Whole Bunch 'o Questions! (sort of)

[Nexus]

All right, yes. I'll admit it. I'm a junior myself. 16, junior year, and destined for first singles on my team. If you'd be so kind as to answer even one of my questions, I will be very grateful

1. Out of opinion, should a junior be hitting with the nSix-one90? (Federer's old racket)

2. If you've tried that racket, do you like it or hate it? If you hate it, why? (I have two and I love them dearly.)

3. My league is a bunch of small schools with a few who have guys that have had private trainers/teachers, and play at clubs. Think I stand a chance at beating them? Assuming I hit/play/practice on my own every day it isn't raining or super windy. (Six times a week, usually). I started playing when I was a freshmen.

4. If you play on a team, what do you play as and what racket do you use?

5. Anyone ever used Kevlar strings and hate them as much as I did? Reasons you like or hate them?

6. Suggestions on strings? I prefer any string out of the Big Banger line. Ace, Alu, Original, Timo Touch. I still want to try the Alu Rough.

7. And lastly, does anyone agree with this statement? 17 or 18 gauge strings give you more feel and spin than 15 or 16 gauge strings.

Bonus Question!

Who else strings their own rackets? Fastest time completed?

Oh, and if you have any advice for a first year, full time varsity guy, share away. If you've been there and done that, share your experiences, your upsets, heartbreaks, and let downs. Stories are also fun.

Oh, and when my season starts (Feb 10th -a saturday-) should I worry about the team as a whole, or just myself? My situation is basically that I'm not on a team with a bunch of devoted off-season players. So, My idea was just to worry about improving myself and such and not worry about how the team does as a whole because I can't do anything about how my team mates play during a match. I can just try to win my own matches.

Other info: I'm on a co-ed team. Lost varsity guys last year, but I could beat most of them by the time they left.

Positions: 1 and 2 boys singles. 1 boys doubles. A mixed doubles. 1 and 2 girls singles and a girls doubles. Thus, 10 players. In a similar situation? I've heard quite a few teams have changed to that format in my surrounding area. (I live in California)

[Duzza]

1. Depends. How good are you in NRTP rankings? My friend who is 16 just bought one and I must say he is playing the best I have ever seen him play. He used to use an nPro.

2. I personally liked it. As far as 90 inchers go, I think it far more enjoyable for us juniors than racquet connoseurs (spelling sorry) that still use the SV Prostaff's.

3. No idea what the US system is like

4. I don't play in the US, but I was no.1 on my school team and I use an RDX 500 Mid

5. They are very harsh, not enjoyable at all for me and a lot of others.

6. Try the Signum Poly Plasma Pro. My friend uses it on his ncode 90 and loves it.

7. Well 17 and 18 are thinner right? More bite on the ball apparently, so yes probably more spin. As for feel no idea.

8. My ncode friend does mine and takes no longer than 45 mins lol.

[thejackal]

Originally Posted by Nexus

All right, yes. I'll admit it. I'm a junior myself. 16, junior year, and destined for first singles on my team. If you'd be so kind as to answer even one of my questions, I will be very grateful

1. Out of opinion, should a junior be hitting with the nSix-one90? (Federer's old racket)

2. If you've tried that racket, do you like it or hate it? If you hate it, why? (I have two and I love them dearly.)

3. My league is a bunch of small schools with a few who have guys that have had private trainers/teachers, and play at clubs. Think I stand a chance at beating them? Assuming I hit/play/practice on my own every day it isn't raining or super windy. (Six times a week, usually). I started playing when I was a freshmen.

4. If you play on a team, what do you play as and what racket do you use?

5. Anyone ever used Kevlar strings and hate them as much as I did? Reasons you like or hate them?

6. Suggestions on strings? I prefer any string out of the Big Banger line. Ace, Alu, Original, Timo Touch. I still want to try the Alu Rough.

7. And lastly, does anyone agree with this statement? 17 or 18 gauge strings give you more feel and spin than 15 or 16 gauge strings.

Bonus Question!

Who else strings their own rackets? Fastest time completed?

Oh, and if you have any advice for a first year, full time varsity guy, share away. If you've been there and done that, share your experiences, your upsets, heartbreaks, and let downs. Stories are also fun.

Oh, and when my season starts (Feb 10th -a saturday-) should I worry about the team as a whole, or just myself? My situation is basically that I'm not on a team with a bunch of devoted off-season players. So, My idea was just to worry about improving myself and such and not worry about how the team does as a whole because I can't do anything about how my team mates play during a match. I can just try to win my own matches.

Other info: I'm on a co-ed team. Lost varsity guys last year, but I could beat most of them by the time they left.

