If children wish to pursue tennis at a competitive level, parents should encourage this pursuit, but must understand that tournament play doesn’t primarily revolve around winning and losing.
As well as developing a solid work ethic and accepting defeat with grace, players should also learn how to adapt in their personal and professional lives outside the court. This will only serve them better throughout their journey.
Age-Appropriate Groupings
Kids of any age can begin playing tennis, thanks to kid-sized equipment designed specifically to make it enjoyable. Today’s youth tennis programs also provide players with an opportunity to develop their skills using an appropriate racquet so they feel secure with themselves and continue enjoying this great sport.
Parents often believe it is best to play their children up a competitive level by forcing them to compete at higher age groups, but this approach can put undue strain on children as the pressure to perform increases and they become fixated on winning without considering all aspects of the sport’s fundamentals – leading them to less likely remain passionate about playing long term.
Additionally, children playing above their age groups often bypass important athletic development stages. If a young child begins competing in tournaments at too early an age, they may never develop the necessary hand-eye coordination, agility and body awareness needed for success in that sport. Furthermore, such early exposure could compromise future sporting performance in other areas such as basketball or soccer.
Children who excel too much for their age groups often abandon tournaments altogether due to pressure to win and lose focus of having fun while developing skills. This can be especially harmful for long-time tennis players as the need to always win can quickly tire them out and cause burnout.
Junior ratings are determined through participation in USTA-sanctioned tournament competition, such as USTA Junior Team Tennis. A dynamic rating program takes into account each player’s results over the last 18 months with matches played during this year weighing more heavily.
The RCTA offers several junior class levels for children ages 4-6 who want to begin playing tennis non-competitively. Their Beginner “First Serve” program provides non-competitive introduction to rally and game play on non-regulation courts using regular tennis balls with green dot balls on regulation courts – perfect for young beginners. Meanwhile, 8U development develops players’ stroke knowledge, motor skills and hand/eye coordination on courts tailored for their age/size/gender combination. Finally, The Y offers “Advanced Junior” grouping intermediate players aged 12 or up who wish to challenge competitive play using regular tennis balls with green dot balls on regulation courts – ideal for learning the game as a non-competition environment!
Adapted Equipment
Adaptive equipment for tennis helps players master the fundamentals and experience success from day one. Racquets that fit children who only briefly show interest are essential; for those serious about learning the game, spending a bit more to purchase an upgraded model that offers better control and durability will pay dividends in time.
Players with more severe disabilities often require specialized equipment in order to keep a tight grip on their racquet and strike the ball more consistently. Athletic tape or an Ace bandage wrap may help, while there are more permanent solutions such as orthopedic racquet holders or “grasping gloves”. There are even arm prostheses designed specifically to hold tennis racquets!
Many adaptive standing players are new to tennis, making coaches an essential resource in helping them master this lifetime sport. A typical adaptive player may experience multiple conditions at once such as limb loss and balance control issues or visual tracking deficits combined with movement controls, necessitating creative approaches for coaching that include dual cue approaches.
One of our players who sustained a TBI while serving in the US Navy suffers from divergent vision and difficulty with balance. His coach uses duct tape on strings to help him focus on where ball contact points on strings occur, creating touch awareness which creates more reliable contact and allow him to develop more consistent strokes.
Success of this program relies heavily on the generous support from donors like you. Your contributions fund inner city youth programs that introduce kids to both tennis and academics at once; enable junior players to pursue college scholarships so they can continue on their path toward professional tennis; and support tournaments which captivate viewers and grow interest in this sport.
Tournaments
Early tennis experience helps children develop skills that will last a lifetime. Tennis helps develop hand-eye coordination, balance and strength as well as creating self-confidence and providing social outlet. Furthermore, tennis may reduce stress and boost mood.
Each year, players of all skill levels are welcome to compete in tournaments sanctioned by USTA/SCTA and allow them to earn junior rankings. SCTA hosts multiple levels of tournaments such as Universal Tennis Ranking (UTR) events – one-day tournaments designed to build your UTR rating; USTA/SCTA also hosts various team tennis events for children aged 9-13 years.
USTA/SCTA tournaments provide kids and juniors an exciting way to compete, make new friends, and further their knowledge of tennis. Playing ranked tournaments gives kids and juniors an opportunity to advance their game all the way from high school through college – or even professional tennis!
Kids and teens with special needs are invited to take part in NYJTL’s Special Populations Tennis Festivals during the summer at Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning, offering tennis, golf, zumba classes, arts & crafts activities and much more! These festivals bring people with disabilities together for tennis competitions and festivals designed for them.
NYJTL’s fall highlight, the Mayor Dinkins Cup, is the largest free junior interscholastic tennis competition in NYC and draws in hundreds of city public school, private school and parochial school students for a day of friendly yet competitive play. It was named in honor of NYC’s first Black mayor and long-standing board member David N. Dinkins who will also serve as honorary president for this tournament.
The NYJTL Junior Orange Bowl International Tennis Championship is an internationally ranked two-day tournament designed for intermediate to advanced-level juniors. Recognized as one of the premier tournaments worldwide, its past champions include Andre Agassi, Jimmy Connors, Mary Joe Fernandez, Steffi Graf, Justine Henin and Andy Roddick have all come through its doors. In fact, many have gone on to become professional champions as a result of playing here; more than 800 matches across singles, doubles plus girls’ and boys’ teams will take place over this two days event.
Coaching
Professional coaches help children and juniors gain knowledge about tennis in an environment that fosters more than just the sport; they learn teamwork, self-confidence and sportsmanship that will serve them both on and off the tennis court.
Children today can choose from an abundance of youth sports, but tennis often receives less consideration. This is unfortunate given the many physical and social advantages it can provide children – including lifelong passion for this game that could last even after they graduate high school or college!
One of the best ways to introduce kids and young players to tennis is enrolling them in a junior program. These are specifically tailored for each child based on their skill level and development readiness; plus many offer fun age-appropriate formats and equipment!
An additional way to help kids and young players fall in love with the game is exposing them to professional matches. Watching professional matches allows kids to witness all the minute details of the sport such as tie breakers, scoring systems and more; providing them with a deeper insight into it while helping improve their own games.
At times, children can have difficulty carving out enough time in their schedule for tennis practice due to other obligations such as piano lessons or tutoring. When this occurs, coaches should talk with both parents and children in order to find ways to reduce multiple burdens in favor of tennis training – working closely with both.
If your child shows talent in tennis, it is vitally important that they continue playing this great sport throughout their childhood and adolescence. Once they stop playing at some point in life, chances are they won’t pick it back up until adulthood – this makes keeping children involved with this wonderful activity essential for teaching invaluable life lessons.