Tennis Camps for Jr. Players?

[pinetree47]

I have posted a similar message in another forum, but wanted feedback from Jrs.

What would you benefit more from, 1-2 lessons per week and clinics at your local club for 2 months, or a week at one of the top rated tennis camps?
Hopefully you would benefit from either. Does the fact that a camp provides you a break from the same routine at home offer any benefit mentally, and is there a motivational aspect to going to camp?

I appreciate any comments or actual experiences you have had.:) :)

[Tikiman53]

Go with two months of lessons and clinics.

I spent a week at Weil Academy last summer, and it wasn’t that great. I got two private lessons there, and sure, I learned a few things, but there’s only so much you can learn with two lessons in a span of one week.

Basically, at Weil, the juniors get split up into groups. The Good, the Bad, and the Okay. I was in the bad group, but it wasn’t like I was lazy. Prior to the camp, I had spent so much time and effort playing and practicing, it’s just that I had spent that time poorly, picking up bad habits and such. If you are in the bad group, you don’t learn anything. All you do is play matches that don’t really matter at all, everyone thinks you suck, and the instructors of that group even talk to you guys like you don’t even belong at the camp. I’m not sure about the Okay group or the Good group, but being in the Bad group sucked. However, I’m guessing it’s not much better in those groups as most of the schedule consisted of matches, matches, and more matches.

Take my advice, and just stick with lessons and clinics. Play a few tourneys as well. You'll improve a lot more.