What is going to happen with green balls?

[BMC9670]

Originally Posted by ga tennis

Get him away from green dot A.S.A.P!!!!!!!! Its gonna hurt his game. Now with my daughter we use new balls everyday.

I disagree. I use them for specific things and with direction and purpose and they have played a useful role. Just to say "they will hurt his game" as a blanket statement is a bit extreme.

[KevinB9986]

Originally Posted by BMC9670

I disagree. I use them for specific things and with direction and purpose and they have played a useful role. Just to say "they will hurt his game" as a blanket statement is a bit extreme.

Just curious, when do you use the green balls and why?

[MarTennis]

Originally Posted by julian

MarTennis,
if a player/student comes to a 12 UNDER tournament and someone/tournament director brings GREEN
DOTS balls there is NOTHING a player can do.
The player has to play the given ball.
According to what I was told a player should expect/be ready for this scenario
even if he spent last five months playing REGULAR USPTA approved balls.
I do NOT mean to be disrespectful
I just plainly do NOT understand your post or I do NOT understand the phrase
"play green".
Maybe you meant green foam balls-please clarify.
It is possible that my problem is "local" and that I make big deal out of nothing but ...
regards,
Julian

What USTA section is 12 and under not novice or intermediate but Open and only using Green dot balls? When I refer to green or green dot I am referring to ball compression 75% of regular compression balls.

[BMC9670]

Originally Posted by MarTennis

What USTA section is 12 and under not novice or intermediate but Open and only using Green dot balls? When I refer to green or green dot I am referring to ball compression 75% of regular compression balls.

I don't see where anyone said Open level 12 were using them - only the lower level 12s in some sections.

[BMC9670]

Originally Posted by KevinB9986

Just curious, when do you use the green balls and why?

One way I use them is to work on spin production. Because they are lighter and slightly slower, my son can swing out with them on dippers, angles, and DTL shots with the kind of spin that makes the balls go oval and dive. He can't yet generate the racquet head speed needed to do this with regulation, so he backs off and "plays it safe". With green, he can manipulate the ball to construct points and pull of shots that he can't with regulation just yet but will need in a few years.

That said, I use them sparingly now (used them more when he was 8-9). As he grows and gets bigger, stronger, and more skilled, he'll soon be able to do these shots with regulation - all along using good footwork and proper technique.

That's one personal example. I do agree that just saying "a kid at this age should use X" doesn't always apply. You have to look at what you're trying to accomplish and figure out what works. I see colored balls as another tool and nothing more. It's not a miracle cure as the USTA likes to promote and it's not going to ruin a kid's game as some suggest.

[gplracer]

http://www.oncourtoffcourt.com/_medi...1e5a18ab46.pdf

My child got this information in his folder while attending a USTA RTC. It is an interesting read.

[KevinB9986]

Originally Posted by BMC9670

One way I use them is to work on spin production. Because they are lighter and slightly slower, my son can swing out with them on dippers, angles, and DTL shots with the kind of spin that makes the balls go oval and dive. He can't yet generate the racquet head speed needed to do this with regulation, so he backs off and "plays it safe". With green, he can manipulate the ball to construct points and pull of shots that he can't with regulation just yet but will need in a few years.

That said, I use them sparingly now (used them more when he was 8-9). As he grows and gets bigger, stronger, and more skilled, he'll soon be able to do these shots with regulation - all along using good footwork and proper technique.

That's one personal example. I do agree that just saying "a kid at this age should use X" doesn't always apply. You have to look at what you're trying to accomplish and figure out what works. I see colored balls as another tool and nothing more. It's not a miracle cure as the USTA likes to promote and it's not going to ruin a kid's game as some suggest.

Thanks for this. Sounds like my kid shouldn't be using green dots that much. He actually starts slowing down his racket head speed when he is hitting with his friends at the club when they use the green dots. He hits the ball harder when we hit with regular balls.

[tennisbuck]

All I can say is that im glad im 14 and have no worry of having the 16s start being played with green dot balls. Yes some of the kids back in 10s hit weird shot and moon balls, but the serious players had good coaches that taught them not to care about results and just work on developing there games. Now younger kids are having to learn the game twice. A twelve year old is playing with a different ball and then switching to a regalar ball when they are 13. When Nadal was 13 he was two years from going pro and wasn't worrying about switching to a new ball.

[diamondie1]

Originally Posted by BMC9670

IMO, just like orange balls, green balls can serve a purpose at a specific stage of teaching/training, but mandating ANY ball based on age is counterproductive.

I agree.