Positions: 1 and 2 boys singles. 1 boys doubles. A mixed doubles. 1 and 2 girls singles and a girls doubles. Thus, 10 players. In a similar situation? I've heard quite a few teams have changed to that format in my surrounding area. (I live in California)

I loved the n6-1 Tour on forehands and backhands cuz of the weight of my shots but it slowed me down everywhere else - I would not play competitively with it (I use the 6-1 95)

I like using poly mains (18g) with 17g gosen micro cross at 58-62. Fastest time is prolly around 40-45 minutes. I'm prolly gonna be 1 or 2 singles on my school's varsity team (i live in norcal)

[donut]

1.i think you hit with whatever you play best with or feel good with. im a junior played 1 year and i use a ps85

2. i like it just cant stand the muted feel.

3. no idea how you play or they play but if you work hard you can beet most people unless theyre machine named roger federer.

4.im a sophmore using a ps85 probably going to varsity with the seniors this year

5. i used something i hated think it was kevlar. hate it. no feel at all.

6. alu or alu rough is good but if you dont have alot of money like me cyberflash is just as good if not better. SPPP is good too

7. thinner guage gives more playability but less durability as we know.

bonuses

-i string my own rackets my fastest time was under 25 minutes and i use a drop weight.

-depends how your league is so i wouldnt know.

-do your own part worry about yourself theres a competition for spots on the team. if your into the whole team thing alot though just help them out time to time but dont forget about urself.

-

[brayman9]

Originally Posted by Nexus

All right, yes. I'll admit it. I'm a junior myself. 16, junior year, and destined for first singles on my team. If you'd be so kind as to answer even one of my questions, I will be very grateful

1. Out of opinion, should a junior be hitting with the nSix-one90? (Federer's old racket)

2. If you've tried that racket, do you like it or hate it? If you hate it, why? (I have two and I love them dearly.)

3. My league is a bunch of small schools with a few who have guys that have had private trainers/teachers, and play at clubs. Think I stand a chance at beating them? Assuming I hit/play/practice on my own every day it isn't raining or super windy. (Six times a week, usually). I started playing when I was a freshmen.

4. If you play on a team, what do you play as and what racket do you use?

5. Anyone ever used Kevlar strings and hate them as much as I did? Reasons you like or hate them?

6. Suggestions on strings? I prefer any string out of the Big Banger line. Ace, Alu, Original, Timo Touch. I still want to try the Alu Rough.

7. And lastly, does anyone agree with this statement? 17 or 18 gauge strings give you more feel and spin than 15 or 16 gauge strings.

Bonus Question!

Who else strings their own rackets? Fastest time completed?

Oh, and if you have any advice for a first year, full time varsity guy, share away. If you've been there and done that, share your experiences, your upsets, heartbreaks, and let downs. Stories are also fun.

Oh, and when my season starts (Feb 10th -a saturday-) should I worry about the team as a whole, or just myself? My situation is basically that I'm not on a team with a bunch of devoted off-season players. So, My idea was just to worry about improving myself and such and not worry about how the team does as a whole because I can't do anything about how my team mates play during a match. I can just try to win my own matches.

Other info: I'm on a co-ed team. Lost varsity guys last year, but I could beat most of them by the time they left.

Positions: 1 and 2 boys singles. 1 boys doubles. A mixed doubles. 1 and 2 girls singles and a girls doubles. Thus, 10 players. In a similar situation? I've heard quite a few teams have changed to that format in my surrounding area. (I live in California)

1. I think that anyone who liked the feal could use it I almost did.

2. I like everything but the low power but everything else is awesome.

3. I think u could beat them if u are natural and practice really hard.

4. I play on a team for my club but not a high school team (to young). I play 3 singles for the team and we play all around new england. It is very good compotion.

5. Never used them but it gets mixed reviews.

6. Big Banger is good but it can give you a rough feal i think that the best are the wilson hybrid. Sensation or NXT is the best.

7. I don't agree i only see a durablilty difference but i see a little spin but not that much.

BOnus:

I work under the table stringing rackets for my club even though i am 14. But i just started to string so probly about 30 minutes is my fastest and i do string my rackets also

[brayman9]

o and if you want a let down listen to this.

All the club put themselves behind me to win a big tournament in Rhode Island and i lost in the Semi's but then i lost the next 3 tournaments first round and then the next 3 round. I ended up losing all the people behind me that thought i was goinf far and now i have to prove myself again.

[Puredrivetennis]

1. Out of opinion, should a junior be hitting with the nSix-one90? (Federer's old racket) Why not? make sure you know the consequences though, you're likely to get some throbbing elbows and shanks off the frame.. If you like it, though, go for it.

2. If you've tried that racket, do you like it or hate it? If you hate it, why? (I have two and I love them dearly.) I have, and don't like it; this is just me, though.. I prefer generating more of my own power with faster swinging, and I simply cannot use anything below 97''.

3. My league is a bunch of small schools with a few who have guys that have had private trainers/teachers, and play at clubs. Think I stand a chance at beating them? Assuming I hit/play/practice on my own every day it isn't raining or super windy. (Six times a week, usually). I started playing when I was a freshmen. YOU can beat anyone that you put your mind to-- tennis is very unpredictable, anyone can beat anyone on a given day, just dont think for a second that you can't win.

