When to move up from a Junior Racquet?

[eelhc]

My 12 year old son has outgrown his Prince Air O Hybrid Black 25 and needs a new racquet.

The Prince is 9.2Oz unstrung with a 16x19 pattern 105sqin head.

My Son is ~5'4" average strength for a 12 year old and is average/below average athletic (must take after his old man) and is just starting tennis. He's gone to camp and clinics for 3 years but do not play year round. We hope to get him into the game a little more seriously this year.

The question is do we get another Junior Racquet (with a bigger grip) or is it time to move him onto a proper "grown up" racquet?

I have a stringing machine so I can change out the strings and adjust the tension whenever I want. I would like to purchase a racquet that promotes good stroke development and is good for young growing arms.

[esgee48]

Go for standard length. Weight between 10.5 and 11.5 oz shying towards the higher end. Don't tell him this, but a lot of women are smaller/shorter then 5'4" and can use frames in this range. Since he is using a 105 si frame, go for something in the 98-102 si range. 2 cents.

[LeeD]

Good advice from above.
Lots of 12 year old girls (5' and 90 lbs. use adult, mid 11 oz rackets. Keep SW's down below 320 and he won't have any problems, except for initial adjustment.

[jman32]

Originally Posted by eelhc

My 12 year old son has outgrown his Prince Air O Hybrid Black 25 and needs a new racquet.

The Prince is 9.2Oz unstrung with a 16x19 pattern 105sqin head.

My Son is ~5'4" average strength for a 12 year old and is average/below average athletic (must take after his old man) and is just starting tennis. He's gone to camp and clinics for 3 years but do not play year round. We hope to get him into the game a little more seriously this year.

The question is do we get another Junior Racquet (with a bigger grip) or is it time to move him onto a proper "grown up" racquet?

I have a stringing machine so I can change out the strings and adjust the tension whenever I want. I would like to purchase a racquet that promotes good stroke development and is good for young growing arms.

Try to keep the stiffness below 65. Weight in the 10.75-11.25. Sw 315. Nothing bigger than 100sq inches.

If he can handle heavier, higher SW or smaller head size (95 or 9 it would be a good thing

Do his arm a favor and don't use poly until he is 15 or 16 years old

[Korso]

My 11 year old is cranking it up with a Pure Storm GT, roughly over 11 oz strung and a 98 sq head. I string it with a multi in the upper 50's (Dunlop DNA).

[TimothyO]

Both of my sons use adult frames in the 11.2 to 11.6 ounce range.

My 12 year old uses a Prince exo3 that's 11.2 ounces. He hits full western, lots of topspin.

My 11 year old uses a Dunlop AG 4D 300 modified to around 11.6 ounces. He hits flatter, lots of pace.

[Radicalized]

Go to a standard length. Not much more to say than above. My general thinking: Swingweight 310-330. Depends on other racquet specs. 11 (and a bit) ounces. HL. Stick to synthetic gut. Nothing stiff in the package. Base pattern and head size on what "pop" he might need, but I don't dwell on it.

[hmd]

Yes to full length non-stiff, soft strings (no poly) and head size 100 or smaller.

May be something a bit lighter and can easily customized with weights as he grows.

My 13 year old son been playing with Head Speed Elite for 18 months, recently added 10g of weight to the handle.

[eelhc]

Originally Posted by TimothyO

Both of my sons use adult frames in the 11.2 to 11.6 ounce range.

My 12 year old uses a Prince exo3 that's 11.2 ounces. He hits full western, lots of topspin.

My 11 year old uses a Dunlop AG 4D 300 modified to around 11.6 ounces. He hits flatter, lots of pace.

I am actually considering the AG 4D 300 for my son... but have concerns that it may be too much racquet for him (as I mentioned he's average/below average athletic). I do like that this is a highly customizable racquet.

[rich s]

Originally Posted by eelhc

My 12 year old son has outgrown his Prince Air O Hybrid Black 25 and needs a new racquet.

The Prince is 9.2Oz unstrung with a 16x19 pattern 105sqin head.

My Son is ~5'4" average strength for a 12 year old and is average/below average athletic (must take after his old man) and is just starting tennis. He's gone to camp and clinics for 3 years but do not play year round. We hope to get him into the game a little more seriously this year.

The question is do we get another Junior Racquet (with a bigger grip) or is it time to move him onto a proper "grown up" racquet?

I have a stringing machine so I can change out the strings and adjust the tension whenever I want. I would like to purchase a racquet that promotes good stroke development and is good for young growing arms.

My son is 11, 5'2" and about 112 lb..... I took one of my older MG Radical OS's and cut the length down to 26.5"....

it's the best of all worlds IMO... it has the mass of a standard racquet, is still very flexible and forgiving, a swingweight around 300 and the maneuverability of a Jr racquet......

[wmilas]

Full length racquet but light like a small woman would use. Something like a Yonex EZONE XI Lite 100 would work. Try and keep the head 100sq or smaller.. no smaller than 95. 98 is the sweet spot. Look for a stick with an open bed. He is going to need the power. A closed bed will hamper him if hes having issues with pace.

String it with a good syn gut strung low.. like 48-50. OGSM is a nice soft choice.

If you have the cash, I HIGHLY recommend stringing with Natural gut. It lasts forever for kids (contrary to popular opinion) never loses tension, can be played with till it breaks (does not have to be cut out/does not go dead), and is the best string for his developing muscles, bones, and ligaments. It should last him at least half a season. If you do the math its cheaper than having to string the stick with OGSM 3 times if you are paying for stringing. If you string yourself, then that argument goes out the window

[eelhc]

Originally Posted by TimothyO

Both of my sons use adult frames in the 11.2 to 11.6 ounce range.

My 12 year old uses a Prince exo3 that's 11.2 ounces. He hits full western, lots of topspin.

My 11 year old uses a Dunlop AG 4D 300 modified to around 11.6 ounces. He hits flatter, lots of pace.

I ordered a AG 300 3D. The recommended tension is 55-65lbs but I think I'll put synthetic gut or natural gut/poly hybrid at 50#.

[LeeD]

Good call.
I run my Bio3T at 52 lbs., a little stiff every day. Wish it was closer to 48 lbs.

[Squidward]

A junior girl I string for moved up to this Dunlop and has been quite happy.

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Dunl...LOP-D4D3L.html

If you can find one with the proper grip size...