From what I understand from other posters , be grateful that in the U.S you are allowed to play up.
Here in the U.K. you will only play the coloured ball of your age group.
8 &under = red
9 & under = orange
10 & under = green

There is absolutley no flexiblity for parents to decide.
It doesnt matter how tall, how good or what, you as a parent/coach are hoping/ trying to achieve.

You will play in your age group until you hit 12 & under then you can play whatever: 18's, adults or stick to your age group.

Lunacy.

[widmerpool]

Originally Posted by gplracer

http://www.oncourtoffcourt.com/_medi...1e5a18ab46.pdf

My child got this information in his folder while attending a USTA RTC. It is an interesting read.

I agree with this:
"While it was anticipated that rallies with the green ball would be longer they were actually almost the same, 5.25 shots per rally vs 5.35 at yellow. The reason for the slightly longer rallies at yellow was the number of long “moon” ball rallies which increased the average."

I know I'm alone on this board in not having a genetic freak for a child. For my 8y/o, orange and green balls are a godsend.

I do wish the USTA would revisit red balls as a 23" racquet with red balls is ridiculous for a normal sized 8 y/o. It's almost racquetball. Maybe red balls could be 7U.

[ga tennis]

Originally Posted by BMC9670

I disagree. I use them for specific things and with direction and purpose and they have played a useful role. Just to say "they will hurt his game" as a blanket statement is a bit extreme.

If he or she is 9 or older and seriously trying to be a player i see NO time that green dots would be beneficial.

[TennisCoachIN]

Originally Posted by ga tennis

If he or she is 9 or older and seriously trying to be a player i see NO time that green dots would be beneficial.

gatennis. Happy to see you are back posting more regularly on the board. My daughter is 8 years old, soon to be 9. We are using in a mix between green dot and regular balls. She does want to be a serious player. I have gone back and forth in my head with switching her to the regular ball permanently. So, my question is why do you feel at that age (9) better to switch to only regular balls. Thanks for your input.

Also, can you take a look at her forehand stroke below. It is a work in progress

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XndUVZkGe8

[ga tennis]

I just feel that the green dots give them such a false sense of the speed of the game. The green dots let them get away with bad footwork as well as bad technique.Your daughters forehand is looking good for 8.I would have her keep that left hand on the racket a little longer on the takeback.It should stay on the racket and seperate from the racket when it gets to the right shoulder. Keep that left arm up around shoulder height. On her finish pay attention to what the racket face is doing i dont like whats going on with her racket after contact. My daughter use to hit her forehand like that but now shes hitting more leverage based. My daughters coach is letting people use his site for free now. Go to www.virtualtennisacademy.com and search millenium forehand.

[TennisCoachIN]

Originally Posted by ga tennis

I just feel that the green dots give them such a false sense of the speed of the game. The green dots let them get away with bad footwork as well as bad technique.Your daughters forehand is looking good for 8.I would have her keep that left hand on the racket a little longer on the takeback.It should stay on the racket and seperate from the racket when it gets to the right shoulder. Keep that left arm up around shoulder height. On her finish pay attention to what the racket face is doing i dont like whats going on with her racket after contact. My daughter use to hit her forehand like that but now shes hitting more leverage based. My daughters coach is letting people use his site for free now. Go to www.virtualtennisacademy.com and search millenium forehand.

I like the rationale behind moving towards regular balls, so thanks for the insight. Also, I definitely agree with you on her keeping that left hand on her racquet longer. We are shadowing that now so she gets a better hold rhythm.

I will check that site out today. Thanks for help.

[ga tennis]

Originally Posted by TennisCoachIN

I like the rationale behind moving towards regular balls, so thanks for the insight. Also, I definitely agree with you on her keeping that left hand on her racquet longer. We are shadowing that now so she gets a better hold rhythm.

I will check that site out today. Thanks for help.

Shes looking good but you got to pick em apart on that technique early and often. That site is really gonna help you alot with the forehand.

[BMC9670]

Originally Posted by ga tennis

If he or she is 9 or older and seriously trying to be a player i see NO time that green dots would be beneficial.

Originally Posted by ga tennis

I just feel that the green dots give them such a false sense of the speed of the game. The green dots let them get away with bad footwork as well as bad technique.

As I already posted, I use them for working on SPECIFIC things. You might not see a need for your kid, but I have specific uses for mine. It's OK. There is no one-size-fits-all.

Also, green dot balls don't let them get away with bad foot work and bad technique - bad coaching does. It's all about what you do with the tools, not the tools themselves.