less is better(for now)

[ga tennis]

........................

[TCF]

================================================

[ga tennis]

Originally Posted by TCF

Thanks for the update GA. Always love to hear how you folks are doing.

We lucked into a nice situation last night. We were hitting on some public courts and a guy showed up with his 2 sons, one 8.5 and one almost 7. The older one was a heck of a player. The dad was a USPTA coach I had never met.

His son and my girl hit for 30 minutes and really enjoyed each other. So now we have another practice buddy! The boy uses an extreme western (dad trying hard to move him towards semi) and has one of the nastiest forehands I have seen on a kid his age!

...................

[TCF]

================================================

[widmerpool]

offtopic:

Any good tips you guys have for the serve? I have an almost-8 year old. I know you both have younger kids.

Just lining up and randomly slapping at the ball and telling him to reach up doesn't seem to be a winner.

[TCF]

================================================

[widmerpool]

Thanks.

Yeah, I don't want him to have a "frying pan" serve ingrained at 8 just for the sake of getting the serve in the box.

[TCF]

================================================

[high and deep]

I mean to thank you for directing me to heath waters' virtual tennis academy site. The article on the serve is incredible ga tennis. I would recommend it to anyone. Any tips for locking in a continental when it switches to eastern during the backswing?

[ga tennis]

Originally Posted by high and deep

I mean to thank you for directing me to heath waters' virtual tennis academy site. The article on the serve is incredible ga tennis. I would recommend it to anyone. Any tips for locking in a continental when it switches to eastern during the backswing?

.....................

[sundaypunch]

Originally Posted by widmerpool

offtopic:

Any good tips you guys have for the serve? I have an almost-8 year old. I know you both have younger kids.

Just lining up and randomly slapping at the ball and telling him to reach up doesn't seem to be a winner.

Have them learn a slice first. It will force them to have the racquet in the proper (palm down) position at the top. This will make it easier to introduce the flat serve later on.

[rptennis]

Originally Posted by TCF

winderpool. First start with proper throwing motion. Have him throw regular balls then footballs.

Then pick a serve you like, for example Serena's. Break it down into 6 parts. Start with the feet and ready position. Work in the down together, up together with his arms and toss. Let him practice the toss some, other times you toss to him....alternating like that helps the frustration.

Start right away with the continental grip and pronating as he makes contact. Its much harder changing things later. Have him use the fence to see how the racquet goes from a 'karate chop' before contact then pronates to a 'high five'.

Its not easy to teach a proper serve. Just go through the progressions as it works for him.

GA Tennis

This is exactly right from TCF - as with any stroke, you need to teach your young tennis player the right SEQUENCES of the stroke and repeat the movement over and over again.

One thing I will add to TCF sequences of the serve is the moment of truth - hitting the serve. Don't let the elbow drop as the player swing the racquet back and forth to the contact point. Also, make sure the momentum of the serve is taking the player into the court - this incorporates proper knee bend, explosion into the contact point and proper release of the elbow and wrist

Good luck