Never Too Young for Tennis

Never Too Young for Tennis

Coaches are often asked by parents, “At what age can I start my child in tennis?” When the response is 3 or 4 years of age, most parents are surprised and can’t imagine their small child being able to hit a ball on a full-size court with a racket that is probably longer than their child is tall. However, that coach's answer is not referencing the normal play of tennis, but rather learning how to swing a small racket and hit a stationary ball.

That coach's answer also has some supporting sports history…bicycling. Back in the 1960s, the introduction of Mini-bikes, or bikes with temporary supplemental training wheels in the back, became very popular. The result was easy access to the sport, and from there, that industry took off, eventually leading to everything from today’s Mountain bikes to the new and popular electric bikes. In fact, bicycle production rose from 20.7 million units in 1962 to 123.3 million in 2015, exceeding the growth of car production during the same timeframe. 

There are many reasons that parents have for getting their young children into tennis. They may be themselves, tennis enthusiasts, or they may realize the great benefits our sport can yield. We all know it is a lifetime sport, but it is also a unique social sport. With so much new and growing technology leading most young people to heavily interact via the internet, tennis is a natural in helping young people learn the value of personal interaction. There is also a strong correlation to learning a sport like tennis and developing a variety of athletic skills, including eye/hand coordination, agility, and being able to stay focused on a task while performing any physical activity. Lastly, today we live in a world where much of the population is engaged for one reason or another. As it happens, tennis helps in this new, more interconnected world, as it is one of the few sports played in nearly every country in the world. When a player travels, they may not speak their host language, but they can speak about their common interest in the sport of tennis.

First, parents should know that they have available equipment that is customized for very young people. Smaller rackets, softer balls that don’t bounce as high, and, as it turns out, if you can take advantage of any Pickleball courts that are not being used, they provide a perfect court size for these little ones.

Here are a few ideas on building their interest in our sport. Since these young people seem to have plenty of motivation to hit things (just put up a piñata and you will quickly find that out), take one of the soft, fuzzy balls, hang it on a string to a Velcro strip, and let them whack away. Make sure there is plenty of room and nothing that might be vulnerable when the ball leaves the strip. Also, a parent should be informed that many times the child will want to take on these activities for quite some time; cutting them off should include a closing comment promising more fun like this in the future. The last thing a parent wants to say is that they are tired or have other things to do, something that most young, enthusiastic children will not be able to emotionally comprehend.

There is also the use of a foam ball that is a bit larger than a regular tennis ball. Use these along with a small target, say a soccer goalie's net. Having a target instantly introduces the idea of controlling the flight of that ball.

Another practice method that emphasizes contact, but without the flight of the ball. Take a bungee cord and find a location where you can tie that cord to something a few feet taller than the child, and then also to a weight or an anchor at the bottom. Make sure there is enough slack in the cord to allow the racket to hit through the ball. You will need to drill two holes in the ball to allow the cord to be woven through the ball (be careful if you use any tool or drill to make these holes; try to secure the ball in a vice to avoid the danger of holding the ball when making these holes). Tie a knot in the cord right under the ball so that it stays at a proper height for the junior and allows them to hit away. If they fail to follow through, it may result in an awkward interaction with their racket and the cord, but a clean, square hit will allow them to have a full swing. Again, you will soon discover that they have so much fun just hitting something over and over. Note that most of these games do not require a court, just enough space to have fun and be safe.

Lastly, any game or fun play you might come up with, always remember that children are best motivated when they see the adult is also having fun. Encouraging a child to take up the game at this young age is not so much about positive reinforcement as it is about creating a positive atmosphere for everyone. Parents will find this out when their child first hits a ball that comes back very quickly and nails them. If they instantly pretend to be surprised by this event, the child will often find that very funny. They aren’t being mean, but rather reacting because they are learning about cause and effect and find this new reaction exciting, especially if the parent responds with a funny face or sound. This sharing of an emotion will almost always lead them to want to play more games.  If they get a big positive reaction to their performance, that is a crucial step towards motivating them to play more and enjoy the sport of tennis.  

Parents should remember these early interactions because someday these toddlers will be young children and then teenagers, and most likely playing some level of competitive tennis. When that time comes, although the experience may change, the emotional response of a parent enjoying seeing their child perform, whether they win or lose, will forever be an important piece of motivation that will encourage their sibling to enjoy and improve their tennis.

Now that we have launched these young ones into our sport, can you imagine how much the game of tennis would grow in popularity if we could get children this young introduced to tennis at 3 and 4 years of age? Just like what happened with bicycling, but instead of seeing these small children riding their little bikes up and down your driveway, they’ll be hitting a tennis ball against your garage door or hitting a tennis ball hanging from a tree in your backyard.