Junior Awards for Tennis

Back in the 90's the USTA came out with achievement awards for juniors working on their games.
The levels are:
Beginner
Advanced Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced Intermediate
Advanced

Each level has a set of requirements to pass before moving up to the next. It reminds me of the Red Cross with their swimming badges I used to get at Old Silver and Chappy back in the day. What's great about these awards is that you are competing and improving yourself. When you give kids a goal and a patch (they're green and have crossed tennis rackets) they'll strive harder to improve. Look back at this post as I'll list the various level requirements. Contact an emblem distributor and design your patch.


Beginner:

1. 50 ups
2. 25 downs
3. 50 alternating
4. Behind the service line place five consecutive forehands in play.
5. Standing at least twenty feet away rally five consecutive ground-strokes against a wall.
6. Standing behind the service line return six out of ten balls tossed alternately to your forehand and backhand.
7.With a partner rally at least three times each with one bounce. Using a shorter court is okay..

Advanced Beginner:

1. 100 downs  50 ups 100 alternating
2. Return 10 consecutive balls tossed alternating to your forehand and backhand.
3. Standing behind the baseline place 15 consecutive forehands into play.
4. Serve 10 balls into each service box (5 each side must land in).
5. Standing at least twenty feet away hit ten ground-strokes against a wall.
6. Volley at least ten balls tossed to you at net.
7. With a partner rally six times each including at least two backhands.
8. Demonstrate knowledge of the rules, game play and code of conduct.

Intermediate:

1.Behand the baseline return 10 out of 15 balls tossed alternately to your forehand and backhand (the tosses may be placed deep, short or to the side).
2. Against a wall hit 15 consecutive forehands and then 15 backhands.
3. Serve 5/10 to the deuce court and then 5/10 to the ad court.
4. Return 8 balls served to the deuce court and then to the ad.
5. Volley 10/15 balls tossed alternately to your forehand and backhand volley.
6. Lob 10/15 balls tossed to your forehand and backhand.
7. Return 5/10 lobs as an overhead.
8. Rally ten times each over the net with at least three backhands.
9. Reflex with a partner 10 times each.
10. Play one match of singles.
11. Play one match of doubles.



Advanced Intermediate:

1. From the baseline return 15 out of twenty balls tossed alternately to the other back court.
2. Hit 20 forehands and twenty backhands against a wall twenty feet away.
3. Serve 10/15 to the deuce 10/15 to the ad.
4. Return 10/15 from the deuce and 10/15 from the ad.
5. Volley 10/15 tossed alternately.
6. Lob 10/15 tossed alternately to your forehand and backhand.
7. Hit 15/20 overheads.
8. Rally 15 each from the baseline.
9. Reflex volley 15 times each.
10. Play one match of singles.
11. Play one match of doubles.


Advanced:

1. Rally 20 balls in a row down the center lane of the court with a partner.
2. Hit 15/20 forehands cross court deep, 15/20 down the line deep, and 10/15 mid cross court.
3. Repeat the same sequence on the backhand side.
4. Serve 6/10 wide, T, and extra wide in the deuce box. Repeat in the ad box.
5. Return 15/20 cross court forehands (deep) from the deuce box.
6. Return  15/20 cross court backhands (deep) in the ad box.
7. Reflex volley 20 times.
8. Lob 15/20 balls tossed alternately deep in the court.
9. Hit 10/20 overheads in the corners deep.
10. Hit 10/20 drop shots that bounce before the service line three times (both forehand and backhand sides).
11. Play two singles matches and two doubles matches.

Tennis Playing Styles

There is the counter-puncher: the player who keeps balls in play with adequate pace bout does not over-power their opponent. They wait patiently for opportunities and win points by their attrition or by given opportunity. This is a cautious but opportunistic type of player. There is the retriever: a player who gets the ball back but doesn't supply much pace. They often add height to the ball with little spin. Other names for this player include, pusher, and moon-baller. Their lack of pace drives you crazy and if they are consistent and fast enough they can beat anyone, especially on clay or outside in the wind for their ball becomes a knuckleball that becomes difficult to time. Then there is the aggressive baseline, this player hammers the corners until he/she gets an opportunity and then hurts and finishes. The serve and volley specialist is someone who constantly rushes the net and puts quick pressure upon his/her opponent. Few players do this anymore but if done well it will blow people away.
  We all start off as counter punchers that develop our game styles based upon our speed, power, and natural talents. Game styles choose you rather then you selecting your game style. Success in competition with play selection develop the ultimate player. Develop a solid all-around game first and then specialize as needed to win your matches.

