What is the Best Age to Start Playing Tennis?
What is the Best Age to Start Playing Tennis?
We often receive emails from parents who ask us about an advice concerning their child’s tennis development. I think that is a good idea to publish some of the letters. Today I want you to read the following letters and share your opinion regarding the question. The first inquiry came from the parent of the 15 years old teen.
“I have a son he will be 15 years on March, he is a perfect swimmer and get lots of medals but he never likes swimming! Last summer he went himself to the club played tennis, he adore tennis and would like to be a tennis play. I refused because it’s too late to begin and advised him to concentrate on swimming,the tennis coach in the club advised me to let him play tennis as he has talent to and improving unbelievably. I need your advise isn’t it too late for his age to start?”
Another letter arrived from a parent whose kid started playing tennis in 5 years old.
“Dears,
I want your advice for my daughter, she started playing tennis in an average tennis club since she was 5 years and 8 months (twice a week, one and half our each with a group lesson of 12 kids), then we moved to a professional academy since she was seven and 3 months in group lesson of 4 kids (three times a week, two hours each). She is left handed, and as per her coaches she is potential. But I see the other kids are developing more than her and they took private lessons more than the academy,I want to know the average hours training for her age, and what is the common weekly schedule for improving a professional player? And what is required from us as parents to support her?”
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My initial thought to this is what is the end goal for your child? To be a professional player? If so, why? It is low-paying, high-stress and very, very few make the “big bucks” and get the endorsements and recognition. My next thought after that is let it develop at its own pace. This is a life long sport, with so many benefits that have nothing to do with winning or losing matches. I think pushing a seven-year-old to be a professional player is a family decision that should be reevaluated again and again. Letting a 15-year-old make the decision to play the game because he loves it, seems like enough of a reward. Much more important than plastic trophies. That being said, if a child has unusual talent, coupled with a passion for the sport, I think for a 15-year-old 15 hours a week is a good guideline. That includes conditioning. I do not think a child younger than 12 should be playing anymore than 8-10 hours a week. I fear burn out and lack of balance. They have their whole lives to be committed to a job. They get very few years as a child. I am a parent of a moderately successful, up and coming player who seems to be managing her tennis load and life load. She plays 15-18 hours a week and when she asks for a break – she gets it. No questions asked. Our hope for her? That she can take tennis as far as she wants. That wherever that is, she has been given the tools, time, training and support she needs to get there. Ultimately, she is directing where she plans to go and we are advising in partnership with her coaching team. Is she the best in her age, no. Not today. Will she be? Time will tell, but I can tell you this – she loves to play and calls the tennis court “her safe place.” That is good enough for me.
I don’t know what to say…
My son started to hit round balls with a plastic fish toy at the daycare, like he was hitting a forehand, when he was 8 month old!
Then he started to play tennis on a court when he was barely 2…
Today he is 5, soon 6, he is playing almost everyday and he would play even more if he could!!!
http://youtu.be/Bcw2Fj9H83I
I had posted a cost and tennis training schedule several month back on this blog on the request of Valery from TennisConsult. The cost and schedule is drafted for someone that has the intention of going pro. My personal feeling on group sessions, they are useless. It is only good for allowing the child to socialize with other kids to draw interest. If you are serious about tennis and want your child to progress; you must do private lessons and one on one hitting sessions. The key to the development is not just about the hitting, it is best that you hire a coach that know how to develop fitness, agility, and movement. At the age of 7-8 years, I do reccommend they play at least 4 times a week of 2-3 hours, if you really want to see consistent improvement.
At the age of 15 is very late for a tennis player to start. However, it all depends on what are you shooting for. If he wants to go pro, it is definately too late. If he wants to play high level college, it is probably also too late. However, if his passion is for tennis, his love for the game may make up alot of grounds for his age. Other options are that he may become good enough to play Division II or III college, and possible NAIA Universities. Don’t be fool that Division III do not give scholarships. If they need a player to play for them, these univerities will do whatever it takes to put together funding for you. Some of these options can be academic scholarships, grants, dean’s scholarships, alumni’s scholaships, grants, or donations.
This discussion is extremely interesting to me. I have a 6 year old leftie who is showing excellent athletic potential in just about any sport. (At 4 she was riding her two wheeled bike while standing on the seat with one leg lifted behind her :)). Anyway, she has recently discovered tennis and loves it. I would prefer that she play three or four sports a year but if tennis is her passion, I’m afraid that if I don’t let her specialize, she’ll miss out on some great opportunities. I guess the gist of my question is: for a serious college or pro player, why is it too late at 15? What skills need the most time to develop and can those skills be learned from other sports like gymnastics, skiing, volleyball. Can she do the old school method of a different sport each season as long as she is playing at least a little tennis in the ‘off season’? Thank you so much for your thoughts.
Parents should tread very carefully in “directing” their athletically inclined, or gifted children. Encouraging athletic pursuits is completely different than “pushing” the pursuit. The few kids who are highly ambitious will seek out extra training and play time on their own initiative. I wrote a tennis book with a chapter just for tennis parents. The book is “Tennis Training Games and Tips for Ambitious Coaches, Players,and Parents”.
Jodi
The reason why the game of tennis take so long to develop because tennis is probably one of the most technical sports there is. It also takes alot of repetitive practicing and training to become good at just one shot. There are so many ways technically by using your racquet or strokes to create a shot. Also with tennis, there are certain things you develop as their age progress. Tennis is also so individualize that it requires time to develop the mental aspects of the game.
@Jodi,
Do not specialize certainly before 12years for girl and 14 years for boys!!!!!
Thank you both for your advice. We’ll see where her interest takes her. I agree with Terry’s point about directing too much. Because my daughter is only six, it is all about trying everything and seeing what she loves, I just don’t want to wait too long before making the investment in coaches, lessons etc, especially if tennis is Her thing. I suppose any investment in lessons or training for any sport is worth it if my daughter loves it and it it a positive experience. If she switches loves, then we can simply chalk it up to a great life experience.