with.
2. Encourage parents to enroll a child in group lessons at age 5. There are wonderful clinics that emphasize fun and good times while teaching him or her the basic skills of the game of tennis. Our motto is: “We want your kids to have so much fun they don’t even realize they are learning something!” I don’t recommend private lessons at this age unless parents want us to put on our clown suits and juggle balls for their children. I just do not believe that many kids want a one-on-one lesson at this age. They much prefer the social interaction and excitement of being in group settings with their friends.
3. At 7 or 8 years old, children can be introduced to a semi-private clinic with some of their friends. Now they will start being able to rally a little with the pros and their peers, so it is important to start encouraging free play. A semi-private lesson will certainly help to facilitate good skill development, as well as show the child how to rally and score. Also at this time, encourage parents to continue to keep their kids in the group lessons to allow them to play more often. Competing in 8-and-under parent-child “Swedish” (unlimited bounces) events also would be very helpful.
4. Some private lessons at 9 to 10 years old will complement the group lessons and semi-privates that children should still be taking. At this age, the child should certainly be able to maintain a full-court rally with his peers and be quite proficient at serving and getting the ball in the service box often. Serving skills are necessary to allow the child to play real tennis, which should be the goal to help him play in parent-child, interclub, team tennis and sanctioned tournaments.
5. By the time a child is 11, both pros and parents hope that she is a good tennis player with the appropriate skills. Pros need to continue to offer programs for children at the intermediate level; whether he or she has the desire and discipline to take it a step higher and be in a select program is up to the parents, the child and the pro. This select program usually only takes kids actively pursuing a state ranking and making tennis their No. 1 sport. If a child chooses this route, she needs to play in monthly tournaments, weekly private and group lessons and practice 13 to 18 hours per week.
6. The ball machine is always a wonderful way of encouraging children to continue playing and practicing. A great benefit of the ball machine is that it can be used for family fun and all levels of players can take turns hitting.
The key, as with any sport or discipline, is encouragement – verbally, physically and emotionally. Pros should tell the parents the benefits of getting involved in their child’s tennis. Parents can promote an interest in tennis by spending time with their children on the court, on the backboard, in the driveway or with the ball machine before and after their regular lessons.
Laird Dunlop is the director of tennis at the Cape Fear Country Club in Wilmington, N.C.
|
