Kids’ 10 and Under Tennis Training Equipment
April 14th, 2016 by Do It Tennis
Keep the 10 and under crowd enthusiastic during tennis practice with some prior thought and the right tennis training equipment for kids. Start with equipment that matches both the player’s age and ability. Add specialized items to keep the drills fun.
Kids' Tennis Racquets
Getting the right size kids' tennis racquet for your junior player makes a big difference in their results on the tennis court. Nothing is more frustrating than wielding a racquet that doesn’t match the youngsters size.- Tennis racquets for kids up to 5 and 6 years old are usually between 19 and 21 inches long. They have a short enough handle and the narrow diameter grip for them to manage well.
- Juniors at 7 or 8 years old typically do best with 23 inch long tennis racquet models which also have a smaller size grip diameter.
- For 9 and 10 year olds or advanced younger kids the 25 inch tennis racquet models are still about an inch shorter than full size adult models.
Kids' Tennis Training Balls
Each skill level uses different types of training or kids tennis balls. Using different types of balls helps all players at every level achieve success quickly.- Foam tennis balls are soft, large and travel at 75% reduced speed. They help kids have longer lasting rallies on shorter 36-foot tennis courts making it more fun for them and want to keep playing tennis.
- Red tennis balls are felt covered balls that also travel at 75 % reduced speed on the same 36 foot marked tennis courts.
- Orange tennis balls are designed for ages 10 and under on 60 foot tennis courts. The ball is approximately 50% slower than a regular tennis ball with a lower compression and lower bounce making the ball easier to hit.
- Green Dot tennis balls travel at 25% reduced speed for greater control on a standard 78-foot tennis court and are good for ages 9 and up.
Kids' Tennis Training Equipment and Tennis Court Setup
You can make tennis for kids more fun by using the right tennis training equipment and smaller court set-ups.- Colorful round tennis court spots or markers help kids quickly move to right location or maintain position during tennis games for kids or training drills.
- Ring targets focus kids during footwork, groundstroke or service drills.
- Kids can practice court movement using colored drill cones.
- Different age groups do best on smaller courts sizes like the 36- and 60-foot setups. Bright court lines also act as a visual aid for many drills. Head and Wilson make colorful court lines that make it easy to quickly set up the shorter and narrower courts recommended by the USTA for 10 and under tennis players.
- Prince’s low height portable net works for junior players' tennis practice drills and sets up in minutes.
Want More?
Many tennis practice drills use specialized kids' training equipment. Try a few kids tennis practice drills that we think work well. The USTA’s 10 and Under Tennis website has more information on how to get kids excited about tennis.What’s your view?
What kids-centric tennis training equipment has worked best for your 10 and under tennis juniors?