Tennis Equipment

 There is an art to the game of singles and it starts when you get ready for your match. It starts with all the off court training you do, your diet, rest, and equipment. It includes researching your opponent's game either in the warm-up or mentally before you step on the court. You should have a good idea of what you do well, what your opponent does well, and what gives you both a problem. You should have the right equipment to boot.
    Let's hit equipment first. I like to have five racquets of the same model and grip freshly strung and ready to go. Bill Tilden also had five. At first you might think--"hey, I don't use five racquets in a decade." Two should be of tighter tension, two of medium, and one of lower tension. If you break a string you still could be in trouble. Conditions change, people change, and racquet tensions change during a match. Broken strings are no big deal but broken tennis hearts are the worst. Don't let that be an obstacle. Get the equipment right. Hell, call me and I'll give you a deal on racquets. I can't believe how people will spend over $2,000 plus on tennis court time and memberships while at the same time be so cheap as to play with a racquet worth $40.00. That's nuts. Give up a few plays per year and get at least three decent sticks to use in battle. What about strings? If you swing big enough go with big banger (Savage has a great crisp feel). If you don't then go with Wilson NXT or Sensation. Try putting Big Banger in the mains (a little less tension) and then the NXT Max or regular in the crosses. It's that simple. I like 55lbs in the mains and 59 in the cross for hybrids with the BB in the main (allow 4-5 less with the mono filaments because of the stiffness. That's with small mid size performance frame. If you use big rackets then add a few pounds to your tension. What about shoes? Get shoes that fit. That's number one. How many? Two, one for each foot. Seriously, get three pair and rotate them just like racquets. Think about it. These are your racing tires. Don't play in beat shoes. It's just as bad as beat strings and racquets. It's not crisp and fresh and it "stinks." What about socks?  Socks--got to go with Thorlo. Those things will last for years. I have manged to wear out toes on those things but theirs not many people who've suffered that fate. After that I like to layer with Wilson socks--a thinner over sock which fill out the shoe. Shirts--if you play on the grass you're supposed to wear all white, if you're in your tennis club wear a comfortable shirt that doesn't scratch. Personally I like a thin cotton tee shirt or tech shirt (it drys quicker) And I like it to fit right--not like a tent or like a 1950's tight tee with a pack of cigarettes tucked in the sleeve. Logos, don't like them because I don't liked being branded.
 Over- Grips--go with the Wilson Pro Grip for a sticky feel unless your playing in the steaming heat (it gets slippery) in which case you should go with Tournagrip (the blue one that absorbs moisture). I've never used powder but I will if I ever need it. The under grips on most frames are great until you use them a few times. Get use to changing grips fast when needed. Flipping pro grips over will save you some coin and the underneath side provides a unique sandy feel which can be preferable when your sweating like a pig. The underside of Tournagrips are not as good as the top side (which is tough to tell when you take em out of the pack) but beats a worn top side hands down. There are a few people who still you gauze (sticky slippery mesh) who have played since the seventies. There's not many using this product anymore. It went out with BlueStar tennis strings.
  Rackets--There are so many out there. Your game demands you have the right one. I like the Wilson line. The Pro Staffs are great for feel and control while the new juices are powerful beyond belief. Light isn't always right because you have to generate more speed to get the same power. Heavier rackets provide easy power.

Beginning Forehands

 How do I get started? Let's go to the beginning. The game today uses a progression with balls that helps you develop the correct technique. If your you're a little one (age3-4) start with a foam ball. If you get hit in the face it won't traumatize you for the rest of your life. The rackets start at 19 inches and progress up to the standard adult sizes. These balls are fun to hit and are easy to control. The next ball up is the red ball. Use that in the mini courts designed by the USTA or just use the inside service box/ or one half service box using the alley. Then there is the orange ball for the ten and under players that use a 3/4 quarter court; then the green dot on that court, then the green dot on a full court, and then the regular court with regular yellow balls. I use the colored balls in my adult classes and have found that players develop better strokes with longer rallies which creates far more enjoyment. As the players improve I work expose them to higher level balls and they develop at a faster rate then the traditional yellow ball.
  The first thing you need to learn is how to rally (hit the ball back and forth over the net allowing one bounce). If you are right handed you will hit forehands on the right side of the body and backhands on the left. The right side (for a right handed player) is usually the easiest at first to learn. I like to have players start sideways to the net (left shoulder pointing to the net for the right handed). Put your left arm parallel to the net. This gets you turned and set. The right hand should be in front of the body (palm down). The tip of the racket is pointing to the back of the court. From there I would have you turn your body forward pulling the racket forward to the contact point (racket parallel to the net and square the ball to the strings). Your weight is shifting slightly forward, your hips have rotated square to the net, your left foot is a little to the left of the plane of the back right leg. This allows loading of the hips and angular rotation to occur. When beginning it's usually best to start the racket in the down position to get the low to high feel of the swing which produces topspin. After you develop the feel for that I would then add taking the racket back in a compact looping motion as for some this timing can be extremely difficult. Learn to walk before you run, right? Make sure you keep both hands out in front of your body. Self toss a ball out in front of yourself toward the net step a little with your left foot and bend that knee. As you turn into the ball rotate your hips foward and pass the racket to the contact point (waist high in front of your left knee). You should pull the racket so it lags behind the hand. Nick Bolletterri calls this "the slot." In April's TENNIS Macci did a nice job outlining the modern forehand. He calls this movement of lagging the head "the pull" and then when you finish out in front you "roll" the head to the left side of the body where the left hand hand and arm have rotated around to the left and corral or capture the racket into your left hand. Chuck Kriese in The Science of Coaching Tennis describes the shoulders as swinging from "Mike (the front shoulder) to Ike" (the back shoulder). In the neutral stance shot where you step forward I believe you should master keeping the back foot down for balance and control until such you master the basic mechanics. Then you can "go with the flow" as Ed Krass down at the College Tennis Academy in Tampa would say. When you swing comfortably the hips come around to square into a ready position.