4. If you play on a team, what do you play as and what racket do you use? A team? I play for my high school team as captain, as well as the babolat and reebok preferred player teams. I use an aeropro drive.

5. Anyone ever used Kevlar strings and hate them as much as I did? Reasons you like or hate them? Yes and I despise them. They just feel weird.

6. Suggestions on strings? Pretty much any luxilon string, babolat super fine play, nxt, pro hurricane tour, razor spin.

7. And lastly, does anyone agree with this statement? 17 or 18 gauge strings give you more feel and spin than 15 or 16 gauge strings. I do agree, fully.

Bonus Question!

Who else strings their own rackets? Fastest time completed? I do string, although not my own. I don't know a fastest time, really.. I average about 15-20 minutes a stick, I guess.

Oh, and if you have any advice for a first year, full time varsity guy, share away. If you've been there and done that, share your experiences, your upsets, heartbreaks, and let downs. Stories are also fun.

Oh, and when my season starts (Feb 10th -a saturday-) should I worry about the team as a whole, or just myself? My situation is basically that I'm not on a team with a bunch of devoted off-season players. So, My idea was just to worry about improving myself and such and not worry about how the team does as a whole because I can't do anything about how my team mates play during a match. I can just try to win my own matches.

Other info: I'm on a co-ed team. Lost varsity guys last year, but I could beat most of them by the time they left.

Positions: 1 and 2 boys singles. 1 boys doubles. A mixed doubles. 1 and 2 girls singles and a girls doubles. Thus, 10 players. In a similar situation? I've heard quite a few teams have changed to that format in my surrounding area. (I live in California)[/quote]

[Nexus]

Thanks for all the opinions and stuff. It seems that most of you guys are on the same page as me, I think. As for my fastest stringing time, with the non-electrical stringing machine, (all mechanical) I can do about 2 rackets in an hour, give or take 10 minutes. I was also taught how to string the racket using one string for the mains and one for the crosses, so there is more knot tieing involved. Sometimes, getting the string through another occupied hole is a bit of a pain, but that only seems to happen with other people's rackets, not the ones I string for myself. Will I get faster at stringing? Probably not, unless I decided to try to get a job at a tennis club or sporting goods store. I'd have to change a couple of techniques.. and according to a graduated player from my team, they actually have books and whatnot on how to string rackets. Wouldn't it be easier if every racket came with stringing instructions? I'd wager TW has a book or two on it, but I just haven't checked. That's me being ignorant for you.

'nother question!!!

How many of you guys/people can run a mile in under six minutes? Apparently, I'm supposed to be able to do that in order to play first singles. I've been running 3 miles a day to build up strength and endurance for about a month now, but I haven't seen a significant drop in my mile times. I still need to shave off about 20-30 more seconds before Feb 13th or 14th. Luckily, my coach is also a cross country coach, so I'm assuming he can help me increase my agility, but I'll just have to have a good running day on the day he tests the team and such to assess where everyone is at. I'm assuming he'll do this the first or second day of practice.

[Freedom]

Originally Posted by Nexus

1. Out of opinion, should a junior be hitting with the nSix-one90? (Federer's old racket)

If that's the racquet they are comfortable with, yes.

Originally Posted by Nexus

2. If you've tried that racket, do you like it or hate it? If you hate it, why? (I have two and I love them dearly.)

I've briefly hit with it, I didn't really like it too much.

Originally Posted by Nexus

3. My league is a bunch of small schools with a few who have guys that have had private trainers/teachers, and play at clubs. Think I stand a chance at beating them? Assuming I hit/play/practice on my own every day it isn't raining or super windy. (Six times a week, usually). I started playing when I was a freshmen.

Practice hard and have a good attitude. You probably have a lot of ground to make up, but keep practicing.

Originally Posted by Nexus

4. If you play on a team, what do you play as and what racket do you use?

I'm gunning for #1 singles this year. Last year I bounced around #2/3 singles and #2 mixed. I play with a ProStaff Tour 95.

Originally Posted by Nexus

6. Suggestions on strings? I prefer any string out of the Big Banger line. Ace, Alu, Original, Timo Touch. I still want to try the Alu Rough.

I've had really good success with BB Orginal, strung at 55.

Originally Posted by Nexus

Oh, and if you have any advice for a first year, full time varsity guy, share away. If you've been there and done that, share your experiences, your upsets, heartbreaks, and let downs. Stories are also fun.

Have a good attitude, tennis is fun. Don't write a check your butt can't cash.

Originally Posted by Nexus

Oh, and when my season starts (Feb 10th -a saturday-) should I worry about the team as a whole, or just myself? My situation is basically that I'm not on a team with a bunch of devoted off-season players. So, My idea was just to worry about improving myself and such and not worry about how the team does as a whole because I can't do anything about how my team mates play during a match. I can just try to win my own matches.

If you're doing try-outs, you really only need to worry about yourself. Just remember not to be a punk though- if you do get on the team, people remember who they played in try-outs.